Branklyn Garden

Branklyn Garden

Begun in 1922 by John and Dorothy Renton on a steep, west‑facing slope overlooking Perth, Branklyn is often described as "the finest two acres in the country" — a masterpiece of horticulture built on seeds sent directly from the great plant hunters of the age, including Frank Ludlow, George Sherriff, and George Forrest, who explored the remotest valleys of the Himalayas and China. The garden holds National Collections of Meconopsis (Himalayan blue poppies) and Cassiope, and it was from Branklyn's original Ludlow and Sherriff collection that many of the blue poppies now grown across Britain were propagated and distributed. With its damp, cool climate and acidic soil perfectly suited to high‑altitude plants, this small hillside became a sanctuary for treasures from the roof of the world — a living tribute to the courage of the explorers and the skill of the gardeners who nurtured their discoveries.