Due to Covid-19, Scotland has been in a state of lockdown for 12 weeks. At the start of this period I was unsure whether I’d be allowed to work, so I took time off while I waited for the government to announce what would and wouldn’t be permitted. During this down time, I really missed visiting gardens and seeing my clients – many of whom have become good friends. I realised how difficult it must be for anyone socially isolating  – especially those who could not see loved ones, as well as people living on their own. I am not very interested in technology but my husband works in IT. He su ..read more

Nobody loves bees more than gardeners. These valuable creatures pollinate so many of our flower and food crops, and it is devastating to read press articles about their marked decline and the role that humans play in that by using pesticides, insecticides and destroying natural landscapes such as hedgerows and wild flower meadows.  The bees we see in our gardens extend far beyond the commonly known bumblebee and the honeybee.  There are in fact around 276 species of bee in the UK, and while 25 of these are bumblebees, the others are different types of solitary bee, all of which feed ..read more

“To raise the spirits and cheer the heart”. According to Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, that is what rose was traditionally used for in the context of herbs for health. It is the petals and hips of roses – particularly Rosa Gallica and Rosa Damascena – that are mostly widely used in herbal medicine. Rose is very much still considered to be a heart herb, with anti-depressant and uplifting qualities. It is commonly used today as a mild sedative, and also a skin astringent – meaning it helps to tighten pores and aid with drying out oily skin. It is also a very gentle and soothin ..read more

My garden wouldn’t be a garden if it stayed the same year after year.  What I love most about having my own outdoor space is trying out new ideas and having fun learning along the way.  If it turns out to be a complete disaster then at least I know never to do it again or try it a little differently if I do.   One of the new concepts I’m trying this year is to grow a medicinal herb bed.  Lots of us already grow herbs for culinary purposes – parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, lovage, etc – but this herb bed is specifically herbs that are used for health.     This is a project I am undertakin ..read more

At the start of the year I was contacted by a company called Highland Titles – they aim to manage, improve and conserve areas of Scotland through land management, strategic partnerships and education at their nature reserves. They have two of these – one at Glencoe and the other at Lochaber. While much of the Scottish Highlands was once covered in ancient woodland, activities such as commercial forestry and intensive farming have altered the landscape forever. So what Highland Titles do is sell square foot plots of land to interested parties across the globe, to give them funds to undert ..read more

Establishing a wild flower meadow is something I am asked about regularly.  The first thing I usually tell people who are interested in this type of garden is that it will require a lot of hard work and perseverance – it’s not just as simple as scattering a few seeds.  I know this first hand, having started a wild flower area in my garden a couple of years ago, which is still very much a work in progress. So, when The Grass People – experts in lawns and wild flower meadows – got in touch with me recently, I asked if they would like to write a post for my site about how to create a wildflowe ..read more

I’m always looking for ways to make my daily gardening work better, more efficient and less labour intensive. Like a lot of domestic gardeners, I use a 40 litre brightly coloured trug to collect garden waste which I fill (inevitably always a little too full, and heavy!) then dispose of into a garden wheely bin.  I find this perfect for collecting weeds, carting around small amounts of compost, or moving a few small plants from one place to another.    For larger waste items, like wood prunings , I often use an empty tonne bag (1000 litres) as I find this to be a far more efficient way ..read more

After its inaugural success in 2018, Lanark’s FlowerFest will return to central Scotland’s Castlebank Park from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th May 2019. The Royal Burgh of Lanark lies at the head of the Garden Valley, and boasts Castlebank Park, perched above the River Clyde, with the restored Castlebank Gardens and newly developed Horticultural Centre, which is also home to Lanark in Bloom – custodians of the town’s many beautiful hanging baskets and planters. The theme for this year’s FlowerFest 2019 is The Women’s Football World Cup, which takes place in France this June, and for which ..read more