At Arduaine see Rhododendron arboreum subsp zeylanicum brought back by James Campbell from his tea plantation in Ceylon. At Glenarn there is a Rhododendron falconeri grown from seed sent back by Joseph Hooker in 1849 as well as many asiatic magnolias . Hooker's progeny can also be seen in great numbers at Stonefield Castle , and at Kilmory Castle . A lot of work hybridising rhododendrons has been carried out this century and some of the results can be seen in Angus's Garden at Barguillean where you can see 'Peeping Tom' and many yakusimanum hybrids from Japan. The Himalayan blue poppy, Meconopsis betonicifolia is a fine sight in many gardens but especially at Torosay Castle , Lorimer's masterpiece on the Isle of Mull.
Himalayan primulas do well in Argyll and can be seen in large drifts in many gardens.
We owe a great debt to David Douglas who botanized in North America and sent back seed which was to change the face of Britain. See the magnificent avenue of Wellingtonias at Benmore and the huge Abies alba at Ardkinglas , whose multi-stemmed bole is said to be the mightiest fir in Europe. The Chilean embothriums here make a wonderful splash of colour. Plant material is still being collected assiduously by present-day enthusiasts. There is a wonderful collection of Southern hemisphere plants grown from seeds brought back by Peter Cool of Jura House .