Gardens
Gardening was a lifeline during the pandemic
A Fife gardening group has been praised by villagers for providing a vital Covid-19 lifeline for those struggling with loneliness and disability. Falkland Gardening Group (previously Falkland in Bloom) has been operating for 35 years, and during lockdown came to the fore as a community saviour for many isolated locals. Sporting over 50 members, volunteers…
Read MoreNew head gardener wanted at Scots castle
Winton Castle in East Lothian is looking for a head gardener to build on a legacy that stretches all the way back to the 16th century. Both a family home and a hospitality venue, the castle, set in 16 acres of colourful gardens, has even had a facelift during lockdown. The previous head gardener, Toby…
Read MoreA garden on its very best bee-haviour
Jay Jay Gladwin’s personal touch makes all the difference as wildflowers and beneficial weeds boost the bee population in this Black Isle garden. When Jay Jay designs a garden she thinks about three things: structure, atmosphere and plants. ‘I ask a client the obvious questions about garden use and what they like but I also…
Read MoreThe essential guide for Scotland’s gardeners
This book is a compact colour guide of the largest survey of Scottish gardens ever mounted and the first such guidebook to all that Scotland can offer garden and plant lovers. It’s an updated must-have guide for anyone with even the slightest interest in gardens. Covering everything from the basic essentials to the most specialist…
Read MorePlant expert shares ultimate green-thumbed guide
Green fingered homeowners and tenants can now access the ultimate guide on how to bring the outdoors into their home thanks to an Edinburgh based plant expert. In celebration of International Houseplant Appreciation Day on January 10, homebuilder CALA Homes (East) has partnered with plant expert, Andrew Forbes of Green.Meadows Edinburgh, to create a carefully…
Read MoreDobbies and NTS give podcast garden guidance
A Scottish charity is giving an insight into its work and is sharing top tips on how to prepare gardens for the autumn. Leading garden centre retailer Dobbies has teamed up with Scotland’s largest membership organisation, the National Trust for Scotland, to give listeners the inside track on what it takes to maintain its 38…
Read MoreA look around some of the most stunning gardens
Aspiring to promote interaction with the natural world, photos are divided into categories that encourage the appreciation of the planet’s diversity. Particularly for nature enthusiasts, the staggering range of nature’s beauty is astonishingly captured from a multitude of perspectives and locations. It could benefit from more narrative, but definitely one for the coffee table. International…
Read MoreNational Trust for Scotland’s roots manouevre
The National Trust for Scotland has launched a new gardening subscription that offers a monthly delivery of gardening goodies, including Scottish seeds to plant at home. From green-fingered gardeners to those who are just beginning their gardening journey, Roots is a celebration of Scotland’s flora and has been designed to help people reconnect with nature.…
Read MoreHow to grow snowdrops in your garden
Snowdrops are an attractive, early spring or late winter flower. When planted in swathes, either alone or alongside other early season bulbs such as daffodils and crocuses, they bring early season color to winter gardens. The snowdrop (Galanthus) happily grows in moderate and colder climates. These are hardy low maintenance bulbs. A perfect shade loving…
Read MoreA look at the beautiful gardens of Little Sparta
Another of Scotland’s gardens of note is featuring on our TV screens tonight. Green-fingered Murdo Macdonald visits some of the country’s most important gardens to explore their design, plant-life, setting and history, in Gàrraidhean na h-Alba/ Gardens of Scotland. In this programme, Murdo visits Ian Hamilton Finlay’s garden and work of art, Little Sparta, set…
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