Wilton Lodge Park is the principal public park in Hawick in the Scottish Borders, extending to 43 ha (107 acres) on the left bank of the River Teviot, a half-mile (1 km) west southwest of the town centre. The park began as the policies of Wilton Lodge, which is now Hawick Museum but was once a private residence. The house and surrounding estate were bought by Hawick Town Council in 1889 and the park laid out in the 1890s. The park includes fine specimen trees, tree-lined walks, formal landscaping and gardens, and is particularly noted for its autumn colours. There are also sports pitches for rugby and football, tennis courts, a croquet lawn, putting green, cycle paths and an orienteering course. The formal gardens, next to Wilton Lodge, include Hawick's War Memorial, the Gilbert Davidson Fountain and statues to local notables; namely rugby commentator Bill McLaren (1923 - 2010) and motorcycle racers Jimmie Guthrie (1897 - 1937) and Steve Hislop (1962 - 2003). The Dean Burn descends through the park and this has been landscaped to provide a picturesque waterfall and wishing well. On the hillside above the park is a walled garden with glasshouses and generously-proportioned flower, heather and shrub beds, and a vegetable garden.
Completed in 2015, a £3.6 million project brought about the restoration the walled garden and the building of the Elliot Bandstand, which hosts performances every Sunday and was named after the late Provost Zandra Elliot (1940 - 2014. As part of this project, horticultural training programmes will be provided within the walled garden for the local community. A new play park was also provided for children. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Borders Council.
