Scottish Rhododendron Society talk: Arduaine, past, present & future

Join Mark Brent the Head Gardener at Arduaine with the National Trust for Scotland as we hear about the history and on-going work at this highly significant Rhododendron garden.

Arduaine lies on a rocky promontory at the head of the Sound of Jura and enjoys the warming benefits of the North Atlantic Drift, allowing for a wider range of plants than is usual in this part of the world.

The garden nurtures plants from across the globe – from East Asia to South America. Red hot pokers, sensuous camellias, tree ferns and water lilies create a palette of vibrant colour, whatever the season.

Mark has 40 years of experience in amenity horticulture, the vast majority of which has involved gardening in coastal locations. Mark started as a trainee with the National Trust at various Rothschild properties in Buckinghamshire before studying the Kew Diploma at the Royal Botanic Gardens. He spent more than 20 years at Lamorran Gardens in Cornwall helping create a marvelousItalianate garden in the benign, frost protected environs of St Mawes. This included growing a diverse range of Rhododendrons and azaleas carefully collected by Robert Dudley-Cooke as well as a diverse range of warm temperate species. Mark also oversaw the restoration of the picturesque landscape at Walmer Castle in Kent for English Heritage, and before taking on the Head Gardener role at Arduaine in 2024 was the Head of Horticulture at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden.