Scotland’s Gardens Scheme invites gardeners across Scotland to open their gardens for charity, where every visit gives back.
Scotland’s Gardens Scheme (SGS) is encouraging individuals, community groups, and entire villages or neighbourhoods to open their garden gates in 2027 and raise money for a charity or good cause close to their heart.
Launching its nationwide “Open for Good” campaign, SGS is encouraging anyone with a passion for plants, whether a seasoned horticulturist or an enthusiastic amateur, to get involved by opening their garden to the public for one or more days or joining forces with neighbours to create a garden trail in your village, street or local area.
“Your garden can do good,” says SGS Chief Executive Liz Stewart. “It doesn’t need to be pristine or perfect, but it does have to be loved. Every garden has a story, and by sharing yours, you can raise vital funds for charities and good causes across Scotland.”
Each year hundreds of private gardens take part in the SGS programme, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities including private gardens of all shapes, sizes, and style, as well as community and charity gardens. In 2025 alone, gardens across Scotland raised over £315,500 for charities and good causes. 60% of funds raised through SGS may go to a charity nominated by the garden opener, with the remaining 40% going to SGS charity and core charities Perennial, Maggie’s, and the Queen’s Nurses.
Colin and Pamela Crosbie live in a rural garden in the countryside outside Dumfries. They have been opening their garden under SGS since 2018. “One of the reasons I love opening our garden for SGS is how it benefits charities, every garden owner can choose their own charity. This year we are supporting the Loch Arthur Community,” says Colin. “When you’ve spent all those hours working in your garden, you want to share it with people, and I love sharing my garden. If by doing that, and having people coming in and enjoying it, it helps to raise money for charity, it’s just a wonderful win-win situation. You hear the hubbub of people asking questions about your garden and I just love it. Opening your garden to help other people, what could be better!”
You don’t have to have a large garden to open under the scheme. Libby Webb opened her small, urban walled garden in Edinburgh for the first time last year to support CHAS and The Woodland Trust Scotland. “There is something uniquely wonderful about sharing your garden with others. I opened my little city garden with the brilliant and supportive Scotland’s Garden Scheme and was thrilled to share the joy of gardening with so many knowledgeable and interested people while raising much needed funds for amazing charities,” says Libby. “It’s a total win-win, if you love your garden, I highly recommend that you open it, as others will love it too. Take the plunge, you’ll thank yourself”.
Alongside inviting individual garden owners to join in, the charity also welcomes towns, villages, and neighbourhoods to get involved, with toolkits and support available for groups who want to organise a local “Open Gardens Day” like the bi-annual Open Gardens Day in an East Lothian village. With nine neighbourhood gardens participating, raising over £4,500, to support SGS charities and the local horticultural society, organiser Roger Wilson, President of Gifford Horticultural Society says, “It brought the whole village together. We had visitors from all over the region and far beyond. People loved seeing what was behind the garden gates and enjoying the different styles that village gardens can offer. The funds raised will enable us to support a variety of good causes and projects in the village through the year, such as supporting our annual village show.”
Whether it’s a courtyard in the city, a community allotment, a wildlife garden or walled garden, or a country estate, SGS believes every garden can offer something unique and has a story to tell. Visit https://scotlandsgardens.org/open-your-garden/ to find out more and register your expression of interest. Registrations for 2027 are now open.
If you haven’t got a garden to open but would still like to get involved, there are lots of volunteering opportunities and details can also be found at scotlandsgardens.org.