Photo Credits: Findhorn Foundation

Photo credits: Lynn Barton, Judith Bone and Findhorn Foundation

In 1972 Captain Gibson and his wife sold their house, The Park, adjacent to the caravan park, to the Findhorn Foundation and moved to Cullerne, Findhorn. Lena Lamont continued as their housekeeper. The story goes that during her work Lena took time to meditate in the beautiful front room to consciously support the manifestation of Cullerne becoming part of the Community.

In June 1978 the property was purchased by the Findhorn Foundation from Captain Gibson, the owner of the Findhorn Bay Caravan Park. Gordon Cutler describes it in the One Earth magazine – Project Cullerne 1982/3:

“The property, when they began, had been set up by the previous owners for animal husbandry. Seven of its nearly ten acres had been put down to paddock over which had roamed several head of sheep and Highland cattle as well as several horses.”

The vision for the purpose of Cullerne landed strongly with a dedicated group of people. Michael Lindfield and Vance Martin’s articles in the One Earth magazine issues from 1980 give a fascinating glimpse of the different considerations – from pure visioning and high aspirations to financial realities.

Michael Lindfield – School Within a Garden

“The garden itself becomes the major classroom of life, nature the teacher, and we, in our unfolding evolution, the subjects.”

“It is certainly with a sense of right timing that I have seen the seed of the Garden School germinate from that cornerstone in the foundation of Findhorn, communion with nature. From 1978, around the nucleus of Fred and Dick Barton, the idea of a ‘school within a garden’ has grown and taken shape at Cullerne…”

This article describes the dance between vision and implementation, when it speaks freely about angelic communion and the need to raise funds to ensure that the property can continue to be held within the Community.

“The Garden School itself is a function of the need for humans and angels to come into communion. I asked Dick how he intended to deal with possible glamorous expectations attached to communing with angels among would-be students. He replied very clearly, ‘I cannot stress too strongly that the Garden School is not designed to be a peep show into the angelic world; rather, that reality is simply accepted as axiomatic to all that happens. The courses will aim to create attitudes of communion rather than contact’.”

“The Trustees have given till the end of the year for the raising of the £85,000 at which Cullerne has been valued. If this deadline is not met, all money will be offered for refund, with interest paid to date of refund. Your participation is welcomed. For further information write to A.D. Barton or Fred Gordon, Findhorn Foundation, The Park, Forres IV36 OTZ Scotland.”

Vance Martin – Garden: As the Findhorn Garden Grows (1980)

“We feel that Cullerne could be the centre of the horticultural molecule at Findhorn, providing the base for a horticultural school which would draw upon and use all the resources past and present. This, within the vision of an environmentally balanced future, would move us that next step into more fully understanding the relationship between God, Nature and Humanity.”

The concept of the Findhorn Foundation Garden School was formulated and a copy of a photo album brochure from 1980, found in the Cullerne Gardens library in 2025, gives a precious glimpse of the love, care and inspiration that flowed into the project.

Dick Barton photo Kerry Horsburgh

1982 was a year of spelling out the details for the implementation of the vision. Dick Barton wrote the Prospectus for Project Cullerne and Gordon Cutler, who was part of the team, summarised it in his One Earth Magazine article Project Cullerne.

Dick Barton proved himself to be away ahead of his time, already in 1982 he used the time-traveller mode to bring back the good news about a positive future for Cullerne Gardens. This technique is now used by many to help fire up our imagination to help humanity bring about a thriving future. Not only did he have a big vision for Cullerne but his presentation as a hand-written copy gives it such a personal touch.

In her recollection Lynn Barton tells us about the beginning of the first Garden School programme, on a cold and snowy day on 21st March 1981, the Spring Equinox.

Vance Martin –Towards an Ecological Lifestyle (1981).

In this article Vance describes the place of the Garden School in the wider context of an ecological lifestyle.

“Today the Garden School provides an umbrella for all of our work with nature. Based at Cullerne House, it has been operating for three years and was officially announced just twelve months ago (see One Earth, Oct ’80). This past year has seen the number of students grow to twelve, with a central staff of seven charged not only with the student programme and the evolution of the Cullerne property itself, but also with liaison between the various Foundation gardens and contact with the greater environmental network throughout the world. Most of the work is based at Cullerne, but the Garden School includes activities throughout the Foundation, with students who stay longer than one three-month term working increasingly in the other areas. One fascination is watching the students themselves become teachers as new students arrive and assume tasks which they themselves found new and unusual only a few months previously. The work programme is project orientated, in order to facilitate an increased sense of responsibility and partnership, and is based around three principal areas: food production, ornamental plants, and appropriate technology.”

The Tree Nursery

Vance Martin describes the tree nursery in wonderful detail in his article Cullerne Gardens and Nursery (1980-84) 

“We did a small seeding programme in 1981, but in the spring of 1982 we embarked on the first major seeding programme.”

“It has proved to be one of the most successful of our designs as well as the most successful horticultural project in the Foundation. I say this because the finances, educative side and production, all combined in a beneficial manner to create a wonderful healing and productive experience for the Foundation.

For me, it has been a bit of magic to have this happen. People have arrived, repeatedly, at the right minute to take things on. Albert Bean and a Cullerne garden student, Annie Blampied, filled important gaps in 1982-3. Now with Annie developing the education side (Children of the Green Earth) and Linda Parker doing overall co-ordination, nurseries and so on, I give profuse thanks that the programme prospers.”

This account is embedded in the comprehensive Tree Chronicle (1984).

In 2025, in the Community Learning Circle about Community Economics, Michael Shaw shared:

“The purchase of Cullerne was another example of this faith-based approach. While on a tour with Peter in Colorado, he was sure a millionaire would fund the purchase. He didn’t, but a misheard phone conversation when Michael Ogden heard ‘£70,000’ instead of the actual ‘£7,000’ we had, led him to go ahead with the purchase anyway. These were the kinds of ‘honest mistakes’ and acts of faith that built the Community.”

Hence, in the process of the purchase the seeds were planted for a burden of debt that shaped the project over the next decade.

Gordon Cutler writes in the One Earth magazine – Project Cullerne 1982/3:

“The property, when they began, had been set up by the previous owners for animal husbandry. Seven of its nearly ten acres had been put down to paddock over which had roamed several head of sheep and Highland cattle as well as several horses.”

“… the financial support Cullerne required was putting a strain on the Foundation’s cash flow and by early spring 1980 when the cabbage seedlings were being planted out, the property was put up for sale. Dick and his fellow gardeners, including two with extensive business ex­perience, met this test of faith by creating a limited Land Trust company that could attract support for the project and energise its educational aspect.”

Working in Findhorn Foundation Accounts, Alex Walker drew a ‘debt chart’ which shows the impact caused by the purchase of Cullerne.

Findhorn Foundation Debt chart 1985 by Alex Walker

Cullerne Project Limited was incorporated on 27th April 1981 as a Company Limited by Shares. It took on the £65,000 in loans and donations. A significant part of the loans carried interest rates up to 12%. This placed a financial burden on the project which became unsustainable over time.

In 1985 Maureen Smith, prepared a report to the Findhorn Foundation Trustees. She concluded the financial report by writing:

“For five years Cullerne struggled with debts, despite the magnificent work of such people as Dick Barton. Now we seem to be steering on course and it is very uplifting to the group to know that instead of being the average of £5000 in debt at the end of year, we may, God willing, actually make a small profit. This, to me, is a reflection of the work and clarity of thought the group has brought to Cullerne this year.”

In his 2026 reflections, Rory O’Connell writes:

“The task of ‘rolling up’ Project Cullerne fell to Maureen Smith and me. Maureen was a real trooper – a former stockbroker from the London Stock Exchange. She had fallen in love with the place and, despite gardening not being her forte, she tended the relationship with the investors. To ease the pressure, she explored with them if they could donate their capital or stop receiving interest. In the end she arrived at a manageable amount for the Foundation to buy out the company.”

In 1985 the Findhorn Foundation had £46,000 of loans for Cullerne on its books (see Alex Walker’s One Earth magazine article in April/May 1985)

The Annual Report Year ending 31st March 1987 states “During the year the Company did not trade. All loans now repaid or loan obligations passed to FF – Company is in the process of being re-organised and intends to acquire a film making business for future trading.”

In a Findhorn Foundation’s Loan schedule from 1987 Alex notes:

“iii-Cullerne Loans – some loans are similar in principle to the Capital Division. These were raised specifically for the purchase of Cullerne. However, the actual method used was very complex, and so the elimination of all of these loans is a high priority. At present we only hold two active loans, valued at around £30,000, plus a number of smaller loans—some for as little as £10—the owners of which we can no longer trace.”

The changes within the operations of Cullerne Project Limited are more difficult to trace. A search of Companies House has been unsuccessful, so we have had to rely on assorted files in a private collection which indicate that the Findhorn Foundation issued a Standard Security on 4th August 1982. Annual reports from 1983-1987 state that the company didn’t trade that year. Annual Report Year ended 31st March 1987 – “During the year the Company did not trade. All loans now repaid or loan obligations passed to FF – Company is in the process of being re-organised and intends to acquire a film making business for future trading.”

Lynn Barton remembers her time in the first Garden School which started at the Spring Equinox in1981 and Rory O’Connell was one of the apprentices in the second group.

In her reflections, Judith Bone shares how she took on focalising in 1988. In this time Cullerne Gardens became an integrated work department of the Findhorn Foundation.

1972
Captain Gibson and his wife move to Cullerne from The Park; Lena Lamont continues as their housekeeper

1978
June: the Findhorn Foundation purchases Cullerne House and Gardens
“School Within a Garden” concept formulated

1980
Spring: property put up for sale due to debt
Findhorn Foundation Garden School brochure published
End of year: Property taken off the market as £65,000 donations/investments received

1981
March: first Garden School intake (6 students)
27th April 1981: Cullerne Project Limited incorporated as a Company Limited by Shares.

1982
The Hexagon Tree Nursery, first major tree seeding programme started
Cullerne Project Prospectus published

1983
Project Cullerne Ltd  ceases active trading (annual reports 1983-87)

1984
Garden School closes
Dick Barton resigns and leaves the Community

1985
Jon Drake becomes Cullerne Gardens focaliser.
Maureen Smith Findhorn Foundation Trustees report mentions improved finances.

1986
October: Alan Watson (Featherstone) commits to Caledonian Forest Restoration. Trees for Life refocuses.

1987
All loans repaid or loan obligations passed to Findhorn Foundation

1988
Judith Bone focaliser, slow reintegration with other Foundation gardens commences

1990
Fay Blackburn extracts seeds from Glen Affric pine cones at Cullerne

1992
Fred Barton passes away
Cullerne Gardens fully integrated as Findhorn Foundation work department

1994
Earthshare, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme, established

2002
Cullerne House sold by the Foundation to a Community business, Findhorn Flower Essences.

2011
Earthshare wound up

2019
House is put on the market after Findhorn Flower Essences moves

2022
Cullerne House purchased by a group of Community Investors

2023
Cullerne Gardens laid fallow as the Findhorn Foundation ceases operations
Community volunteers keep a couple of polytunnels going

2025
Ekopia takes on Cullerne Gardens under license, restoration begins