The Jim Aitken Arboretum

Back in the 1920s when Deuchney Hill was part of the Kinfauns Estate, exotic conifers were planted as part of a small arboretum. Today this ground is owned by the Forestry Commission and is part of the Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park.

In 2003 James Aitken, a well-known Perth landscape gardener who had a great love of the trees on Kinnoull Hill left £80,000 to the Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust for the re-instatement of this arboretum. Jim lived at Orchardbank on the Barnhill side of the Park and was heavily involved in all aspects of local natural history. He was president of the Perthshire Society of Natural Sciences for many years. And in his younger days he was employed at Branklyn House and helped to shape that lovely garden.

Steering Group

A small steering group has been tasked with the planning and re-instatement of the arboretum. The members come from the Forestry Commission, the Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust (along with the Big Tree Country), the Perth & Kinross Council Countryside Rangers Service and the Kinnoull Hill Users Group

Future Plans

The entrance to the arboretum, beside the Jubilee Car Park will be landscaped in the coming months to include an entrance feature with interpretation boards describing the history and plans for the arboretum.

There are already some fine specimen trees on the site including some magnificent Wellingtoniae and new trees have been planted for future generations. The latter are enclosed in deer proof fences to protect them in their early years.

The theme of the Arboretum is "From the Wild to the Garden". As well as large exotic conifers the arboretum will feature groups of smaller trees of a size which can be planted in a normal garden. In the first phase of planting collections of betula (birch) and of sorbus (including rowans) have been included. Shrubs will also also be planted throughout the site.

New Paths in the Arboretum

Paths have been carefully laid to help visitors view the dfferent species. These start from the Jubilee car park and wend their way up the hill meandering among the tress. Visitors can see the old and the new plantings without getting their feet muddy!

The arboretum is a local community project and is entirely funded by donations. If you feel you can help with a donation or provide some service or equipment free to help set up the arboretum please get in touch with John Spittal, the Forestry Commission officer responsible for the Deuchney Hill part of the Woodland Park.