462 Gardetis of Norman MacLeod^ Esq., Morayshire. 



Art. III. Notice of the Gardens of Norman MacLeod, Esq-, 

 Morayshire. By Thomas Reid. 



Through the liberality of my masters, I have been a reader 

 of the Garde7ier's Magazine for the last three years ; and I have 

 derived so much useful information and so many important hints 

 from it, that I wish it were in the hands of every gardener in 

 Scotland. My design in writing to you now is, not to make 

 known any new experiment, or important discovery, in horticul- 

 ture, but merely to give a slight notice of a garden lying in a 

 part of Scotland which is but little known in the horticultural 

 world; and to give you what I am sure will be welcome intelli- 

 gence, viz. that, through the joint effect of horticultural societies, 

 and the increasing anxiety of gentlemen to secure the services 

 of good gardeners, a general love of floriculture is spreading 

 through the country. 



Norman MacLeod, Esq., of Dalvey, has been among the first 

 to introduce into Morayshire the modern improvements in gar- 

 dening ; and his garden is becoming the centre of attraction to 

 all those who delight in the pursuit. His collection contains 

 some of the newest and rarest plants in this remote part of the 

 country. The houses, three in number, including a vinery, 

 contain about 30 varieties of Camellm, 60 of the newest pelar- 

 goniums, 40 superb varieties of calceolarias, and 55 species and 

 varieties of heaths, as the commencement of a heath-house. 



The garden is undergoing a thorough repair ; and the im- 

 provements made in 1837 include a flower-garden laid out after 

 the plan given in the Garde?ier's Magazitie, as having been ex- 

 ecuted at Dropmore, but on a smaller scale. In this garden 

 was flowered a splendid collection of pansies, and other showy 

 flowers. The tulip bed, which is 40 ft. in length by 4 ft. in 

 breadth, contains above 500 roots, and seldom fails to produce 

 a fine bloom : it is, I suppose, the best collection in the north of 

 Scotland. The greatest attention is paid to the culture of tulips ; 

 and the bed is protected by a covering, from the time the plants 

 make their appearance above ground, till they come into flower; 

 when a frame and awning is placed over them, of sufficient 

 heightand width to admit of spectators w^alking round on all sides 

 of the bed, as they do round Mr. Groom's at Walworth. 



The Forres and Nairn Horticultural Society held its first 

 meeting in June last, and its second will be held in September. 

 There is every reason to expect that the Society will do much 

 good to this part of the country. 



Dalvey, Jidy 31. 1838. 



