Touch Garden

The Touch Garden near Lanark is a sensory wonderland designed specifically for blind and partially sighted visitors, though anyone with an interest in plants beyond the purely visual will find it rewarding. You're walking through carefully curated beds where texture, scent and sound take centre stage - fragrant herbs brush against your fingers, rough bark contrasts with silky leaves, and there's the gentle rustle of ornamental grasses underfoot.

It's not a massive site, so you're looking at a solid hour to really engage with what's on offer rather than a full day's outing. The garden works brilliantly for families with younger children who want to connect with plants in a tactile way, and for anyone recovering from sight loss or supporting someone who is. Older visitors often appreciate the slower pace and the chance to rediscover familiar plants through touch alone.

The experience pairs well with a glamping break at nearby Ecosse Glamping, just a few miles away - you can ease into the morning at the Touch Garden before heading out for walks in the broader Lanarkshire countryside. It's the sort of place that challenges your assumptions about what a garden should be, and makes you realise how much we rely on our eyes when we could be using all our senses.