Champion Trees in Rhu Garden
With our many thanks to Mike and Sue Thornley, garden owners at Glenarn, for this article.
Local garden Glenarn in Rhu has some of the tallest specimen trees in the country according to Owen Johnson, the Tree Registrar for Britain and Ireland. Following a survey to take measurements last year he wrote to owners Mike and Sue Thornley:
“I can’t think of another garden with so many champion trees packed into such a relatively small garden, except for perhaps the Chelsea Physic Garden”.
He put the fact, that the trees were so much taller than other comparable species elsewhere, down to the remarkable growing conditions of this well-known West Coast garden.
Some of the Champion trees were featured in the recent Beechgrove Garden TV programme including the Lowland Ribbonwood, New Zealand’s tallest indigenous tree and now at Glenarn over 23M and the highest in Britain and Ireland.
Others come with a history, for instance the famous hybrid rhododendron Loderi ‘King George’. This, along with two dozen other mature rhododendrons, was “liberated” by the previous owners of Glenarn in 1942 when Belmore House was requisitioned for what is now the Cyde Submarine Base, with the help of the local baker’s van.
To celebrate these remarkable specimens a Champion Tree Trail has been laid out at Glenarn with a leaflet and special labels highlighting the trees. Mike and Sue will give a guided walk of 22 Champion trees, - exploring their botanical and historic interest and uses - on Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August at 2.00pm. Meet at the gate on Glenarn Road, off Pier Road, Rhu, G84 8LL
Tickets are £10 to be pre-booked here
Glenarn is open for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and its charities every day until 21 September: entry £6.
