LILIES - RHS Lily Group

A group of North Hybrids sent to Branklyn Garden by Kirstie McManus, one of
the “Border Belles” who still holds some of Dr North’s original stock in an aphidproof
house.
as Branklyn. Joseph Rock contributed other seed including Betula albosinensis
var. septentrionalis that is still growing well today. The main collectors associated
with the garden were Ludlow and Sherriff. They made several collecting trips to
Bhutan and S.E. Tibet; among the seed collection were of plants such Paraquilegia
anemonoides and Stellera chamaejasme. Many of the original plants have died
out but replacement plants have been obtained and are growing well.
It is the overall design and plant collection that is so impressive. Visitors today
will be in awe of the ordered labyrinth of rock gardens, peat areas, herbaceous
borders and woodland areas. This all blends together creating a continuous
evolving pattern of plants in which texture and form are as important as colour.
A garden of this character could easily become a muddle, that Branklyn does
not, is in part due to the skill with which plants are associated and in part to the
constant, though subtle changes in style. One of the delights of the garden is that
anyone visiting can take away ideas for use in their own garden.
The couple died within a year of each other, and donated the property to the
National Trust for Scotland in 1968. The Trust remit is to continue to maintain
the plant philosophy of the Rentons and can ontinually add to the collection with
new introductions and interesting plants.
Branklyn now has four National Collections; amongst these are the Mylnefield
lilies. Peter Waister, a good friend of the late Dr Chris North, donated our latest
collection. Peter had kept the North lilies in virus free conditions in an aphid-proof
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