After a long, harsh winter, we have welcomed spring with open arms here at ASPC. Though the sun can be fleeting in Scotland, when the snow and ice melt away we are blessed with beautiful views and Aberdeenshire is certainly no exception.

If you’re hoping to inject a bit of colour into your life after a few grey months, we’ve rounded up some of the North East’s most beautiful gardens to explore this spring.

Crathes Castle Gardens

Head three miles east of Banchory and discover a 16^th century tower house playing host to one of Scotland’s most impressive gardens.

Developed over 300 years, the four-acre walled gardens at Crathes Castle contain eight themed areas. Take in varied colours and scents in sections including the golden garden, the red garden and the secret pool garden. Observe a great overall view from the terrace or alternatively, immerse yourself in the greenery, discovering  sculpted topiary, exotic flowers, herbaceous colours and giant yew trees dating back to 1702.

Pitmedden Garden

(Image by Dale McEntee)

Take a trip north of Aberdeen and discover how meticulously designed gardens would have looked back during the Scottish Renaissance. The National Trust recreated the Great Garden here in the 1950s, basing the design on 17^th century plans for the garden at Holyrood.

With over six miles of clipped box hedging, intricate patterns of colourful parterres and an orchard bursting with over 200 fruit trees, Pitmedden Garden is a delight to explore. Once you’ve wandered through the garden, why not head to the adjacent Museum of Farming Life and travel back in agricultural time?

Leith Hall Garden and Estate

(Image by Quite Adept)

For breath-taking views over Aberdeenshire, head to Huntly and visit Leith Hall Garden and Estate, sitting at 183m above sea level. Highlights at this attraction include the scented walled garden and the herbaceous and catmint borders, which are almost 100m long.

Once you’ve had your fill in the garden, enter the stately home and be fascinated by its collection of curios from around the world.

Drum Castle

(Image by dvdbramhall)

The Garden of Historic Roses at Drum Castle provides a perfumed and colourful treat for the senses. Home to 400 different varieties of roses, the garden is divided into four quadrants, each representing an authentic design from over the last four centuries and featuring roses from that period.

Located eight miles east of Banchory, this stunning garden isn’t the only reason to visit. Explore the estate and you will also uncover one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses, a chapel built in the 1500s and the Old Forest of Drum, containing oaks dating back to the 1700s.

Kildrummy Castle Gardens

Boasting wonderful colours all year round, you’ll find these gardens in an ancient quarry below Kildrummy Castle, with the ruin of the medieval stronghold providing a dramatic backdrop. At the heart of the garden is a beautiful bridge spanning four ponds, built in 1903 by James and Annie Ogston, the couple who started the garden in the early 1900s. The structure is based on the Brig o’ Balgownie in Old Aberdeen and is the perfect viewpoint to take in the picturesque scene below. This unique spot is a little off the beaten path but well worth a visit.

Which of Aberdeenshire’s enchanting gardens tops your list?