"Big Tree Country" - Part 8

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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.

:-)

21 Aug, 2009
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Comments

Spritzhenry

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

David

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

21 Aug, 2009