Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: PeterT on February 25, 2014, 08:47:26 AM

Title: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: PeterT on February 25, 2014, 08:47:26 AM

I have just returned from a weeks visit with my sister and a friend, to the family garden at the Linn.
It has been managed by my brother for about twenty years and I have had no input in that time. In this thread I hope to tell the history of this plant collection and what visitors might expect. I will show the work we are doing, with our father and my niece who are resident there, to try to improve the gardens for visitors after a winter without my brother.
I was certainly surprised by various aspects of the place, not least by the lack of information and pictures available on the web. I hope that this will help to remedy that.

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: Maggi Young on February 25, 2014, 11:54:52 AM

It is good to hear that you and your family are working to help get the Linn back into shape, Peter. I am sure we have all been saddened by the disappearance of your brother in Vietnam and new life in the Garden will be a new focus for you all.

I have never had the pleasure to visit the Linn myself and so I will be among the first to enjoy your thread, thank you.

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: johnralphcarpenter on February 25, 2014, 12:42:23 PM

I've been there twice over the past ten years, and it is an amazing and informative experience. Allow plenty of time!

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: Maggi Young on February 25, 2014, 02:03:27 PM

You're putting me to shame, Ralph!

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: PeterT on February 27, 2014, 09:23:23 AM

This is a picture of the family on the bridge above the waterfall at The Linn last week.
Eleanor, Robyn, my father, Janet, and me. Janet is my sister, Robyn is her daughter, and Eleanor is Robyn's daughter

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: Richard Green on February 28, 2014, 05:35:11 PM

It is great to see four generations in the one picture !

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: PeterT on February 28, 2014, 06:21:32 PM

Thank you Richard.
The building of this bridge started just before I left the Linn. The scaffold was supported by a beam which washed up on the shore and which I retrieved with a sack-barrow. The elipse for the arch was drawn on sheets of plywood which were cut out and bridged with batons. The whole was wedged up to allow the scaffold to be dropped away from the masonary on completion. I worked on the stone work at the east end of the bridge just before moving away.
Here is the youngest member of the family helping to clear branches which we cut to let light into parts of the garden.

Title: Re: The Linn Botanic Gardens, Argyll, Scotland, G84 ONR
Post by: Richard Green on February 28, 2014, 11:17:42 PM

With help like that you will have no problem keeping the place ship-shape!