The garden was started from scratch in 1984. It was not planned on paper in any way and has changed and evolved over the years. Informal in layout, the 26 island beds are packed full of rare and unusual plants as well as old favourites. The woodland part of the garden was begun in 1992 and countless trees and saplings were removed at the time to make wide, grassy paths.

Two greenhouses and a conservatory provide homes for the begonia and streptocarpus collections and the pond is a haven for frogs and newts. Featured in the Good Gardens Guide, an RHS Recommended Garden, and on TV in 1998 the garden has been open to the public since 2001 and under Scotlands Garden Scheme for many years.