THERE'S NO COLOUR in a garden that's as otherwordly as blue. Perhaps because it reflects the hue of the sky, it seems that this shade catches our eye more than the familiar pinks, browns and greens of a traditional botanical palette. If you're in agreement, then head to Branklyn Garden, a National Trust for Scotland space in Perth, which is open to the public from the beginning of April until the end of October every year.
This place is currently ablaze with rivulets of cerulean, which are breaking up their lush, thickly-planted borders. The blooming flowers that are responsible for this intense display are meconopsis – a Himalayan blue poppy, which has become the symb
ol for this garden (and is Edinburgh's official floral emblem, chosen because the Royal Botanic Garden played a huge part in its original cultivation in the late 19th century).
The originals of these specific plants, along with the numerous others at Branklyn, were given to the then owners, John and Dorothy Renton, back in the 1920s. They were the perfect floral addition to this couple's garden, as they'd developed their .7 hectare space with the help of collections from various plant hunters of the time. Back then, huge quantities of seed were being sent back to this country, as the Far East was open to exploration by botanical adventurers.
"Branklyn's plants came principally from Tibet and Bhutan, the Himalayas and China," explains the present manager and head gardener, Steve McNamara. "Our original meconopsis were grown from seed collected by George Sheriff, a friend of the Rentons, and a local collector called Frank Ludlow.
"They knew the royal family in Bhutan and were allowed in to their gardens to take seeds. In fact, most meconopsis today are the descendants from those first specimens."
Since then, this garden has been home to that influx of exoticism. However, thanks to hybridisation and new additions over the years, Branklyn Garden now owns many varieties of this species. In fact, McNamara is currently waiting for confirmation from Plant Heritage, the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens, that he has a "national collection" of the blue cultivars of this plant (which also comes in many other shades).
When the gardens eventually receive the citation they will owe a particular debt of thanks to Dr Evelyn Stevens, co founder of the national Meconopsis Group, who has boosted the collection over the years.
Branklyn already has national collection status for its Mylnefield lilies and cassiope, and while it was developed by the Rentons over a 40 year period, it appears contemporary and exotic, with its red Japanese maples and creamy coloured magnolias.
Yet despite this seemingly modern look, many of the Rentons' original ideas have been preserved over the decades.
"The garden came into the care of The National Trust for Scotland on the death of John Renton in 1967, the year after his wife died, and it's been a point of principle to garden it as closely as possible in their style," explains McNamara, who has tended this space for 12 years and lives with his wife, Anette, in the Rentons' old house. "For example, the couple were keen to have flowers all through the seasons and encouraged visitors to the garden, so the idea of sharing its beauty was already in the spirit of the place."
The pioneering owners were also keen on growing as wide a variety of specimens as possible, which was achieved by maintaining a mixture of types of soil – including scree, a boggy area and peat beds. "Their ability was in creating a garden in which you got all kinds of growing conditions," explains McNamara, who has worked hard at maintaining the earth's flexibility.
Still, despite the conservation aspect, the last 42 years have also involved sympathetically moving the space forward. Not, however, that the Rentons would have minded Branklyn Garden altering with the times, as they were very contemporary, forward-thinking botanists.
New additions for this summer's influx of visitors include a recently revamped rockery area, which has been planted with gentians, among other Alpine and Himalayan plants. Also, McNamara is hoping, in the future, to develop a new focus on another floral variety, which will hopefully be an attraction towards the close of the meconopsis season next July.
"A lot of people come to see plants in flower," he explains. "So, as lilies do particularly well in Scotland, because of the cool climate, we're hoping to develop our collection of them. We're also lucky, up here, to not have to worry about the red lily beetle, which is a major problem down south." Unless this insect is affected by global warming and starts migrating over the Border, McNamara doesn't have to fret too much. His primary concern for now are the cuts that The National Trust for Scotland is making to budgets.
"In comparison to places like Arduaine in Oban, we've only got minor problems," he says. "We are, however, losing a few part-time workers. So we just want to make people aware that we are staying open and trying to make the best of it."
• Branklyn Garden, 116 Dundee Road, Perth (01738 625 535, www.branklyngarden.org.uk). Admission: £5.50/£4.50. Open daily, 10am-5pm. Meconopsis and other varieties of seeds are available to buy.
