Achamore Gardens

Camellia Walk

As Col. Horlick loved his rhododendrons, it was inevitable that his plant interest would move onto camellia and magnolia. I think that the Camellia Walk more or less evolved into a camellia collection due to a number of factors. Firstly, the plant listings compiled by Peter Clough and David Wagg, in the mid 1970's indicate that that only a few camellia were planted along this stretch.

• Camellia saluensensis,
• Camellia 'Mary Christian',
• C. saluenensis (Wisley Form),
• C. 'Citation',
• C. 'Barbara Hillier',
• C. 'Donation',
• C. 'J C Williams',
• C. 'Charles Michael'
• C. 'Beatrice Michael'
• C. 'Winton'
• C. 'St. Ewe'
• C. 'Golden Spangles'
• C. 'Hiraethlyn'
• C. 'Elizabeth Rothschild'
• C. 'Cornish Snow'

Between 1977 to 1998 there have been a few other camellia added by the various other lairds of Gigha. There is a possibility that much of the present planting along the front was part of business failure and many camellia destined for sale to the public were "quickly" planted up before a receivership happened. Some of these plants include:

• C. 'Debbie'
• C. 'Adolphe Audusson'
• C. sasanqua
• C. 'Inspiration'
• C. 'Leonard Messell'

Within the overgrown Camellia Walk there a a few selct trees and shrubs that are 'hiding' such as:

• Stewartia monadelpha
• Stewartia pseudocamellia
• Eucryphia x nymansensis
• Desfontainia spinosa
• Aralia spinosa
• Embothrium coccineum
• Crinodendron hookerianum

The grass path has underneath it, the remains of the original path that led from south Lodge to the house.

It is a proposal that in the near future we will start by removing and cutting back most of the key camellia with a view to restore the walk. The idea being that original and propagated plants from the Horlick era can be seen to their full potential.

The grass path will eventually be lifted and possibly reinstated as a gravel path as per the rest of the walk around the garden.

(Updated by Micky Little May 2011)