Our Grounds

Scone Palace sits in magnificent grounds with lawns, formal gardens, a wild garden and pinetum.

The Lawns and Formal Gardens
These mainly lie in open space between the Palace and the Wild Garden and Pinetum, separated by the ancient Gateway of Scone. The lawns are home to free-roaming peacocks. 

The unique Murray Star Maze, designed by international maze designer, Adrian Fisher, and the children's play area provide more energetic diversions, particularly for our younger visitors, while a picnic area offers an alternative to our coffee shop and restaurant on summer days. There are also donkeys, sheep, Highland cattle and a Highland pony to be admired.


The Wild Garden and Pinetum
Immediately beyond the Gateway of Scone, at the end of an avenue of lime trees, is a collection of masonry, some pieces of which are relics from the ancient Abbey. One piece is a memorial stone to Alexander Marr, 16th Abbot of Scone. The old Mercat Cross is also here.

Overlooking the stones is a very special Douglas Fir. This was raised from the original seed sent home from America by David Douglas in 1826. David Douglas was born at Scone and worked as an under-gardener here before gaining fame as a plant explorer and collector for the Royal Horticultural Society. A Plant Hunters' Pavilion dedicated to David Douglas has recently been constructed in the Grounds.  There is also a memorial and interpretation board about him in the graveyard in Scone village.

The Pinetum originated with the planting of exotic coniferous tress in 1848. Further additions have been added over the years.