Crarae Gardens - Champion Tree Trail

Crarae

Welcome to Crarae Gardens

Background: Crarae Gardens were laid out in the early 20th century within a late 19th century designed landscape. In total the designed landscape covers 126 acres (51 Ha). Approx. 50 acres are currently open to the public as Crarae Gardens.

The estate of Cumlodden has been owned by the Campbell family since 1825 and the Lodge house that you can see today was rebuilt by the widow of Sir George Campbell, 4th Baronet in 1898.

In 1912 Lady Campbell, the wife of the 5th Baronet, began creating the ornamental garden. She was the aunt of the famous plant explorer, Reginald Farrer, who sourced east Asian trees and shrubs (China, Nepal, Tibet). Some of his contributions can still be found in the garden today (Champion #4). The garden began in the area immediately surrounding the Lodge house and was expanded into the landscape, borrowing the natural features of the gorge and surrounding oak and native woodlands to enhance its design.

Lady Campbell’s son Sir George, the 6th Baronet, inherited the estate in 1925. Sir George was passionate about the garden and trees in particular. He established the Forest Garden in 1932, where 90 experimental blocks of conifers were planted to establish their commercial potential. The plots were seen as so significant that their management was taken on by the then Forestry Commission from 1957-1980 before being returned to the Campbell estate. Sir George lived in Crarae Lodge until his death in 1967 when the estate and garden was inherited by his son Sir Ilay Campbell, the 7th Baronet, who continued to collect trees, shrubs and plants and manage the magnificent gardens.

Sir Ilay gifted the gardens to Crarae Garden Charitable Trust in 1978, the Friends of Crarae were established in 1986 to support and promote the gardens and subsequently both the gardens and the Forest Garden were made over to the National Trust for Scotland in 2001. The NTS Garden and Visitor Centre teams run the day-to-day operations you see today.

Champion Trees

Crarae is home to some outstanding specimen trees. The Tree Register of Great Britain and Ireland is a registered Charity that maintains a record of trees that are the tallest and or the broadest in girth of their genus and species. The records catalogue those that are Champions of Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I), of Scotland (Wales or Ireland), of the county of Argyll and Bute (A&B) in this case or are of sufficient size interest to be merit an entry as a ‘Remarkable Tree’.

Following the last round of measurements in 2012 Crarae Gardens merited 136 entries in the register, including an impressive Champion count of 14 Champions of GB&I, 38 of Scotland, 30 of A&B and 54 remarkable trees.

During the winter of 2021/22 the Friends of Crarae began the task of tracking down the Champions from the details included in the register, focussing initially on those that can be found within the public areas of the gardens.

This trail takes you to view 16 distinct trees. For ease of reference, we have used the terms Gold, Silver or Bronze as shorthand for the each of the Champion categories.

GOLD for Great Britain and Ireland

SILVER for Scotland

BRONZE for Argyll & Bute

The map overleaf includes a series of numbered hyperlinks so you can see a photograph and read description of the tree in question. Click “Return to Map” on each page to return to the trail map so you can navigate to the next tree.

Champion Trail Trees: Approximate Locations

1

Magnolia cambellii var mollicomata “Lanarth” BRONZE CHAMPION

2

Right beside Crarae Burn this beautiful tree is a very slow growing magnolia. It is also small in stature and is exceptionally slow to flower.

First flowering of a non-grafted specimen can take up to 50 years. The flowers, when they do appear, are dark purple and cup shaped.

This example is the height and girth Champion of Argyll and Bute at 11 m high x 61 cm girth in 2012.

If you look closely at the first limb it boasts a wonderful patch of Graphis elegans (script) lichen.

Heading out of the lower garden into the woodland beyond, pause at the first hairpin bend, below the fence and towering above you is the first evergreen Champion. The Himalayan hemlock typically matures at around 25M tall, this specimen was measured at around 12 m high and 166 cm girth in 2012. There is another specimen along the bank that is 3 m taller, but not as broad in the girth.

Tsuga Dumosa SILVER CHAMPION

3

Cunninghamia lanceolata. SILVER CHAMPION

Making your way along the gorge side and down to the pond garden, take the spur through the old (1918) Rhododendron falconeri grove towards the next tree.

This Chinese fir was a gift from Colonel Frederick Balfour as it wasn’t doing well in Dawyk Botanical Gardens in the Scottish Borders.

Gifted to Sir George Campbell, it has certainly thrived here ever since and is now the height and girth champion of Scotland, measured in 2012 at 20 m high and 174 cm around respectively

Walk beside the pond and look up the gorge. This beautifully sculpted evergreen shrub with fragrant white flowers in early spring is special for a number of reasons. It’s from the original planting, when the garden expanded from the house to glen under the influence of plant hunter Reginald Farrer (1880 – 1920), the nephew of Lady Grace Campbell. She planted two borders in around 1912, one near the front of the house and the other on the west side of the burn in the shelter of the larches. This twisted collection of gnarly trunks and branches is the height and girth champion of Argyll and Bute and could well be 100 years old!

Osmanthus x burkwoodii BRONZE CHAMPION

5

Rhododendron arizelum. GOLD CHAMPION

At the Crarae Burn viewpoint on the opposite bank you can see an enormous rhododendron, it drips with huge trusses of creamy yellow flowers in late spring, the leaves themselves have a beautiful cinnamon coloured felted underside (indumentum). This beautiful specimen was measured at 8 m tall by 89 cm around in 2012 making it the height champion of Great Britain and Ireland and girth champion of Scotland. *

* You can reach the base of these two Champions by taking the spur trail down the other side of the burn after crossing the waterfall bridge.

Pittosporum crassifolium GOLD CHAMPION

Competing for space next to the magnificent Rhododendron arizelum is the more commonly named Karo tree, native to North Island, New Zealand.

This specimen is the girth Champion of Great Britain and Ireland and the height Champion of Scotland. At 9m high x 111 cm around in 2012 it is certainly doing well here in Scotland. The tiny insignificant flowers in spring are highly scented, particularly in the evenings.

Chamaecyparis lawsonia ‘Triomf van Boskoop’ GOLD CHAMPION

As you cross the waterfall bridge to the east, look up and to the right, you’ll spot the triangle top of the next tree in the trail. A magnificent conifer with bluey green foliage and fantastic bark. The specimen was measured at 28 m high and a whopping 355 cm girth in 2012, making it the girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland.

Picea omorica BRONZE CHAMPION

At the head of the old drover’s road, this Serbian spruce, one of many examples in the garden, is the girth champion of Argyll and Bute 21 m high x 208 cm around.

Picea wilsonii BRONZE CHAMPION

On the corner of the Jurassic area, this scrappy looking specimen originally only found in China is the tallest and the broadest of its type in Argyll and Bute at 19 m and 166 cm around. Not all Champions are perfect.

You will pass a second specimen at same height on your way down from the Eucalyptory, they are vying for their height Champion status at around 19 m in 2012.

Eucalyptus coccifera (planted 1939-41) BRONZE CHAMPION

Follow the Drovers road before taking the steps up to the left into the Eucalyptery.

Deep withing the Eucalyptery, this huge lone specimen was measured at 25 m tall with a girth of 297 cm making it the girth Champion of Argyll and Bute in 2012.

11

Nothofagus fusca BRONZE CHAMPION

One of the magnificent Nothofagus National Collection in this part of the garden.

This Southern beech, the ‘red beech’ is originally from New Zealand. At 24 m high in 2012 it is the height Champion of Argyll and Bute.

On your way towards the top bridge from the Eucalyptory you’ll spot this multi trunked North American native evergreen. It is the height and girth champion of Scotland.

At 21 m x 215 cm in 2012 you have to stand back and look up to fully appreciate its stature. It’s also a favourite of the goldcrests in the garden, if you're quiet you can hear their high-pitched calls from the upper branches.

12

Cupressus arizonica var arizonica SILVER CHAMPION

13

Picea asperata (planted in 1914) GOLD CHAMPION

14

Navigating down the steps towards the burn this spruce on your right is also known as the Dragon Spruce, from western China it is one of the threatened conifers of the world.

This one was planted in 1914 and has thrived to become the girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland at 24 m tall x 204 cm girth in 2012.

Picea polita (torano) (planted in 1915) SILVER CHAMPION

The tiger tail spruce on your left, just before you reach the bridge, is originally from the lower volcanic slopes of Japan, it is also one of the threatened conifers of the world.

This specimen in the girth Champion of Scotland from 2012 at 20 m tall and 189 cm in girth.

Pinus koraiensis BRONZE CHAMPION

Just across the top bridge, on the west bank of the burn you can see the top of this magnificent pine from eastern Asia. It is a relic species of the Tertiary period and is considered a rare tree by the United Nations.

Commonly known as the Korean pine, this is the height and girth champion of Argyll and Bute at 22 and 191 cm in 2012.

Following the trail up from the top bridge back towards the forest road, look across the burn. Step down the short spur trail and on the stoney ‘island’ beneath you, you can’t fail to notice the magnificent columnar (a polite description of the shape) evergreen tree.

This is a girth champion of Great Britain and Ireland. Its only when you stand right next to it that you get a true sense of scale. It is also one of the UKs most popular garden conifers and the dwarf variety can be found in many a rock garden! However, this monster was 22m high x 230 cm around in 2012.

Chamaecyparis lawsonia lanei aurea GOLD CHAMPION

Thank you for following our Champion Tree Trail

We hope that you’ve enjoyed your journey around 16 trees from across the globe.

You can access more archive materials, photographs from the gardens in all seasons, pictures of the floods of 2022 and 23 that have re-shaped the trail network, learn about the Neolithic Cairn and the Forest Garden plots including photographs from an exploration by two intrepid Friends of Crarae alongside the Head Gardener at the time, on our website. www.friendsofcrarae.com

Please tag us into your social media posts and leave comments, we hope you have enjoyed your time in the Gardens, all feedback is welcome, and we hope to see you back here soon!

Thanks for visiting! Victoria, Secretary Friends of Crarae contact@friendsofcrarae.com