NOTE: The Teviot Water Garden is now closed. Do NOT make plans to visit! This page is maintained purely for its historical interest.
Teviot Water Garden is a terraced river garden beside the popular Teviot Smokery. The garden is laid out along the banks of the Teviot and features herbaceous shrubs, a rose garden, unusual conifers, and a water garden of islands linked by a series of bridges.
Highlight plants include pink roses, bamboo, ferns, water lilies, and primulas. The garden focus is on moisture-loving and aquatic plants.
The gardens are laid out along three terraces. They were designed in 1990 with the aim of creating a peaceful garden space echoing the beauty of the river below. The main garden area links to a quiet riverside trail. Near the entrance is a small ornamental fish pond.
The gardens are a haven for wildlife, including otters, the elusive kingfisher, and woodpeckers. There is a busy garden shop with plants and gardening tools for sale. The Teviot Water Gardens have been featured in several magazines and television programmes.
The gardens form part of the Teviot Smokery, offering locally-made smoked chicken, trout, and salmon. Smoked meats are made using traditional techniques; fresh local produce is soaked in brine then smoked slowly over oak chips. The gardens are free to enter and as of this writing are open 7 days a week.
A special note of thanks to the staff of the Teviot Smokery. I arrived literally seconds before the advertised closing time. I asked - without much hope - if there was any chance I could see the gardens. The staff told me that it would take them some time to close up the shop, do the bookkeeping, and lock everything up. So I enjoyed a lovely time exploring the garden even though it was technically closed.
