The Nursery

The nursery has been based at this site since 1991. The ground has, however, been worked for very much longer. The present proprietor is only the fifth "Head Gardener"of the site since MacLean of Coll built the big house and established the walled-garden in the 1780's.

The garden has been tended and the soil constantly improved since that time in an unbroken chain. The original soil, a highly fertile light loam, was enhanced with boat-loads brought over from Ireland, used as ballast in the boats which would fetch and carry slate and granite from these shores.
Enriched over the years with tons of sea-ware (kelp), leaf-mould, sedge-peat constantly produced on site, and cart-loads of farmyard manures, the soil is a free-draining acid loam. The garden sits at 120 feet above sea-level, protected by 15' stone walls, and with mature woodland beyond that.

The plants benefit from above average hours of daylight, which when coupled with almost constant moisture in the soil, makes for almost perfect growing conditions.

The composts do contain some peat, albeit only from sustainable sources, leaf-mould and river grit. The "nasty bits in the compost", as described by one alarmed client, are no more than slow-release fertilizer granules or, in the case of the Rhododendron and Azalea mixture, an addition to control vine-weevil! Otherwise the plants are grown as nature intended, without the use of sprays and unwelcome chemicals.