There are seven distinct borders in my Dumfriesshire Garden. How I allowed this to happen, I do not know. When all is going well in ‘borderland’, there is always the temptation, if you have the space, to add something more. So here’s a brief tour of the borders, in what I mostly consider a belowContinue reading “An A-Z of 2024 in the garden: Borders”
Category Archives: Dumfriesshire Garden
An A-Z of 2024 in the garden: Arboretum
Welcome to the start of 26 reflections on my garden in south west Scotland during 2024: one for each letter of the alphabet and all of which will appear as the year closes during the month of December. I’ve written before about planting trees in the rented field next to my home. It all beganContinue reading “An A-Z of 2024 in the garden: Arboretum”
Picking apples
Late September brings a frost and then a blusterly gale. In between there is heavy rain. Early October sees the return of warm sunshine, and dry conditions, then a couple of nights when temperatures again plummet. I think it’s time to pick the bulk of the apples. They’ve not been at their best this year,Continue reading “Picking apples”
Lost and found in the Spring garden
It has been a long, hesitant, process. I look back at my diary and photographs over the two months since mid-February, bemused by the intermittent unfurling of Spring 2024, here in south west Scotland. Delayed by days and days of rain. Held up by low temperatures and with winds ‘like a whetted knife’. Hindered byContinue reading “Lost and found in the Spring garden”
The month of cakes
It may be the shortest month of the year, but February seems replete with symbolism, ritual and ambiguity. Ancient observances jumble with Christian overlays. Calendrical quirks and lunar considerations bubble up and surface. The weather flatters, but can also deceive. The garden wakes up, though might easily turn over and go back to sleep. MuchContinue reading “The month of cakes”
Wintering through January
With the Christmas decorations packed away and the New Year holiday behind us, I found myself pondering on those moments in the depths of Winter when the darkness persists and the weather forecast hangs over our plans and commitments. Too early yet to think of Spring, despite the slender daffodils in the shops, but maybeContinue reading “Wintering through January”
Catkins at New Year
Towards the end of last winter, this hazel bush was pruned hard and the older stems carefully removed. The treatment appears to have been beneficial, and the show of catkins now is like none it has produced before. The benefits of the right intervention at the right time! On the afternoon of Hogmanay, the sun appearedContinue reading “Catkins at New Year”
Encountering labyrinths
At Lammastide 2015, I was lucky enough to secure a modest rent and a long lease on the field adjoining our house in south west Scotland. I set about planting trees, initially in circles and later, linking them together with mown paths. One circle consisted of fairly closely planted hornbeams. My idea was to createContinue reading “Encountering labyrinths”
Growing garlic
Over the years I have grown leeks, onions, shallots, alliums and chives but it is only recently that I have started to cultivate another member of that bulbous and pungent family. Like so many things, it started with Gardener’s World on the BBC and a demonstration of how to grow this nowadays ubiquitous kitchen necessity:Continue reading “Growing garlic”
Garden exotica
I readily admit that I am no plantsman. I’m simply an untutored gardener who frequently struggles to remember Latin names, or even many of the common ones. In general my approach to the garden is to create an emotional effect that stirs the spirit. I’m interested in the full symphony rather more than its constituentContinue reading “Garden exotica”
Quotidian 