Wendy Mattingley is a
prominent horticulturist and the co-owner of Cluny House Gardens near Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland. Along with her husband John, she has managed this unique six-acre woodland garden since 1987, following in the footsteps of her parents, Bobby and Betty Masterton, who founded it in 1950.
Work and Expertise
Horticultural Leadership: Wendy is known for her expertise in rare and exotic plants, particularly Asiatic primulas, Himalayan blue poppies (Meconopsis), and giant lilies.
Organic Stewardship: Under her care, Cluny House Gardens is maintained on strictly organic principles, avoiding all pesticides and herbicides to support local biodiversity.
Wildlife Conservation: She is a vocal advocate for the protection of red squirrels, which thrive in the garden’s natural habitat.
Public Engagement: Wendy frequently hosts talks and events, such as those with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, sharing insights on woodland gardening and climate change impacts.
Visiting Cluny House Gardens
If you are planning to visit Wendy’s garden in Perthshire, here are a few key details:
Location: Situated high above the River Tay, roughly 20 miles north of Perth.
Highlights: Home to two of Britain's largest giant redwood trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum) by girth.
Wendy Mattingley is a prominent Scottish ornithologist and a long-serving key member of the
Tayside & Fife Raptor Study Group. She is highly regarded for her extensive fieldwork and significant contributions to the monitoring and conservation of raptors in Scotland.
Key Roles and Contributions
Leadership: She served as the Chair of the Tayside Raptor Study Group for 15 years, from March 1998 until 2013.
Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme (SRMS): Wendy was instrumental in the establishment of the SRMS in the early 2000s and sat on the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group as a representative of the Scottish Raptor Study Groups (SRSG) from its inception in 2002 until December 2023, when she stepped down.
Fieldwork: For decades, she has monitored various species in Perthshire, specifically focusing on Hen Harrier, Merlin, Raven, and Golden Eagle. She was previously the Hen Harrier coordinator for Perthshire.
Advocacy: She has met with multiple Ministers for the Environment to advocate for raptor conservation and has worked closely with the police to combat wildlife crime.
Recognition and Awards
Donald & Jeff Watson Award: In 2017, Wendy was presented with this prestigious award, which recognises a "significant long-term amateur contribution to the study of raptors in Scotland".
Public Outreach: She has appeared on BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors and in BBC documentaries to discuss raven ecology and the impact of illegal persecution on hen harriers.
Personal Life
Beyond her ornithological work, Wendy and her husband John Mattingley run Cluny House Gardens in Aberfeldy, Perthshire. The garden is managed organically with a strong focus on supporting local wildlife, including red squirrels and various bird species.
Wendy Mattingley is a prominent conservationist and horticulturist in Highland Perthshire, closely associated with HPCLT ( Dun Coillich ) and Cluny House Gardens.
Key Roles and Contributions
HPCLT Involvement: She is a long-standing supporter and contributor to the Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust, which manages the Dùn Coillich community land. Her work includes providing detailed observations of local wildlife, such as harriers and merlins, for their annual reports.
Cluny House Gardens: Alongside her husband John, Wendy has managed Cluny House Gardens since 1987. The 6-acre Himalayan woodland garden is famous for its rare plants, red squirrels, and "champion" trees, including Britain’s widest conifer.
Raptor Conservation: She is recognized by the Scottish Raptor Study Group as an "unsung heroine" for her decades of dedicated field work monitoring birds of prey.