Dumfries House Estate in Ayrshire, Scotland has been crowned RHS Partner Garden of the Year 2025, following an overwhelming response in a nationwide public vote organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Now in its fifth year, the annual competition asked RHS Members and the general public to vote for the garden that brought them the most joy during their visit. Thousands of votes were cast between April and September 2025, with Dumfries House Estate emerging as the clear favourite — praised for its beauty, tranquillity, and inclusive spirit.
On receiving the award, Melissa Simpson, Head of Horticulture at The King’s Foundation, said: “His Majesty’s vision was to inspire, educate and train people and encourage kids to get out into nature, especially in our local community, one of the most deprived areas in Scotland. Winning RHS Partner Garden of the Year - our first award for the garden - means such a lot to us. The King is absolutely delighted!”
Dumfries House Estate sits within 600 acres of historic parkland in Ayrshire and is part of The King’s Foundation. Saved for the nation by His Majesty King Charles III in 2007, the estate has undergone a remarkable transformation, with the once-derelict five-acre Queen Elizabeth II Walled Garden now restored as a centrepiece of horticultural beauty and education. The grounds also include a Japanese garden, arboretum, tree-lined bulb avenues, and a dedicated education garden, alongside glasshouses and formal parterres — all designed to inspire, teach, and support traditional horticultural and craft skills.
Five regional winners were also recognised. The regional winners were:
North of England Winner: Larch Cottage Nurseries, Penrith, Cumbria
Located in the heart of the Eden Valley, Larch Cottage Nurseries offers a truly unique horticultural experience built and continually developed by Peter Stott. Set against Romanesque-style walls and atmospheric architecture, this plantsperson’s paradise is home to more than 15,000 plant varieties. The garden is a tranquil place where paths meander beside mixed borders, displaying many rare and unusual specimens while the natural stream leads to a small lake with a frescoed chapel at its head.
South East Winner: Tylney Hall Hotel and Gardens, Hook, Hampshire
Combining horticultural excellence with historic grandeur, the gardens at Tylney Hall Hotel offer sweeping views across the South Downs, framed by redwoods. Renowned English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll helped shape these beautiful and historic grounds. Highlights include the elegant Italian Garden with views across the lake and its charming boathouse bridge, the tranquil Water Garden, the colourful Dutch Garden, and the sweeping Vista.
South West Winner: Mothecombe House and Gardens, Holbeton, nr Plymouth
Overlooking the mouth of the River Erme, the walled gardens with Lutyens Terraces at Mothecombe House enjoy a dramatic setting above the South Devon coast. Nestled within the historic Flete Estate, this bee-friendly serene garden offers visitors a rich mix of coastal views, woodland walks, and peaceful planting.
Midlands and East Winner: Moors Meadow Gardens, Bromyard, Herefordshire
A true hidden gem, Moors Meadow is a family-run, organic garden that has been carefully nurtured since 1955. Rich in biodiversity, the garden contains a phenomenal variety of plants, sculptures and bulbs, champions naturalistic planting and wildlife-friendly practices and offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere that appeals to all generations.
Overseas Winner: Arboretum Kalmthout, near Antwerp, Belgium
Renowned for its exceptional plant collections and seasonal displays. Located just outside Antwerp, the garden features an impressive diversity of species from around the world, attracting visitors year-round with its peaceful woodland setting and vibrant horticultural displays including witch hazels and snowdrops in winter; ornamental cherries and rhododendrons in spring; roses, hostas and hydrangeas during summer, followed by spectacular autumn colours.
Prunella Murray, RHS Partner Gardens said: “The RHS Partner Garden of the Year competition is all about celebrating the gardens that bring real joy, shining a spotlight on the spaces that truly connect with people and inspire a love of gardening. Dumfries House Estate has clearly captured the hearts of so many and we’re thrilled to recognise the team’s incredible work with this well-deserved award. All this year’s winners highlight the incredible variety of gardens we are lucky to have in the RHS Partner Garden scheme and they are all worth a visit!”
The RHS Partner Garden network includes over 230 outstanding independent gardens of all shapes and sizes - some well-known, others less so - in the UK and abroad, each demonstrating significant horticultural interest which may include unusual design, inspiring planting schemes, notable plant collections, gardening heritage or emerging garden trends. All RHS Partner Gardens kindly allow RHS Members to visit for free at selected times throughout the year.
To find out more about RHS Partner Gardens, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/partnergardens
