Visitor numbers at Dawyck Botanic Garden in the Scottish Borders have broken all records despite the credit crunch and fall in tourists from overseas.
While many other UK visitor attractions are reporting a decrease in numbers this summer, the Garden near Peebles is enjoying a bumper season.
Since May, when the Garden's new £1.6m visitor centre opened, to the end of July, visitor numbers have increased by 72.5 percent. Records show that 13,054 people visited the Garden in the past three months, compared to 7,569 for the same period last year.
Garden Curator David Knott commented "The visitor numbers speak for themselves. The new centre is providing the public with a first-class facility and that is reflected in the number of people visiting the Garden since it opened.
"The visitor centre is an essential element of the continuing evolution of Dawyck as a botanic garden. While our key function is as a research and conservation institute, we also exist as a key tourist attraction in the area and, therefore, we must provide our visitors with the best possible experience. What we had been missing previously was the extra space. The café, studio and sales area have been particularly well received. Another boon has been the increased parking. We now have spaces for 100 vehicles, which is a real advantage on busy days."
Designed by Simpson and Brown Architects of Edinburgh and developed by Borders Construction, the building sets out to be a model of environmental sustainability. Floored with heat-retaining blue limestone, the interior is enhanced by oak frames, structural columns and ceiling beams.
The facility also enjoys the additional features of an external copper wall and attractive rain catchers and downpipes. All this is topped by an insulating roof planted with a carpet of sedums. Efficient underfloor heating is driven by a biomass boiler, fuelled with wood chips sourced from Buccleuch Estates, housed in nearby workshops.
In celebration of its opening season, the visitor centre is hosting With the Grain - The Life and Legacy of Tim Stead, a tribute to the life and legacy of borders craftsman and philosopher Tim Stead.
- See previous news article about Dawyck's visitor centre