I've always been interested in Scottish History but my interest and understanding of Scottish landscapes, architecture and sculpture was piqued, strangely, on a trip to England.
I've not long finished studying for my BSc (Hons) in Horticulture with Plantsmanship at RBGE, where we learned about Horticulture(!) Plant Science, Botany, Ecology, Biodiversity, Ethnobotany, Landscape Design, Genetics, Garden History, Heritage Conservation ..... and more.
For our first year "School trip" We had a week long tour of Historical Gardens around the Cotswolds. I have to say, it was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and for all the right reasons.
 |
| Topiary on Acid at Packwood |
We were lucky enough to visit some of the best gardens England has to offer. Places like Historical gem, Harwood Hall, the glorious gardens featuring 'topiary on acid' at Packwood. Dudley's formal recreation at Kenilworth Castle, Hidcote, which was the garden I considered my Mecca. I like to think i'm bit of a Plantsman, I get excited about new species and tend to grow more unusual plants, so as far as I was concerned Hidcote was the garden for me.
 |
| Meconopsis at Hidcote |
There are very few moments I can pinpoint that have quickly and utterly changed my outlook, one was when I read my horoscope in 1995 and it said "Something will happen this weekend that will change your life forever" and it was right.
A sudden death in the family meant I went from being a cosseted teenager who lived for her ponies, to being the Main Family Breadwinner, responsible for a small farm, amongst many other things, overnight.
The second moment I can pinpoint was visiting the gardens at Rousham. It's not easy to explain feelings, but by the time I had left Rousham, it had such a profound effect on me that it completely altered the way I appreciate, view and deconstruct gardens and the wider landscape in general.
Simply saying "It's not about the plants, it about the genius of the designed landscape" just doesn't seem to do it justice.
 |
| Light and Shade at Rousham |
Designed by Charles Bridgeman and added to later by William Kent. Rousham's mastery is in a strong structure, making use of vistas, follies, rivers. Light and shade plays a huge part of the atmosphere that envelops you. The colour palette is green on green, with well designed architecture in all the right locations. It features a wealth of allegorical sculptures, Apollo, Pan, Venus, the dying gladiator and a scarily lifelike lion eating a horse.
 |
| Rousham |
Rousham has been well maintained and is relatively unchanged, so the landscape has been preserved in its designed form. A gleaming jewel in England's Horticultural crown, yet strangely
"Oh-So-Scottish"
Rousham evoked feelings within me that I only get at home. For me, it was reminiscent of the Scottish "Baronial Renaissance"Gardens (Others may class as Jacobean or Mannerist but I think they deserve their own category, although I'm not convinced Baronial Renaissance is the correct term it will suffice until I find a better one) that once inhabited the estates of our well-connected Scottish nobles in the Clyde Valley. Places such as Barncluith, Hamilton Palace, Woodhall, Dalzell, Chatelherault, Bonnington, Corehouse, Stonebyres, Mauldslie, Wishaw House, Coltness, Carfin, Lauchope and Cambusnethan Priory to name but a few.
While many of the Estate Houses are consigned to history, much of historical landscape endures, well designed, well planned and built to last. The trees remain as a legacy to those who planted them. People such as William Aiton, the very first Regius Keeper at Kew Gardens and Head Gardener at Woodhall. (Right on my doorstep in Airdrie, and at one time home the the greatest collection of Camellia, anywhere in the UK.) John Hossack who carried out the Grand Plan at Hamilton and Chatelherault.
It's the landscape I see everyday, I just look at it differently now, thanks to Rousham and to Phil Lusby, Garden History Tutor and National Treasure.
Oh how we laughed at the dying gladiators "Lichen pubes" His allegorical humiliation complete, but on a more serious note they reminded me of Sculptures back home and got me thinking about who made them? Who were they made for?
 |
| Lichen Pubes |
"El Magnifico" Duke of Hamilton, loved his allegory, Rubens' Daniel in the Lions Den, perhaps the most famous allegorical piece of art ever made, was once part of his world class art collection, at Hamilton Palace.
 |
| Daniel in the Lions Den -Rubens |
The Hamilton's, second in line to the throne of Scotland at the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, were very well connected in Europe, their gardens reflected this. The designed landscape at Hamilton Palace was on a scale of the Palace of Versailles. Certainly the most impressive Non-Royal Landscape in Britain, perhaps Europe.
 |
| Hamilton Palace 1843, wedding of Marie of Baden to Alexander Hamilton |
Scottish architect William Adam who designed much of the landscape around Hamilton was corresponding and exchanging ideas with Bridgeman who initially laid out the garden at Rousham. The Head Gardener under William Kent, John McClary was also Scottish, so perhaps the feelings of contentment and home that Rousham evoked in me, were not misplaced afterall.
The Dying Gladiator and the rather lifelike statue of the lion eating the horse reminded me of "The Fall of Mazeppo" a rather damaged statue that i'm used to seeing on dog walks close to home. I was excited to learn that the Sculptor responsible for "The Fall of Mazeppo" is Robert Forrest from Braidwood, (where I went to primary school) who is also famous for William Wallace in Lanark, Robert the Bruce and my personal favourite, James and The Gypsy in Cramond.
 |
| Robert the Bruce and the Monk of Baston, Robert Forrest |
He was exceptionally talented when it came to horses and did a series of equestrian statues. There is apparently a lost statue of Mary Queen of Scots, sculpted by Robert Forrest, which is quite possibly lurking in a garden, somewhere.... Keep your eyes peeled peeps.
Which takes me back to the point of the post. In the Clyde Valley, we have some of the best designed landscapes that exist, anywhere in Britain.
We don't always appreciate what we see everyday. It's the norm, we don't think of it as anything special, but it really, really is.
 |
| Barncluith Gardens, Hamilton, from Country Life Magazine |
People used to travel from all over Britain and Europe to visit the Falls of Clyde, Cora Linn, Bonnington Pavilion with its Hall of mirrors, Barncluith, Hamilton Palace.
The landscapes were designed and planted hundreds of years ago, they were made for future generations;
They were made for us......
Only now that the trees have matured do we get to see the makers "Grand Plan" in all its magnificence. Get out there this weekend and enjoy them. We really are incredibly lucky to have them.
 |
| Chatelherault Country Park, Nr Hamilton |
Buckle up folks. The Clyde Valley Renaissance is coming!!
For further information on the Clyde Valley and its Landscape visit "Lost Houses of the Clyde Valley" on Facebook.
