William Barron

William Barron (7 September 1805–8 April 1891) was a British landscape gardener, nurseryman and park and garden designer. His work in the grounds at Elvaston Castle established his reputation as one of the most respected landscape gardeners of his time. Early life Barron was born in 1805 in Eccles in Berwickshire, the son of John Barron, a gardener, and his wife Betty née Johnston. After serving a three-year gardening apprenticeship at Blackadder in Berwickshire, he joined the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh where he quickly found himself in charge of the glasshouses. He then went to Syon House in Middlesex where he was involved in planting the new conservatory for Syon Park. In March 1830 Barron was appointed head gardener to Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl of Harrington, at Elvaston Castle, where he was instructed to create a new garden. Barron was to remain here for the next 32 years. Elvaston Castle At Elvaston Castle Barron worked on the surrounding gardens, woodlands and pleasure grounds, where he introduced many innovative designs and techniques. Among these were architectural topiary and intricate drainage methods. At Elvaston his: ... hugely ambitious tree-transplanting, propagating and grafting, transformed a largely featureless site into one of the most celebrated gardens in Europe and North America. Hundreds of trees, including very large and mature specimens, were moved across Derbyshire and adjacent counties, whilst the grounds, and especially the pinetum and Barron's British Winter Garden, promoted the use of evergreens in public and private spaces, helping to drive the new fashion in British, European and American gardens. Barron came to be regarded as one of the leading British arboricultural experts...