Crimonmogate Gardens
Crimonmogate House was designed by the celebrated neo-Classical Architect Archibald Simpson and was completed in 1825. It was commissioned by Patrick Milne, after his death it passed to his kinsman Sir Charles Bannermann, it then descended on his son Sir Alexander Bannerman whose daughter Ethel, Countess of Southesk, left to Major Raymond Carnegie, then onto The Hon. Jocelyn Carnegie. The name of Crimonmogate is a mix of Gaelic and Old Norse terms meaning “ the road through the cow-pasture by the peat moss”.
When we arrived here in 2001, there was no garden to change, just some wonderful old trees surrounding a large old house, and no flowers to pick and a lack of bird song. So our journey began with creating a garden which has now become a deep passion.
Firstly, we embarked on creating shelter from the North-East winds by planting Beech hedging on the East side of the house. Living only two miles from the North Sea, wind is our enemy not the frosts!
Then we cleared the mature Sitka spruce around the monument in the park. This then created a space for a new arboretum. A lime avenue and oak avenue were planted and many non-native species of trees with wonderful autumn colours.
Then a greenhouse was erected which prompted the clearing of trees and planting two long herbaceous borders. This part of the garden was then later finished in 2023 and designed by Francis Rasche, and has given a sense of formality.
From early Spring when sheets of snowdrops, then daffodils, bluebells, carmassia carpet the ground, to late summer when a crescendo of unusual planting explodes, the garden is constantly evolving.
A large collection of Hydrangea Paniculatas was planted over ten years ago which flower from June to October. A stone sculpture named Gaia, Goddess of the Woods by Viscountess Petersham was on loan to Fyvie Castle has now been placed at the end of the Sorbus walkway.
We hope you enjoy visiting and are transported into a magical and varied paradise.
Photography by Laurence Richardson and Viscountess Petersham,DL,
See the areas of the gardens below, which provides a list of the trees, flowers and shrubs in those areas. Click on the gallery buttons to take you to pictures of that area.
Area 1 (The Park)
- Quercus cerris (TurkeyOak) Planted by 11th Earl of Harrington
- Quercus rubra (Red Oak)
- Quercus palustris (Pin Oak or Swamp Oak)
- Quercus coccinea (Scarlet Oak)
- Pinus sylvestris ‘French Blue’
- Pinus parviflora
- Pinus thunbergii
- Pinus sylvestris ‘Aurea’ Golden Scot’s Pine
- Prunus ‘Tai’ (Great White Cloud)
- Fagus slyvatica var heterophylla ‘Aspenifolia’
- Aesculus indica ‘Sydney Pearce’
- Betula utilis subsp albosinensis ‘China Ruby’
- Sorbus hupehensis var obtusa
- Sorbus vilmorinii
- Acer plationides ‘Princeton Gold’
- Sequoia sempervirens
- Malus brevipes ‘Wedding Bouquet’
- Abies koreana
- Salix udensis ‘Golden Sunshine’
- Salix daphnoides
- Salix graillistyla ‘Mount Aso’
- Acer rufinerve
- Acer x freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
- Pinus wallichinna ‘Winter Light’
- Alnus pendula
- Zelkova serrata
- Quercus bicolor
- Carpinus betlulus ‘Rockhampton Red’
- Corylus avellana ‘Nottingham’
- Parrotia subaequalis
- Liquidamber styraciflua ‘Andrew Hewson’ x 3
- Acer cappidocicum ‘Rubrum’
- Betula jacquemontii
Area 2 (Acers)
- Acer pal. ‘Purpureum’
- Acer carpinifolium
- Acer pal. ‘Arakawa’
- Acer pal. ‘Bi-Hoo’
- Acer pal. ‘Dixie Delight’
- Acer pal. ‘ Fireglow’
- Acer pal. ‘Orange Dream’
- Acer pal. ‘Osakazuki’
- Acer pal. ‘Reticulatum Purple’
- Acer pal. ‘Starfish’
- Acer shirasawanum ‘Jordan’
- Acer pseudosieboldianum subsp. takesimense
Area 3
- Acer davidii
- Acer pal. ‘Crimson Sentry’
- Betula youngii
- Davidii involucrata
- H pan. ‘Magical Fire’ (‘Bokraplume’ PBR)
- H pan. ‘Tender Rose’
- Laburnocytisus ‘Adamii’
- Nyssa sylvatica
- Sorbus rosea ‘Rosiness’
- Tilia tomentosa petiolaris
Area 4
- Euonymus mackii
- Euonymus Europeans ‘Red Cascade’
- Rhododendron ‘Berryrose’
- Rhododendron ‘Cecile’
- Rhododendron ‘Davesii’
Area 5
- Daphne bholua
- H. aspera ‘Villas Group’ 2015
- H. pan. ruby ‘Angels Blush’
- H. pan. ‘Big Ben’
- H. pan. ‘Diamant Rouge’
- H. pan. ‘Early Sensation’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Himalayan
- H. pan. ‘Kyushu’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Vesuvio’
- H. pan. ‘Phantom’
- H. pan. ‘Sundae Fraise’
- H. aspera susp. sargentiana
- Euonymus mackii
- Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’
- Rhododendron ‘Berryrose’
- Rhododendron ‘Cecile’
- Rhododendron ‘Davesii’
Area 6
- Buddleja hookeri ‘Sikkim Snow’
- Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
- Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Aphrodite’
- Cornus ‘Norman Hadden’
- Cornus venus
- Cornus x rutgersensis ‘Stellar Pink’
- Deutzia kalmiiflora
- H. aspera ‘Mauvette’
- H .pan. ‘Bobo’
- H. pan. ‘Brussels Lace’
- H. pan. ‘Confetti’
- H. pan ‘Darts Little Dot’
- H. pan. ‘Everest’
- H. pan. ‘Little Lime’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Candle’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Fire’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Moonlight’
- H. pan. ‘Magical Starlight’
- H. pan. ‘Phantom’
- H. pan. ‘Polar Bear’
- H. pan. ‘Ruby’
- H. pan. ‘Silver Dollar’
- H. pan. ‘Tardiva’
- H. pan. ‘Unique’
- H. pan. ‘Vanilla Fraise’
- H. pan. ‘White Lady’
- H. quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’
- Pinus wallichiana
Area 7
- Cladrastis kentukea
- Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Pendula’
- Sorbus ‘John Mitchell’
Area 8
- Betula utilis var jacquemontii
- Cedrus deodora ‘Aurea’
- H. macrophylla ‘Frillibet’
- H. pan. ‘Grandiflora’
- H. pan. ‘Harry’s Souvenir’
- H. pan. ‘Pee Wee’
- H. pan. ‘Tender Rose’
- H. pan. ‘White Goliath’
- H. macrophylla ‘White Lace Cap’
- H. pan.‘White Moth’
Area 9
- Crataegus laevigata ‘Plena’
- H. pan. ‘Bombshell’ (PBR)
- H. pan. ‘Candlelight’ (PBR)
- H. pan. ‘Dharuma’
- H. pan. ‘Diamantino’
- H. pan. ‘Levant’
- H. pan. ‘Pinky-Winky’ (PBR)
- Prunus horinji
- Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Pembina’
- Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
- Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’
- Acer palmatum ‘Westonbirt Red’
- Alnus glu. ‘Imperialism’
- Daphne bholua
- Hamemelis x intermedia ‘Aurora’
- Hamemelis x intermedia ‘Orange Beauty’
- Liriodnedron tulipifera
- Malus hupehensis
- Prunus ‘Jacqueline’
- Rhus typhina
- Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’
- Stewartia pseudocamellia
- Syringa vulgaris ‘Michel Buchner’
- Acer saccharinum
- Syringa vulgaris ‘Primrose’
- Viburnum x buckwoodii ‘Mohawk’
- Viburnum x burkwoodii
- Viburnum carlessi ‘Aurora’
- Viburnum carlcephalum
- Viburnum plicatum ‘Molly Schroder’
- Viburnum plicatum f tomentosum ‘Pink Beauty’
- Rhododendron lustescens
- Rhododendron glendoick
- Rhododendron denudatum
- Rhododendron calophytum
- Rhododendron fortunei sbsp. discolor
- Rhododendron arboreum
- Rhodendron sbsp. Cinnmomeum
- Rhododendron arboreum subsp. Cinnamomeum’Everest Reunion’
- Hamamelis x int ‘Arnold Primrose’
- Kalmia latifolia
- Rhododendron ‘Surrey Heath’
- Clerodendron trichnotumum var. fargessi
- Alnus glutinous ‘Imperilis’
- Straphylea colchica
- Prunus padus
Area 10
- Betula pendula subsp. pendula ‘Spider Alley’
- Cardinadra alternifolia ‘White Haze’ (Hydrangea)
- Cornus florida ‘Rubra’
- Eucryphia nymansensis ‘Nymansay’
- H. aspera ‘Hot Chocolate’
- H. pan. ‘Kyushu’
- H. pan. ‘ Limelight’
- H. pan. ‘Pink Diamond’
- Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
- Hydrangea heteromalla
- Juglans nigra
- Kolkwitzia amabilis ‘Pink Cloud’
- Aesculus carnea x ‘Briotii’
- Cedrus libani
- Cephalotaxus harringtonia
- Cornus kousa ‘ Bultincks Giant’
- Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘China Girl’
- Cornus kousa ‘Mt Fuji’
- Cornus kousa ‘Tentonia’
- Cornus kousa var. ‘China Girl’
- Cornus macrophylla
- Cornus x ‘Norman Hadden’
- Crataegus arnoldiana
- Deutzia ‘Pink Pompom’
- Deutzia ‘Pride of Rochester’
- Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Orange Beauty’
- Heptacodium miconioides
- Hydrangea augustipetala f macrosepala
- Hydrangea pan. ‘Phantom’
- Hydrangea scandens
- Nothofagus dombeyi
- Photina villosa var. coreana
- Prunus padus
- Pterocarya fraxinifolia
- Syringa x hyacinthiflora ‘Sweetheart’
- Acer con ‘Phoenix’
- Acer griseum
- Aesculus
- Cedrus Atlantic a
- Cladrastris kentukea
- Cornus controversa variegata
- Crataegus x media ‘Crimson Cloud’
- Hydrangea petiolaris
- Lipiodendron tulipera
- Pinus sylevestris ‘Edwin Hillier’
- Sorbus hupehensis
Area 11 (Walkway)
- Davidia involucrata ‘sonoma’
- Hamamelis x int. ‘pallida’
- Hamamelis x int. ‘Orange Beauty’
- Hamamelis x int. ‘Aurora’
- Hamamelis x int. ‘Arnold Promise’
- Philadelphus x virginalis
- Syringa vul. ‘Primrose’
- Burberis amurensis var latifolia
- Cotinus coggygria ‘Flamissimo’
- Photinia nitakayamensis
- Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’
Area 12 (Sorbus Walkway)
- Aesculus parviflora
- Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Peach’
- Fagus syl. ‘Midnight Feather’
- Parrotia persica
- Sorbus ulleungesis
- Sorbus ‘Showa’
- Sorbus caloneura
- Sorbus hupehensis var. obtusa
- Sorbus acuparia ‘Beissneri’
- Sorbus committed ‘Ravensbill’
- Sorbus Harrowiana (China)
- Sorbus Harrowiana (Burma)
- Sorbus pseudovilmorinii
- Sorbus cashimiriana
- Quercus phellos
- Zelkova carpinfolium
- Zelkova serrata
- Nyssa sylvatica ‘Red Rage’ x 3
Area 13 (Laburnum Walkway)
- Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’
Area 14 (Walled Garden)
- Lavender ‘Hidcote’
- Nepeta racemosa ‘Walkers Low’
- Stipa gigantea
- Erigeron karvinsiantus
- Alchemilla mollis
- Asplenium trichomanes
- Geranium wlassovianum
- Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata The King’
- Philadelphus maculatus ‘Mexican Jewel’
- Rosa ‘Stanwell Perpetual’
- Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’
- Bergenia cordifolia ‘Jelle’
- Hakonechloa macra
- Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’
- Phyllrea augustifolia
- Salix purpurea ‘Nancy Saunders’
- Rosa ‘Katharina Zeimet’
- Peony lactiflora ‘Bunker Hill’
- Salvia caradonna
- Nepeta racemosa ‘Walkers Low’
- Amsonia hubrichtii
- Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
- Geranium ‘Patricia’
- Geranium sanguineum var stratum
- Hellebore x ericsmithii ‘Winter Star’
- Helleborus niger
- Iris ‘Jane Phillips’
- Iris siberica ‘Sparkling Rose’
- Euphorbia sanguiana
- Veronicastrum virginicum f. rose I’m ‘Pink Glow’
- Euphorbia wallichii
- Stacy’s Byzantine ‘Big Ears’
- Germ ‘Apricot Pearl’ or ‘Mai Tai’
- Hellibore argutifolius
- Bergenia cordifolia ‘Jelled
- Nepeta grandiflora ‘Summer Magic’
- Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Pink Tanya’
- Aquilegia chrysanthemum ‘Yellow Star’
Area 15 (Nursery Lawn)
Area 16 (Kitchen Lawn)
- Acer cappadocicum ‘Rubrum’
- Amelanchier canadensis
- Aralia elata
- Gunnera manicata
- Magnolia lilliflora nigra
- Malus hupehensis
- Morus nigra
- Prunus ‘Blushing Bride’ (Shogetsu)
- Prunus ‘Chocolate Ice’
- Prunus ‘Fragrant Cloud’ Shizuka
- Prunus ‘Snow Showers’
- Prunus ‘Spring Snow’
- Prunus ‘Tai -haku’
- Viburnum erubescens ‘Eskimo’
- Aralia elata
- Betula utilis ‘Snow Queen’
- Malus ‘Cowichan’
- Malus hupehensis
Area 17 (The Woodlands)
Abbreviations
pal. palmatum
pan. paniculata
subsp. subspecies
H. hydrangea
var. variety
glu. glutinous
f. form
PBR Plant Breeding Rights
con. congesta
syl. sylvatica