Gardens and Grounds

Blair Castle is at the hub of a designed landscape which encompasses some 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) within an estate of over 145,000 acres (58,725 hectares). Most of the landscape features were established during the 18th century.

Close to the castle is Diana’s Grove, named for the Roman Goddess of hunting, a magnificent stand of trees originally laid out by the 2nd Duke of Atholl in 1737. Today it affords a special opportunity to enjoy some of the country’s finest and tallest trees in a space of just 2 acres.

The Banvie Burn runs through the Grove and is crossed by two attractive 18th century bridges which give access to the ruins of St Bride’s Kirk which has its ancient origins in Celtic times. After the nearby Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, the Kirk became the resting place for the remains of Viscount Dundee, (John Graham of Claverhouse, known as Bonnie Dundee).

Just north of the castle and close to the pony trekking centre is a deer park stocked with native red deer. Peacocks roam freely in the grounds where wildlife abounds.




Hercules Garden is a walled enclosure of about 9 acres (3.65 hectares) developed by the 2nd Duke of Atholl in the mid 18th century. Named after the life-sized statue of Hercules which overlooks it, the garden incorporates landscaped ponds and plantings. Other features include statues, urns, a Chinese bridge and a folly, as well as productive fruit trees, vegetable beds and herbaceous borders.

During the 20th century, two world wars and the introduction of death duties led to a decline in the maintenance of this outstanding garden. Christmas trees were planted in the 1950’s but they were not cropped regularly and Hercules Garden was soon hidden from view. When the trees were removed in 1984 the original form of the garden was revealed and it was decided to undertake a full restoration programme over some ten years. This work is substantially completed but the garden continues to evolve.

The Whim is an eye-catching folly standing on a bank to the north of the castle in line with the Lime Avenue which forms the main drive. It dates from 1761 and is simply a façade pierced with gothic arches set behind a parapet wall linking two small pavilions.