Famous Scots

Francis Masson, a famous plant collector, was born in Aberdeen in 1741 and began working life as a garden boy. Travelling to London in the 1760’s he took up a gardener post at Kew under the direction of Joseph Banks.

Banks appointed Masson as the first plant collector to go out from Kew as part of Captain Cook's second great voyage of exploration in 1772. Sailing to Cape Town, South Africa, Masson commenced a series of expeditions over two years, through some of the world's most rugged terrain. The Cape's rich flora must have seemed like paradise. He introduced many exotics from here, including Cape heaths and proteas. Returning to Kew he was crowned in glory and his reputation as an introducer of new, exciting plants was sealed.

This scented and seductive violet is linked to Aphrodite the goddess of love. Traditionally it was presented to the bride or bridegroom on the day of their wedding, the flowers were often dried and kept as a memento, hence they are occasionally found in family bibles.

The plant also has a dark side as it is dedicated to Persephone or Proserpina who in classical mythology was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter who whilst picking flowers in the meadow including violets and daffodils was carried off by Hades to the underworld, where she became his Queen Consort. Later she would be released to return to the earth briefly for a few months each year.

The Scottish poet and novelist James Hogg (1770-1835) clearly enjoyed the native flora and fauna. For instance, in his work 'The Forest Minstrel' (1810) he often writes about his love of specific plants including the sweet violet which grows in the Scottish Borders.

How Foolish are Mankind
Far dearer to me is the humble ewe-gowan,
The sweet native violet, or the bud of the broom,
Than the fine fostered flowers in the garden a growing,
Though sweet be their savour and bonnie their bloom.
Far dearer to me is the thrush or the linnet,
than the fine bird from a far foreign tree.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) is probably the most popular Scottish architect, designer and water colourist of the last century. Today his distinctive and radical designs are available in all forms from household items to furniture and jewellery. Many of his buildings are still in use today such as The Willow Tea Room, Glasgow, and the Scotland Street School. Whilst others such as The Hill House, Helensburgh are in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.

Fritillaria by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Mackintosh was an accomplished botanical artist and his watercolour illustration of the Snake's Head Fritillary (1915) is perhaps the best known example of his work in this area. Many others can be seen at the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow. Although listed by John Gerard (1545-1612) in 1597, it was not recorded in the wild in Britain until 1796.

Native to parts of Britain but not Scotland, it can only be seen in specialised gardens and collections here in the north. One of the most famous locations to see it growing naturally and in bloom is in the meadows to the front of Magdalen College, Oxford.

The Rowan is at the heart of Scottish plant lore, associated with all areas of life and culture. It has several practical uses - dyes, food, medicine. Our elders believed a heavy berry crop in autumn foretold many births the following year. It was believed to protect against evil, the devil, witches, death and disease; hence it was often seen planted near the house. Even today in parts of west Scotland foresters and gardeners refuse to cut the plant down.

Many of the nation's famous poets and song writers have written about its qualities including Robert Burns. However perhaps the best remembered work is that of the Scottish song writer Lady Carolina Nairne (1766-1845), a Jacobite laird's daughter, born Gask, Perthshire.

The Rowan Tree
Oh! Rowan Tree Oh! Rowan Tree, thou'lt aye be dear to me
Intwin'd thou art wi mony ties o' hame and infancy.
Thy leaves were aye the firt o' spring, the flow'rs the simmers's pride;
There was nae sic a bonny tree, in a' the countryside.
Oh! Rowan Tree.

Renowned Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown (1921-1996) wrote about it in his acrostic work 'Lullaby for Lucy' (1980), celebrating the birth of Lucy Rendall of Rackwick, the first baby born on the island for 32 years. This was set to music by English composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davis, who had adopted Orkney as his home.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, photograph by Gunnie Moberg. 
Courtesy of the Hoy Kirk Heritage Centre.

This was set to music by English composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davis, who had adopted Orkney as his home.

Lullaby for Lucy
Let all plants and creatures of the valley now / Unite
Calling a new / Young one to join the celebration.
Rowan and lamb and waters salt and sweet
Entreat the / New child to the brimming
Dance of the valley / A pledge and a promise.
Lonely they were long, the creatures of Rackwick, till
Lucy came among them, all brightness and light.

The fruits were mixed with madder to make traditional black and orange dyes for use in the manufacture of tartans and tweed. They were also made into jelly, a fermented punch and medicine for whooping cough. Also the plant badge of several clans including Clan Scrimgeour, Clan Wigan and Clan MacLachlan, it is no wonder with such strong cultural links that the seed was taken to other parts of the world by departing Scots who hoped to grow a reminder of home in foreign lands. Next to the thistle it is undoubtedly one of the best living emblems of homecoming.

Rose 'Glenfiddich' was bred in 1976 by the internationally renowned Scottish rose breeders, Cockers of Aberdeen. Named after a Speyside single malt within the garden it celebrates the renowned Scottish violinist, composer and songwriter Neil Gow (1727-1807).

Born near Dunkeld, he was talented from an early age which is perhaps why he was sponsored by the Duke of Atholl. This allowed him to concentrate on his music and he wrote over a hundred significant and well-known fiddle tunes, to which we have danced and tapped our feet for generations. Commercially minded he went on to perform in London and Edinburgh and from 1784 onwards his tunes appeared as printed sheet music making them even better known. One of these 'Fare Well to Whisky' marks the feelings of the nation in 1799 when the making of whisky was prohibited due to a poor harvest that year. Legislators thought better to use the grain for food and for next year's seed rather than for the still.