Karen, it was only until recent years that Wisley was the only RHS garden, now they seem to have acquired another three including Harlow Carr in Yorkshire, so who knows they might creep up over the border in the next 20 years :0))

Gosh! I had no idea that the others were recent additions! I was beginning to feel quite peeved and rebellious (must be becoming truly scottish after living here for 23 years!!). Guess we'll have to be patient then....

When I say recent.....I mean within the last 20 years or so.

Well yes, cause I've been gardening for about that long and they've always been in my awareness as far as I can remember. I had a look at your pictures and I don't call myself a conifer fan but WOW! You have a unique and beautiful garden - I'm thinking again about conifers and heathers!

I get a booklet every month with recommended gardens to visit - I'm sure you do as well. I think they'd be worth a browse when your magazine arrives!

I think it's still well-worth being a member, even if the gardens are a bit out of reach. I've only managed to visit Wisley twice, Rosemoor the same - and the other two - not yet.

Mmm, well I've been to Harlow Carr and it was lovely but the others are pretty much out of my reach. Maybe one day though! There are some stunning gardens in Scotland though so I really have nothing to complain about! I think it is just that I feel that some of our Scottish garden gurus are being ignored and that is a shame because we have some real experts up here, Kenneth Cox being a particular local hero - Rhodedendron and Azalea expert, Plant Hunter and Author.

Karen - I know Peter and Kenneth Cox are world renowned for their Rhodos and Azaleas. I remember seeing part of a gardening programme some years ago where Roy Lancaster and Peter Cox were reminiscing about their plant hunting expeditions whilst Peter Cox was showing Roy Lancaster around Glendoick.

Karen I agree that it would be good to have an RHS garden in Scotland - and an RHS Show too! That said we do have some superb gardens RBG Edinburgh, The Cox's at Gendoick, The Plant Hunters Garden at Pitlochry are ones that instantly spring to mind. Then there are several good NTS gardens including Branklin in Perth and Inverewe. Plus many other gardens.

What is/are your particular plant interests?

have you thought about putting your views forward to them personally, i think if people voice their oppinions then they become aware and may do something about it, just a thought :o)

Ha the whole of the Scottish Rock Garden Club has asked RHS to site a garden in Scotland... Sorry Sandra slightly cynical!

thats ok MB you know about these things more than me, so thats ok, it was just a thought :o)

This is just my opinion, based on my experiences via the SRGC, the RHS has no interest in anything north of Yorkshire. There are various plant committees which assign certificates of garden worthiness etc. The one for alpine/rock garden plants has three member bodies RHS, SRGC and AGS (Alpine Garden Society) of those the SRGC committee has the most meetings and puts forward the most suggestions. None on the RHS members come to the SRGC shows to actually view the plants being put forward.

seems very unfare , wonder why this is, there must be lots of beautifull gardens north

There are wonderful gardens Sandra... I think the RHS is just very stuck in its ways (as are other gardening societies!)

yes im sure you are probably right right MB,

Thank you moon grower, you know what I mean! If only the top dogs in horticulture and garden design in Scotland could get together and come up with our own national society! I'm sure the gardeners would support it - I would! It would be great to have a decent show on the lines of Chelsea up here, the Ingleston show is just not for me - more like a trade fair than a flower show. There used to be a scottish gardening magazine, but a couple of issues after I discovered it it disappeared never to return! I think Scotland can do so much better!

A Scottish garden society is actually a very good idea Karen.

Mmm, thanks! I will have to have a think about starting a 'campaign'! Anyone out there want to join me?

I'm in... Though actually we do have the Royal Caledonian Hort. Soc. but it is very Edinburgh centric

The only RHS gardens are
Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley. They are all in England.

There are no RHS Gardens in Northern Ireland or Wales either never mind Scotland!

However, here is a list of RHS Recommended Gardens

The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire
St Andrews Botanic Garden, Fife
Tatton Park Gardens, Cheshire
For colourful stems and bark
Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery, south Derbyshire
The Beth Chatto Gardens, Essex
Anglesey Abbey Gardens, Cambridgeshire
For winter-flowering/winter-scented plants
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
Nymans, West Sussex
Aberglasney Gardens, Carmarthenshire

Two of which are in Scotland. There are Royal Parks, Botanical Gardens and all sorts of societies that have gardens under their umbrella, just because it isn't RHS, why it so important that it has to be?
As long as the spaces provide some sort of enjoyment as well as national collections, endangered species monitoring and research, why get so annoyed?

Because the RHS is 'meant' to be a UK wide organisation and has not one garden in Scotland. Yes we have some wonderful gardens but if a society claims to be UK wide I personally feel, as Karen does, that there needs to be at least one garden in Scotland.

Of the list you have given Andrearichter only one is in Scotland at St Andrews. I've gone through the RHS recommended gardens book and so far as Scotland is concerned it is thin pickings.

Its not really about being 'annoyed' andrea - it's more about wanting to have a horticultural community in Scotland. At the moment there seem to be lots of specialist societies and yes, there are plenty of beautiful places to visit. It's more about this feeling that I have that we in Scotland aren't pulling together as much as the English when it comes to gardening - all aspects of horticulture. That is partly why I joined this site. I find that there isn't really anywhere to go where I can be with other gardeners - like an RHS garden for example! Yes, there are the competetive flower shows, but i'm really not into that and I fear that they will fade away as less and less people are into growing the biggest or wanting to comptete to be the best veg. grower etc. That is something completely different to what I am looking for, which is a group of people to share the joy of colour, plants, design, knowledge etc. etc. Do you get what I mean? If we had a national society we could have a couple of flower shows, get togethers, and a specific garden -hopefully in the central area of the country so that everyone has a chance to get there - by train or bus! - and all the wonderful plant experts in Scotland would have more of a forum for sharing their amazing expertise and enthusiasm.

I find that being a very active member of the Scottish Rock Garden Club solves the problem for me Karen - but that only works if alpine/rock garden plants are your passion.

Thanks Mrs MG! Since you are so much of an alpine love, do you think you could have a look at the primula in my garden photos and see if you know what kind it is? A couple of people are asking and I can't find it in any of my books! I think I might have bought it mail order from Christies Alpine Nursery of which I'm sure you are already well aware!? Many thanks, K

Mr MG has posted our suggestion under the photo and I've pulled it onto my desk top and sent to Ian Christie and asked him for info on. He has some rare and unusual asiatic primulas and this could be one of them.

Thanks Mrs MG! You two are quite a team!

You bet!