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"Big Tree Country" - Part 8

david

By david

84 comments


Explorers – The Scottish Plant Hunters’ Garden, Pitlochry.

This amazing Perthshire public garden was created only as recently as 2000, to mark the arrival of a new millenium, and as a tribute to many of the plant collectors of the recent, and more distant past, who “gave” us a great many of the plants we now take for granted in our parks and gardens.

The Entrance, with planting of Persicaria affinis

The first planted areas are given over to the Southern Hemisphere – South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand, in particular. The planting is, of course, very varied, and includes; Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker), Agapanthus, Phormium tenax, Eucalyptus and Auricaria auricana (Monkey Puzzle Tree).

Agapanthus campanulatus

The planthunters commemorated here are; Francis Masson (1741-1805), David Lyall (1817-1895), and Archibald Menzies (1754-1842).

The next stop on this “World Tour” is the USA and Canada, and commemorates planthunters George Don (1798-1856) and David Douglas (1798-1834).

David Douglas Pavilion, with Fir Cone Sculpture

This lovely building is constructed from Douglas Fir, Larch and Oak, with a floor of Ash and Elm. The roof is designed to look like a folded leaf, and the shingles represent fir cones.

David Douglas Pavilion

The viewing balcony represents the prow of a ship. From this vantage point, there is a wonderful view of “China” with another beautiful pavilion in a Pagoda style.

The planting in the vicinity of the David Douglas Pavilion is too varied to list all, but includes everything from Douglas Fir and Mahonia (“Oregon Grape”), down to Aquilegia canadensis and Lewisia (my favourite “alpine” plant).

Now, meet my travelling companion on this tour – Marie (aka GOY member “Madperth”). One of the main reasons for our visit was to see that Marie’s plan to have a mixed Himalayan/Scottish planting scheme in her own garden in Perth is not at all a “mad” idea, as so many plants which originated in that part of the world grow really well in Perthshire.

“What do you mean, you thought that I picked up the passports before we left the house?

Unfortunately, our “visit” to Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan was too late in the season to see the magnificent blooms of the Himalayan poppies, Nepales lillies and the Giant Himalayan Lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum), but their large seed pods were impressive! Also impressive was the beautifully-coloured bark of the Tibetan Cherry trees, which range from deep red to copper and gold. Planthunter George Sherriff (1898-1967) is commemorated in the Himalayan area of the garden.

Tibetan Cherry (Prunus serrula var. tibetica)

The road to China took us via this lovely Moon Gate, constructed of stone and oak.

_ Moon Gate_

The centrepiece of the “Far East” area is the George Forrest Pavilion, named after this planthunter (1873-1942), who collected plants in China, Burma and Tibet. Also remembered here is Robert Fortune (1813-1880), who travelled through Japan in search of new plants.

George Forrest Pavilion

Roof detail, George Forrest Pavilion

Japanese Anemones

Well, this brought us to the end of our marvellous gardening world tour. My final photo stop was under a giant Gunnera, where I found its “flowers”.

Gunnera

Then it was off to the plant sales at the entrance to see what we could find there.

:-)

More blog posts by david

Previous post: In Praise of our Parks ; Part Six

Next post: Flowers, Food and Fellow "GOYers"



Comments

 

Thanks, David - your lovely (as usual) photos and explanations have just added to my enjoyment of Madperth's great blog. You two certainly had a good and happy day out together, didn't you!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Thank YOU, Spritz. Yes, it was a great day out! :-)

21 Aug, 2009

 

Think Barbara as said what i was thinking, so pleased you both had a nice day.

21 Aug, 2009

 

Looks like you two had a great time...
Enjoyable blog, David... :o)

21 Aug, 2009

 

I've enjoyed all your Park blogs David :)
Lovely photos here, i especially love that Moon Gate.

21 Aug, 2009

 

Great blog~glad you had a good time!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Look at you, pretending to be a grown-up!
Great blog, certainly gives a different perspective to mine!! LOL!
How did YOU manage to get that pic clear? The copy you sent me was all blurry!
Terrible pic anyway!
Thanks again for the world tour etc..........
Mx

21 Aug, 2009

 

Lovely tour thank you

21 Aug, 2009

 

David and M, super blogs. Explorers is one of my favourite gardens. We have been there several times since (and even before) it opened and have enjoyed every visit. Glad the two of you had a great day.

21 Aug, 2009

 

loved the tour David. i need that pine cone sculpture....and the moon gate. nice to see a millenium project that realy is for the public and teh future....

21 Aug, 2009

 

We were racking our brains to remember who we were to steal the pine cone for!!!
Didnt find any others lying about, unfortunately!!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Well done you two ! What a fantastic place and I too would have loved the pine cone sculpture ! Lol Sure you got lots of ideas lined up Mp !!

21 Aug, 2009

 

What a wonderful garden filled with great features.

21 Aug, 2009

 

I know! But none of them would fit in David's car!! :~((
Yes BB! I certainly have! Probably too many, & It'll take a while to afford the materials and the plants, tho I'm off to a good start!!
Did you like the pic of David & the pine cone? LOL!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Yes...the best pic of all and I WANT THAT CONE !! Lol

21 Aug, 2009

 

Another one!! I told you! We couldnt get it into the car!!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Ok...let you off then ! Now if the cone had been covered in chocolate..............

21 Aug, 2009

 

Then we would've eaten the evidence!!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Can just imagine you both tucking into a 3 foot flake !! Lol

21 Aug, 2009

 

So Can I!!! Prefer a ripple tho!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Lol..whatever sort my money is on David getting the most !! Lol

21 Aug, 2009

 

LMAO! What? Come between a woman (especially THIS woman!) & chocolate? I think he'd have to be helluva brave!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Think he has the ultimate weapon though...buys tons of the stuff and says its for the children ! But we know better Hehe !

21 Aug, 2009

 

True, true, but neither of us had chocolate yesterday! Wait a minute, he had a chocolate brownie!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Typical Lol

21 Aug, 2009

 

I know! Huh!

DAVID! What was the pinky thing on the way into the garden called again?

21 Aug, 2009

 

Little fingeri?

21 Aug, 2009

 

Good one, Bulbaholic!! LMAO!!!

21 Aug, 2009

 

Thank you all for the kind comments, and "likes".

"Bulb", I'm sure I read somewhere else that the SRGC had some input into this garden. Is that correct?

Mp, the "pinky" thing is called Persicaria affinis (look at the caption under the first pic above).

Also, I see that there has been a lively debate about chocolate going on in my absence.I think the stuff is going to haunt me for a long time now! Hehe!

The fir cone sculpture is great, isn't it? :-)

22 Aug, 2009

 

David, the person in charge of the garden, Julia Corden, is an active SRGC member and there has always been a strong link between the garden and club. The SRGC organises a number activities in the garden and the photo exhibition of Julia's recent trip to Bhutan in the Douglas Pavillion is sponsored of SRGC.
Today the SRGC has a workshop on building a rock garden and tomorrow (Sunday 23) a workshop on using your digital camera for photographing plants - both in the garden.

22 Aug, 2009

 

We saw her exhibition & I took pics, Bulbaholic, but they're copyright so I havent posted them. Wonderful pics, I was quite jealous!
Yes, David, I see it! Oops!
Chocolate? Did siomeone mention chocolate? LOL!
How's the migraine I gave you?

22 Aug, 2009

 

Well what a nice day oot y had!, me I'm not going anywhere that things as big as that pine cone might fall on yr heed!
Nice to see M. out and about too! wondered why it went quiet on here for a few hours, oh well peace over?

22 Aug, 2009

 

Oh yes!!! Peace over!
Mind you I'm busy building my raised beds! They're built, half-filled & lined with cardboard, & I've put in topsoil & sand, but I need to get LOTS of compost, so I've covered them in another layer of cardboard & two layers of weed-suppressing membrane & put slatted wood covers over them til I can get it!
Might dae ye guid tae huv a muckle big pine cone drapped oan yer heid!!

22 Aug, 2009

 

Many Thanks, Bulb, for that reply. I knew I'd read of a connection somewhere.

Yes, Indy, the silence must have been deafening!

Mp, you have been busy!! Cardboard? Have never actually had such a thing before, but must have been a migraine. Woke up good as new this morning, been out all day (couple of very appropriate pics to post). I'm treating the incidence of the migraine so soon after our meet-up as pure coincidence! :-)

Also, have had comments in the past about huge fir cones dropping on one's cranium!

22 Aug, 2009

 

Hi David! Yes, I've been quite busy today!!
Well, my how to make compost thing says you can use cardboard, & it'll rot down, but smother any weeds before it does! I dont have newspapers!
Whaddya mean, the silence must've been deafening!! Cheeky B!! LOL
Glad your heads ok (well...........)
Where you been today then?

22 Aug, 2009

 

yeah whre you been, by the by too much excitement and too much chocolate can brimg those migraines on you know!

22 Aug, 2009

 

LOL!

22 Aug, 2009

 

Indy, a lifetime filled with both hasn't made me "ill" so far, but thank you for your advice, and concern, LOL! :-)

22 Aug, 2009

 

He's a cheeky B*****!

22 Aug, 2009

 

Advice is a wonderful thing it gives the giver sooo much pleasure to offer and the reciever sooo much pleasure to ignore or take as they see fit, I wouldn't give up chocolate/alcohol etc etc either, the headaches they make pills for don't they?LOL

23 Aug, 2009

 

I quite agree!!!!!!!

23 Aug, 2009

 

Great blog David, brings back memories, I will be back to Scotland very soon.

23 Aug, 2009

 

What a wonderful place to visit David. There would be something of interest there all year round I should think.

23 Aug, 2009

 

it's amazing, Hywel!

23 Aug, 2009

 

Aye, Indy, and the pills are usually derived from plantstuff anyway, so that's just fine. :-)

"Haste Ye Back"! Bob. :-)

You're probably right, Hywel. I'd quite like to see it in the snow, but it is closed over winter. :-(

23 Aug, 2009

 

Too steep, you'd never get the wheelchairs up that slope!!! LMAO!
You could always sneak in!!!

23 Aug, 2009

 

Could you imagine the descent in one of those? LOL!

Ddid you not notice the electrified fences and lookout towers, then?

23 Aug, 2009

 

The descent would be fun to watch! LOL!
Funnily enough no,I didnt see those, I was too busy looking at the plants!!

23 Aug, 2009

 

Oh, yes? I thought it was those lumberjacks (pics for Digger - ROFL).

23 Aug, 2009

 

Well there was that slight distraction too! :~))))))))

23 Aug, 2009

 

I KNEW you'd say that!!!!!!!!

23 Aug, 2009

 

David

There's a Big Tree Country stand at the Flower & Food Festival in Dundee this year - the Woodland tent, naturallly.

Drop by if you get the chance to visit, and pick up a free BTC dvd.

4 Sep, 2009

 

Am going on Sunday, so will call in, of course. Many Thanks for letting me know about it. :-)

4 Sep, 2009

 

Will they give me a tree??
David, it was closed today, so we'll need to check tomorrow if its back on! Too muddy apparently!

4 Sep, 2009

 

No, they won't!

Imagine, the opening day cancelled due to the awful rains!

Saturday is to be dry and bright, but for a wet Sunday - I don't care - I don't mind some mud-wrestling to get the bargain end-of-show sell-offs! :-)

5 Sep, 2009

 

The mind boggles! LOL.

5 Sep, 2009

 

YOUR mind boggles, Spritz??????
I'm going there WITH him!!!!!!!!!

5 Sep, 2009

 

~take your wellies!

5 Sep, 2009

 

LOL!

5 Sep, 2009

 

I don't have any :-(

5 Sep, 2009

 

~wot no wellies! Don't tell TT!
Now is the time for all good men to go to a shop and buy some!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Mine are full of mint!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Ssh, don't tell her, Arlene. I hate the things. Do yours smell so bad, Marie, that you have to stuff them with mint?

5 Sep, 2009

 

Watch it boy! You'll be within slapping distance tomorrow & I've got a helluva right hook! LOL!
They were pristine when I put the mint in them! I dont like them either!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Lol! Great idea, to use them as planters, then. And, better mint than garlic!

5 Sep, 2009

 

What's wrong with garlic?

5 Sep, 2009

 

Nothing at all, of course. And, its better for you than wellies!

5 Sep, 2009

 

It is!! I'm allergic to rubber, gives me blisters if it touches my skin! NOT fun!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Is that so? Well, I'll be prepared for the weather forecast tomorrw - I'll wear my rubber diving wetsuit, which will double up as a defence mechanism against any possible slappings from you!!!!!

5 Sep, 2009

 

LMAO!!!!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Don't do that in the morning, when I turn up on your doorstep dressed a la Jacques Yves Cousteau rather than Yves Saint Laurent for men. I might PMSL, which would not be good in a rubber suit.

5 Sep, 2009

 

~so flippers I take it?I would love to see some pics please!
Seriously ~hope you have a good day!

5 Sep, 2009

 

At least you wouldnt make any mess til you got home!!!!

5 Sep, 2009

 

May well come to that, Arlene! And, I'd hate to have to rush out into Marie's garden, raid her wellies and fill my flippers with the mint, lol!

Im sure that, whatever the weather, it'll be a great outing, Thank You! :-))

It's not the mess I'm worried about, Marie. Perhaps I'll compromise, and just wear a rubber "Mac".

5 Sep, 2009

 

Thanks Arlene!
Dunno about flippers, I think he's flipped!

5 Sep, 2009

 

"They call him Flipper, Flipper,
He's faster than lightning................."

Hope we don't get any of that, either! :-))

5 Sep, 2009

 

I LIKE lightning!! :~))))))))

5 Sep, 2009

 

But as for the mac, I've told you, NO FLASHING!!!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Awww! Thought it might help us grab those bargain end-of-show sell -offs. Perhaps the forecast weather alone will be enough! :-)

5 Sep, 2009

 

Yeah, but I'm rooked as per! Ah well, I'll just have to help you fight for them!

5 Sep, 2009

 

OK, will send you in first, right hook flailing! (Can I borrow that for my next garden theme, btw?)

Am heading off now, cu 10.00am! Goodnight!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Yes, borrow it if you like!!
Treasure chest ready & waiting for you.
See you tomorrow! Goodnight!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Many Thanx, lol!

Defo going now - Goodnight!

5 Sep, 2009

 

Night! Just had pm from Romneya re tomorrow!

5 Sep, 2009

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