From Victorian ornamental garden to living landscape There is something satisfying about seeing a place reveal a little more of itself. At Re-Inversnaid, the land around the Lodge was once a Victorian ornamental garden, planted with Rhododendron ponticum, azaleas, gunnera and exotic evergreens. Many of these plants were introduced for their beauty, but rhododendron in particular can spread aggressively and make it difficult for native woodland to regenerate. Over the past cou

Why rhododendron is such a problem in Scotland’s temperate rainforests Rhododendron ponticum is beautiful. It is also one of the biggest challenges facing many of Scotland’s temperate rainforests. At Re-Inversnaid, rhododendron was planted as part of the Victorian ornamental garden around the Lodge. Over time it spread beyond the garden and into areas of native woodland. The problem is not simply that it takes up space. Dense rhododendron creates heavy shade and makes it diff