Mertoun Gardens
Mertoun Gardens
4
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4.0
15 reviews
Excellent
3
Very good
8
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Julie P
United Kingdom2,013 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
September is not the best time of year to visit the walled garden as there is little in flower. If you pick up a garden leaflet at the entrance, make sure you know that you are parking by the walled garden and not where it marks the car park on the map. The map is hard to follow and occasionally there are arrows pointing the way, but sometimes they disappear.
Don't miss the wonderful dovecote, which you can enter, and the view of the hall is nice, as are the borders. Plenty of trees.
Overall it was disappointing, but it's not expensive to enter and is via an honesty box.
Don't miss the wonderful dovecote, which you can enter, and the view of the hall is nice, as are the borders. Plenty of trees.
Overall it was disappointing, but it's not expensive to enter and is via an honesty box.
Written 22 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
winstonglasgow
Scotland171 contributions
Aug 2019
A Monday afternoon in August so Mertoun Gardens are open unlike many others in The Borders. A gardening friend had recommended that we make the detour. But for some reason the toilets are locked. Nevertheless we paid our £5 each entrance fee at the Honesty Box. Wandered to The Dovecot and The Walled Garden which was colourful and impressive. What a pity we couldn't buy some veg or flowers via another Honesty Box. The pathways and lawns were all well kept and the House itself said come on in and view but of course it was closed. Next stop Floors. Hope the toilets are open.
Written 30 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patricia m
Newtown St Boswells, UK16 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
If you like a natural, uncontrived kind of garden, then Mertoun Gardens is for you. After putting your donation in the box, you are free to wander around, although I did find the arrows (which one should follow) slightly confusing and ended up wandering down by the Tweed which was wonderful. I only realised my mistake when the Lady of the Manor with two adorable border terriers in tow, caught up with me and put me back on the right path. The trees here are magnificent and it is also possible to have a look at the outside of the old Mertoun Kirk. I came across some pheasant and another very exotic looking golden bird I couldn't altogether identify. I banks of daffodils are splendid and views magnificent. I will definitely return later in the year to see what's growing.
Written 3 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
james c
Northumberland, UK129 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
This garden is a gardener's garden, ideal for adults, not really for children
We paid £5 each into the honesty box, to go in
attractive beds, and some beautiful though not unusual plants
Some very old trees
An inclined kitchen garden with obsessively neat beds but wilder areas too - the head gardeners house is an old building in the middle of this area
The main thing though is the site, as the views over the fields and later over the Tweed were most impressive
No cover so go on a sunny day
We paid £5 each into the honesty box, to go in
attractive beds, and some beautiful though not unusual plants
Some very old trees
An inclined kitchen garden with obsessively neat beds but wilder areas too - the head gardeners house is an old building in the middle of this area
The main thing though is the site, as the views over the fields and later over the Tweed were most impressive
No cover so go on a sunny day
Written 5 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bryony S
16 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
Mertoun is rather tucked away, but worth seeking out. No, there's no visitors' centre or teashop, and you pur your entrance fee in an honesty box. Then you are free to wander and enjoy. Make sure you go as far as the top part of the lovely walled garden, taking in the marvellous old dovecote on the way. Pity there didn't seem to be access to the Tweed, though views were lovely.
Written 30 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ScottishLassie23
Scottish Borders, UK3 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
Growing up in the Scottish Borders, I felt it was time to visit some places on my doorstep. There is a suggested donation of £4 which you leave in the honesty box and there is a leaflet which you can take with you to guide you around the gardens. The gardens really are lovely. There is also a dovecot within the gardens which was built in 1567 and is thought to be the oldest in the country. Unfortunately you cannot look around Mertoun house as it is a private house. The gardens are open Apr - Sept, Fri - Mon. Well worth a visit.
Written 24 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
An Teallach forever
Edinburgh, UK17 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
It has been a first and also a last. In contrast to most of the gardens I have visited in Scotland, here you had the feeling you could not walk around freely, as if the owners were following your steps. Thus not exactly a place to relax in spite of the apparent peacefulness of the place.
Written 19 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tangoj63
Leighton Buzzard, UK999 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This garden does not have a tea room or shop but is worth stopping at if you are nearby. It is on the banks of the River Tweed and is quite extensive but a detour to the walled garden is not really suitable if you are disabled or in a wheelchair as there is quite a steep slope to get there,
Written 26 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris and Jean
Derbyshire, UK591 contributions
Sept 2018 • Couples
This estate probably receives few visitors, hence the informality and reliance on an honesty box, but it's great that the owners should allow Joe Public to view their gardeners' efforts. It is not therefore meant to be an 'attraction' in the same way that some of the other Borders' gardens are - merely affording an opportunity to peek through someone else's window - and as such one can perhaps forgive the confusing arrows and lack of labelling that others have reported.
There isn't in truth a lot to see in the main area in front of the house (or at least there wasn't at the time of our visit) and visitors with limited mobility are likely to be particularly disappointed, but wander further afield and there's more to see.
The nicest area in my opinion is the Walled Garden where the fan-trained fruit trees are a sight to behold. Unfortunately I suspect many visitors miss this corner completely - and it's not accessible to those with mobility difficulties anyway - but it's sufficient to lift what might otherwise be a 3* rating to 4*.
To sum up, if you like gardens and have time to spare (and it's a sunny day!) then it's well worth popping round, but if you can't walk very far or have difficulty up and down slopes or use a wheelchair of any description then I'd give it a miss.
There isn't in truth a lot to see in the main area in front of the house (or at least there wasn't at the time of our visit) and visitors with limited mobility are likely to be particularly disappointed, but wander further afield and there's more to see.
The nicest area in my opinion is the Walled Garden where the fan-trained fruit trees are a sight to behold. Unfortunately I suspect many visitors miss this corner completely - and it's not accessible to those with mobility difficulties anyway - but it's sufficient to lift what might otherwise be a 3* rating to 4*.
To sum up, if you like gardens and have time to spare (and it's a sunny day!) then it's well worth popping round, but if you can't walk very far or have difficulty up and down slopes or use a wheelchair of any description then I'd give it a miss.
Written 14 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave H
Eyemouth, UK244 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
The house is situated on an elevated position in an open parkland overlooking the Tweed with cultivated fields beyond. There is a small lake with a fountain and waterlilies and some sparse borders. There is a heavily wooded section with paths and arrows pointing in different directions but no text so no help at all. There is a curious walled garden which is flat and cultivated at one end and a steep bank at the other. There are glasshouses, neat rows of vegetables, Delphiniums, sweet peas etc like a well kept set of allotments. A large map at the entrance would help visitors considerably and more of horticultural interest.
Written 19 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are dogs allowed in your gardens.
Written 25 February 2018
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