July 25,19u3. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
635 
Cullen House Gardens. 
One of the most interesting estates in the North is Cullen 
House, the residence of the Countess of Seafield, Cullen, Banff¬ 
shire. The mansion itself is beautifully situated on a rocky 
crag overlooking the Burn of Cullen, which flows through a 
deep ravine below. This ravine is crossed by a. fine bridge 
built by the fifth Earl of Findlater in 1744, and by crossing 
this the visitor can descend to the banks of the stream and 
then pass through the grounds. 
On the terrace in front of the mansion are several fine climb¬ 
ing Roses and a Vine with highly-coloured foliage. Still more 
noteworthy is a plant of Bougainvillea glabra, which has 
flowered out of dooi's even in this northern situation. We can 
only attribute this to the shelter of the surroundings and the 
close neighbourhood of the Moray Firth, which affects the 
climate of several counties bordering upon it in this part of 
Scotland. 
This terrace stands on the top of the steep escarpment of 
the burn, whose waters have cut 
out this passage for it in ancient 
times. A splendid view is ob¬ 
tained from this terrace, which 
overlooks an immense hollow in 
the opposite bank of the stream, 
the borders of which are covered 
with trees and planted with a 
great variety of bulbs, which 
make the place gay in spring. 
These bulbs include Snowdrops, 
Crocuses, Hyacinths, and other 
flowers, which come on in succes¬ 
sion. Here also are fine clumps 
of Lilium chalcedonicum, which 
have pr tctically become natural¬ 
ised, and would constitute the 
envy of those who have difficulty 
in establishing Lilies in their 
gardens and grounds. 
A magnificent and patriarchal 
Chestnut tree is ’ visible from 
this point. The trunk of the 
tree measures 13 ft. in circum¬ 
ference. The Wych Elm is 
another which makes giant speci¬ 
mens in Scotland, and a tree that 
formed a companion to the Chest¬ 
nut had attained splendid dimen¬ 
sions, but it was broken down by 
a fierce gale some time ago. Ac¬ 
cording to the number of rings of 
wood, it was calculated to be 300 
years old, and must have seen the 
removal of the family of Ogilvie from Findlater Castle to 
Cullen House in the beginning of the seventeenth century. 
Passing up the banks of the burn the visitor comes upon 
rustic chairs, which are repeated at intervals over the exten¬ 
sive estate. These chairs have all been constructed by em¬ 
ployees on the estate. Rhododendrons have been planted in 
quantity on either side of the pathway leading through the 
grounds. One soon comes upon a noble specimen of Sequoia 
gigantea 70 ft. high, and popularly known as Wellingtonia. 
Several fine Limes (Tilia vulgaris) are also notable features 
of the grounds in these parts. 
The gardens and grounds of Cullen House are thrown open 
for public inspection twice a week, so that they constitute a 
rendezvous which might well be described as the Kew or 
Hampton Court of the North. There is one exception to this 
arrangement, and that is her ladyship’s flower garden, which is 
kept quite secluded as a retreat for her ladyship. It is laid 
out in beds planted with tuberous Begonias, Roses, Pelargo¬ 
niums, Azaleas, and other subjects. Pillars are covered with 
fine masses of Sweet Briers ; and Scotch Roses in various 
shades of colour are freely utilised, as they should be. 
Some large trees are distributed through the grounds of 
this secluded garden, including the Cedar of Lebanon. Paeony 
Roses are also a feature of this retreat, including the old crim¬ 
son Paeony, the newer varieties of Paeonia albiflora, and the 
Moutan or Tree Paeony. The graft hybrid Laburnum Adami 
is of great interest, as it behaves here much in the same way 
as it does in the South. Branches of it may sport, giving rise 
to the two parents—namely, the yellow Laburnum valgare, 
the pale purple Cytisus purpurea, and the buff-purple combina¬ 
tion of the two indicated by the name first above given. 
At a lower level is a miniature lake planted with Water 
Lilies that have been in bloom for some time past. A curious 
and interesting basket stand has been made out of a patriarchal 
Alder tree in the process of decay. Close by is the burn, the 
presence of which has been utilised for the planting of Daffo¬ 
dils and other bulbs which adorn its banks in the proper season. 
Japanese Roses have also been freely utilised along the banks of 
the stream ; the latter, indeed, has been taken advantage of for 
the making of a veritable semi-wild garden for a mile and a 
half of its length with spring flowering bulbs—Primroses, 
Anemones, and other subjects of that class. 
Near this garden is a recess known as the home of the 
hermit, inside of which is the figure of a hermit, at one time 
endowed with the power of movement and capable of advanc¬ 
ing to meet any visitor who might enter, but which has now 
lost all power of movement. 
Passing the Lintmill entrance to the policies, and entering 
the glen walk, the visitor comes upon a beautifully laid-out 
nursery, well stocked and divided up into squares by hedges. 
The pinetum is near this place, where a fine collection of Coni- 
ferae has been got together. Some of the specimens of 
Cupressus lawsoniana are notable for their pyramidal habit 
and graceful, drooping, feathery-looking branches. The semi¬ 
wild flora of this neighbourhood is delightful in early summer, 
first with the Bluebells of England, and later on by the red 
Campion and other wild flowers, which take care of themselves. 
The Bluebells cover about half a mile in length of the glen. 
Further on is the orchard well stocked with fruit trees and 
bushes. The kitchen garden is just a step further, and enter¬ 
ing from this neighbourhood one comes upon the south wall, 
Thunix Mxeshalltae at Cullen House, with over 150 Blooms. 
