Visit to Cluny House Gardens 9 May 2009

Visit to Cluny House Gardens 9 May 2009
	On a very wet Saturday afternoon in May, nine Perth Organic Gardeners enjoyed a guided tour round Cluny House gardens near Aberfeldy. John Mattingly who showed us round provided a wealth of information not only on the plants and wildlife, but also on the history of the gardens and the beliefs underlying their present care. John is married to Wendy one of the daughters of the originator of the gardens. John and Wendy took over the garden 22years ago on the death of her father. Despite “Cluny” meaning meadow these are woodland gardens developed from 1950 onwards by the local vet, Dr Marston, who bought over the house and surrounding estate and bit by bit changed the open green fields into what is now an amazing collection of plants in a natural setting.
The plants self-seed widely and this regeneration takes place freely beneath a canopy of rhododendrons, acers, rowans and birches. Seeds are collected for propagation and to be potted on for filling gaps or resale if there is excess. Giant Himalayan lilies, blue mecanopsis poppies, exotic arisaemas, skunk cabbage, ferns and many different candelabra primulas grow in profusion in the leaf litter and acidic soils. Bog and pond areas provide opportunities for water loving plants. No chemicals are used in the garden and weeding is done by hand to avoid disturbing the ground plants, one weed being pulled out and the resultant clear patch being covered by leaf litter to inhibit the growth of new weeds. No digging whatsoever is done other than an individual hole when a plant is being put in. This is an interesting concept and perhaps one which could be adopted by some of the members of POG in their own gardens!!
On our tour of the garden we saw a giant sequoia which has the greatest girth for the species in Britain. This tree is 150 years old and in human terms is only 5 years of age so will easily outlive all the visitors. The giant sequoias were actually planted before the garden was developed, probably having been given to the landowner as presents from those using the hunting and shooting facilities of the then estate.
	Another tree of great interest was the Acacia ribita, with its strangely twisted trunk. As many of the plants are of Himalayan origin, they require cool conditions in summer and we saw an area in the garden where potted seedlings are kept under a canopy of trees and sprayed during warmer weather. The garden is east facing and this suits the plants which live here as there is no direct sunlight and mainly dappled shade. If a tree has been taken down or has fallen, the area is filled up with large quantities of well rotted leaf litter and then planted randomly with a variety of plants and “watched” Those plants which do well have more of the same planted and there is no attempt to continue or give special treatment to plants which are “unhappy.” The garden is definitely for plants suited to this kind of habitat.

Candelabra primulas abound, one more beautiful and sweet smelling than the next and some of amazing size, growing to 10 feet before dying and a side shoot taking over. We saw many beautiful trilliums which are categorised as either ‘erect’ or ‘sessile’ (with no collar), and saw how on some the flowers are hidden under the leaves to protect them from rain. Also impressive was an Arisaema with a 3 foot long ‘tongue’ that allows ants to climb along it and pollinate the plant.
	A very special tree in the garden is the fossil tree - so called because although fossils of it growing at the time of the dinosaurs had been found, until about 60 years ago there were none thought to be alive today. Then a group of living trees were found in China and it is thought that the one at Cluny was one the first to come from there. Its buds and thus its branches come out in all directions unlike other trees where the buds and branches form in a consistent pattern.
All weeds from the garden are composted in four large heaps. The resultant four year old compost is used to backfill weeding sites, areas where trees have come down and for covering black liners on paths. It is not used for potting compost because of possible seed germination. Branches are burnt, though John was aware that this was the least green activity in the garden. Chipping would have its own problems of noise, vibration and extraction of nitrogen from the soil when used as mulch. There are, in fact, no machines used in the garden apart from a lawnmower, strimmer and chain saw. There are no hoes, no bare soil and, apart from John, no men. Women are better weeders, apparently. Good fencing ensures there are no rabbits or deer but bats, butterflies and swallows are welcomed and the top floor of the large house is used by these as a home in summer!
	The garden has around 40,000 visitors a year and is looked after by two fulltime equivalent members of staff. John feels that if there were more staff the garden would be too tidy and if there were fewer it would be too wild. Two workers seems to be just right. Everyone enjoyed the two hours walk round the garden and the time passed quickly. For the last half hour the sun came out, adding the perfect touch to what had been a very pleasant, interesting and informative afternoon. All that was left to do was to buy some plants and then enjoy tea and scones in Aberfeldy