During July 1996 an approach was made to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for advice on the possibility of developing a Highland Botanic Garden, celebrating Scottish native flora on the Pitlochry Festival Theatre site.

Following an initial site visit, a recommendation was made that perhaps an alternative approach would be more appropriate. Although the proposal for a Highland Botanic Garden as described above had some merit, it was considered that overall several points were against it namely.

• Similar projects focusing on the ethno-botanical uses of Scottish native plants existed elsewhere in Scotland.
• The nature and character of the plant species in question is such that they have little amenity value. It was felt that this would therefore limit the tourist potential of the garden considerably and hence it’s ability to raise revenue.
• The native plant theme did not fully exploit the full horticultural potential of the site, currently a wooded area with interesting terrain and good soil.
• The opportunity for interpretation with the native plant theme was limited.
• There was no clear link between the garden and theatre.

The need for an alternative proposal was agreed and the Royal Botanic Garden were asked to prepare it. This resulted in the current proposal for a garden to celebrate Scottish Plant Collectors and Botanists.

Initially over 1200 Scottish individuals were extracted from the main authoritative publication A Dictionary of British Botanists and Horticulturists R. Desmond 1996. From this about eighty individuals were selected who were thought to be the most appropriate for the Pitlochry site for horticultural and interpretative reasons. The collections and history of these individuals was then examined in detail, particularly regarding the suitability of plant material they were associated with and the stories behind their lives.

This list was then broken down into two groups, major individuals whose collections and activities merited representation by a woodland glade, and others whose achievements were of a lesser nature, but none the less would provide plant material for the ornamentation of the woodland corridors along the path network.

In addition to this plant material collected or experienced by other individuals not represented in the glades or corridors will be used in specimen plantings throughout the garden. See the accompanying Scottish Plant Collectors Profiles, which contains an additional list of collectors for further investigation, subject to the project receiving funding.