This Perthshire garden I love was visited solo initially but then I was joined by two of the family for lunch. The garden was hugely busy but there were very few moments when I saw another soul when I was exploring.

The garden is on a sloping site next to a busy road but it was quite possible to ignore the traffic noise in certain parts of the garden. Signature plants (blue poppies) were available to buy as teeny tiny plug plants but the packets of seeds were not available.

I have to admit my vertigo did slow me down at two or three points in the path but visiting a garden on a hill usually involves some steps and Branklyn is on a slope that supplies vistas over the surrounding city. I took my time and managed to traverse the steps and sat down to rest when I needed to.

As I said it was hugely busy (with the lunchtime tables being heavily oversubscribed) but the garden was idyllic with only a few points where visitors overlapped. I admired several vistas and enjoyed the mature trees with stunning bark trunks. Hug a tree? I could have for sure!

I’ve been before and there are times where the planting will draw a bigger audience but the show stoppers for me on this visit were the shady little plants and the spectacular canopies. Deffo worth a revisit!