Brodick Castle Gardens

[TC]

Finally managed to downsize the pictures after threatening XP and Adobe Photoshop with termination.
We had a great trip to Brodick on Arran yesterday.  The weather was like the middle of Summer with only a gentle breeze blowing, so much so that we sat on the upper deck of the ferry going and returning.
We had never been to the gardens at this time of year so it was interesting to see what was doing.
I would reckon that about 30% of the Rhododendrons were in flower, with the main display to come about early to mid May with the Maddeni group a bit later. The Horlick's collection was looking really healthy with the main display about 3 weeks away.   The Magnolias will probably be at their best in a few days, provided we have no late frosts  I have added two botanical Rhoddies just for curiosity value.  I can't imagine anyone really wanting to grow them

[TC]

some more pictures.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great pix Tom - beautiful plants !
Thanks for taking us with you on your visit !

[TC]

Managed to post two pictures of zero bytes.  Try again!

[David Nicholson]

Fabulous Tom. You keep taking 'em I'll keep looking at 'em

[Maggi Young]

Tom, I'm in rhodo heaven! Thanks to you and Cindy for this trip! I'm not sure, but I think the Erythronium in your picture look more like E. revolutum... leaf markings, height, shade, shape of flower...might you be mistaken?

[TC]

Correct Maggi.  We were planting some dens canis this afternoon and I came on the computer shortly after.
I must have been thinking about that when I was naming the plants.
Here are a few of the "Botanics".  Not really garden plants but interesting to Rhoddy buffs.

[Joakim B]

TC nice walking with You.
Do You by any chance no the name of the Yellow magnolia and also how big it was?
Thans for the pictures.
Kind regards
Joakim

[charlotte]

Tom,
Thank you, thank you, thank you.  As an ardent species Rhododendron grower I am intrigued by the Rh spinuliferum & Rh genestierianum.  Most unusual!  Will I attempt to grow them???  One never knows!
Again, the tour was a real delight & I thank you for sharing your photos with us.

Charlotte

[TC]

Joakim
The yellow flowered Magnolia did not have a label on it.  It may be M.acuminata.  I have a M. acuminata "Butterflies" in my back garden which has not flowered yet.  I bought it because of its yellow flowers and its flowering date of June - after the last frosts.  I have just looked up acuminata butterflies on Google.  It can reach 6 metres high and the flowers are 120cms.  I have planted it 2 metres from my dining room window - probably not a wise move !
I have attached a picture of the tree at Brodick.  Just now, it is about 3 metres high

[TC]

For some reason the picture did not attach to the last posting

[Joakim B]

TC thanks for the information about the Magnolia and the extra picture.
It is a nice one.
In June the weather should be nice so You can ofen the window and let the magolia flower inside
Did You have a chanse to smell it? It is an extra bonus if the flowers have a nice scent

Thanks again
Joakim

[Susan]

Thank you for the tour.  Wonderful plants.  I grow R genesterianum and have had  R spinuliferum.  R genesterianum looks good planted on a bank where it can be seen against the sky.  The colour is unusual.

Keep on showing us the species, they are great.

Susan.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Tom for these great shots. I've always wanted to visit Brodick Castle. Maybe this is the nearest I'll get. The unusual species are of particular interest as they're rarely seen. As one's tastes develop over years, the species are favoured more and more I think, the big flashy hybrids less so.