Returning to Our Roots: A Day at Wemyss Castle Garden August 18, 2026

There’s something special about returning to where a story began.

For Wemyss, our story can be traced back to East Wemyss in Fife, where brothers George and James Johnston established a weaving mill in the 1860s. More than 160 years later, the Wemyss name continues to be inspired by its Scottish roots, the natural world and the rich history of textile design.

With this connection in mind, we recently took a trip to Wemyss Castle Gardens in East Wemyss to reconnect with our origins and we couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring day.

A Garden Restored

Wemyss Castle Gardens is a truly special place. The team have worked incredibly hard over the years to restore the gardens, bringing them back to life and creating a magical haven filled with beautiful planting, historic character and unexpected little details around every corner.

We spent the day exploring the grounds, taking photographs, painting and gathering inspiration from the landscape around us. The colours, textures, shapes and natural forms throughout the gardens gave us plenty to take back to the studio and it was lovely to experience them away from our usual surroundings.

What made the visit even more special was meeting and talking to the people who care for the gardens. Hearing about the work that has gone into restoring them and the passion they have for the place gave us a completely different appreciation of what we were seeing. Their enthusiasm was infectious and their stories became just as much a part of our inspiration as the gardens themselves.

Inspiration from the Natural World

At Wemyss, the natural world has always been an important source of inspiration. Alongside archive documents and other influences, our designers look to nature to help shape new collections of fabrics and wallcoverings.

Our visit to the gardens was a wonderful reminder of just how much inspiration can be found in the world around us. From the changing colours and natural textures, there was something to discover at every turn.

Although Wemyss is now based in Dundee, our connection to East Wemyss remains an important part of our heritage. Visiting the gardens gave us the opportunity to reconnect with that history while also finding fresh inspiration for the future.

Visit Wemyss Castle Gardens

We were so warmly welcomed by everyone at Wemyss Castle Gardens and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the team and exploring the grounds.

If you’re looking for somewhere beautiful to visit in Fife, we’d highly recommend experiencing the gardens for yourself. It’s a place with a fascinating history, a passionate team behind it and a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere, a true little haven in East Wemyss.

See more info about the gardens: https://www.wemysscastlegardens.com/