A few miles east of Stranraer on the A75, the Earl and Countess of Stair's gardens occupy an isthmus between two lochs — the White Loch and the Black Loch — which is what gives the place its peculiar character. Water on both sides, avenues radiating out across the neck of land, and a ruin at one end.
The layout
The ruin is the original Castle Kennedy, burnt in 1716 and never rebuilt, now standing gaunt above a walled garden and covered in wisteria. At the far end of the isthmus is Lochinch Castle, the Victorian house the family built instead, which is not open but forms the view.
Between them lies the landscape. The bones of it were laid out in the eighteenth century by the 2nd Earl of Stair, a field marshal who is said to have used his soldiers to move the earth and shape the terraces and avenues. Nearly three hundred years of planting have gone in since.
What to see
- The rhododendrons and azaleas, which are the reason most people come. Late April to June is the window, and in a good year it is extraordinary.
- The monkey puzzle avenue, the garden's signature.
- The champion trees — 95 of them recorded here, including a dozen British champions and thirty Scottish ones. This is one of the great tree collections in the country.
- The walled garden below the castle ruin, and the herbaceous borders.
- The lily ponds, the sculptured landforms and the bird hides on the lochs.
- Snowdrops and daffodils earlier in the year, when the garden sometimes opens at weekends before the main season.
Practical notes
The 2026 season runs daily from late March to the beginning of November, 10am to 5pm. Tickets can be booked online in advance or bought on arrival at the shop. Adult entry is modest, children are a couple of pounds, and family tickets are good value; group discounts apply over ten. Check current prices before travelling.
There is a tea room overlooking the castle ruin, a gift shop and a plant centre. Dogs are welcome on leads. Access is described as partial: the ground is uneven in places and the garden is large, but there is disabled parking and a toilet on site.
Allow two to three hours; enthusiasts stay all day.
Getting there
About 35 miles and 50 minutes from Girvan, just off the A75 east of Stranraer. It is the natural first stop on the Stranraer and the Rhins day trip, before Portpatrick for lunch and Logan in the afternoon — though doing all three in a day is a long day.
