HE INTRODUCED over 200 species of plants and trees to Scotland, including the Douglas fir that bears his name, and yesterday he returned to Scone Palace from beyond the grave to enlighten school children from Perth and Kinross.

The ghost of David Douglas, played by Fergus Cook, Perth and Kinross Council’s greenspace ranger, regaled his young audience with tales of plant collecting in North America.

“Hardly any gardens in Europe or the United States do not feature flowers, shrubs and trees collected by David Douglas nearly 200 years ago,” Fergus said.