Gardens are Michael Morrison’s passion. After horticulture studies and 10 years working with a local nursery, in 1971 he took on Sunday morning work for Dame Elisabeth, who had had little help in the large garden since making Cruden Farm her home after her husband’s death in 1952.

His involvement is now all but fulltime. The partnership was significant; he and ‘the boss’ thought alike. Their regular circumnavigations of the garden in Dame Elisabeth’s electric buggy were times of great pleasure that inspired important decisions immediate and longer-term about design and planting, and kept them in touch with new developments.