Just before Christmas, but now what seems like a lifetime ago, I joined Arduaine Garden as Head Gardener, filling the not inconsiderable large boots of my predecessor Gregor Anderson. By means of an introduction, and to explain the title of this piece to the curious amongst you it refers to a book I was involved with many years ago whilst Head Gardener of the wonderful subtropical Lamorran House Gardens in Cornwall. After a few years at Oxford Botanic Garden joining the team at Arduaine is a welcome return to familiar territory, growing exotic and tender plants on the Western fringes of the British Isles.
A passion for plants from milder climates was formed during my student days at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew where I spent as much time as possible in the Temperate House familiarising myself with tender Rhododendrons and unusual species from Australia and South America. Subsequently much of my working life has been spent in coastal gardens, I also cared for the splendid gardens at Walmer Castle on the Kent coast for some years.
A passion for plants from milder climates was formed during my student days at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew where I spent as much time as possible in the Temperate House familiarising myself with tender Rhododendrons and unusual species from Australia and South America. Subsequently much of my working life has been spent in coastal gardens, I also cared for the splendid gardens at Walmer Castle on the Kent coast for some years.
Calum very kindly met with me in my early days and took me through the origins of the Friends of Arduaine and the key role you have all played in supporting the garden through difficult times, I hope this warm and friendly relationship may continue for years to come and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the coming months.
I am no stranger to Arduaine, like many I was instantly smitten by the beauty of the garden some years ago whilst on a garden tour of Argyll. I appreciate that the last few years have been less than kind to the garden, with little choice but to deal with the menace that is Phytophthora, involving the removal of a substantial number of trees. Along with the rest of the garden team I see myself as being part of the healing process required to return the garden to back to good health and as a custodian of the garden, mindful of its great history.
The final clear up of the remaining detritus from the felling has taken place this winter followed by the planting of several hundred more trees bringing the total to approximately three thousand trees planted over the course of the last two years. The regeneration of the woodland is starting to become ever more obvious, and it will be interesting to see how quickly a new tree canopy forms, no doubt by stealth.
I am no stranger to Arduaine, like many I was instantly smitten by the beauty of the garden some years ago whilst on a garden tour of Argyll. I appreciate that the last few years have been less than kind to the garden, with little choice but to deal with the menace that is Phytophthora, involving the removal of a substantial number of trees. Along with the rest of the garden team I see myself as being part of the healing process required to return the garden to back to good health and as a custodian of the garden, mindful of its great history.
The final clear up of the remaining detritus from the felling has taken place this winter followed by the planting of several hundred more trees bringing the total to approximately three thousand trees planted over the course of the last two years. The regeneration of the woodland is starting to become ever more obvious, and it will be interesting to see how quickly a new tree canopy forms, no doubt by stealth.
Tom, Cary and Graham have also turned their attention to the rest of the garden, and you will see an uplift in standards in various areas now that the larch project is behind us. Paths have been attended to, mulch spread, and new bespoke rose arches placed by the Pastel borders, we are also looking to bring the Glasshouse back into use during the coming months.
Those that follow the National Trust for Scotland closely will know that the organisation has recently concluded its ‘Plants Project’. This work took in all the NTS gardens across the country, making an inventory of their plant collections, and then processing the data collected into our plant records database. Arduaine’s plant collections have been carefully collated on to a single database which will be incredibly informative for future decisions on the development of the garden, and for highlighting the significance of those plants which deserve high level conservation such as the original Rhododendrons planted by James Arthur Campbell. A specialist group is being established to share best practice for the propagation and conservation of Rhododendrons within the NTS network of gardens.
There have been moments this winter where we wondered if the garden was going to turn a corner in its fortunes, particularly when Storm Eowyn had us in its sights, but walking around now there is a freshness to the garden and the sight of the Rhododendrons and Magnolias laden with blooms brings enormous joy and hope for the future. I feel enormously privileged to be here.
Those that follow the National Trust for Scotland closely will know that the organisation has recently concluded its ‘Plants Project’. This work took in all the NTS gardens across the country, making an inventory of their plant collections, and then processing the data collected into our plant records database. Arduaine’s plant collections have been carefully collated on to a single database which will be incredibly informative for future decisions on the development of the garden, and for highlighting the significance of those plants which deserve high level conservation such as the original Rhododendrons planted by James Arthur Campbell. A specialist group is being established to share best practice for the propagation and conservation of Rhododendrons within the NTS network of gardens.
There have been moments this winter where we wondered if the garden was going to turn a corner in its fortunes, particularly when Storm Eowyn had us in its sights, but walking around now there is a freshness to the garden and the sight of the Rhododendrons and Magnolias laden with blooms brings enormous joy and hope for the future. I feel enormously privileged to be here.
Mark Brent,
Head Gardener, Arduaine
Head Gardener, Arduaine
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