scottish garden

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Inspired by the BBC competition at this week's Chelsea Flower Show, here are own garden favourites from this week....

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The crumbling stones and peaceful gardens create a magical atmosphere.

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Images from the beautiful Dryburgh Abbey just outside Kelso.

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Lystichiton americanus (yellow skunk cabbage) and the more traditional Scots pine (next post) are also striking inhabitatants of the garden, while swathes of daffodils planted around the private family chapel cannot help but capture the visitor's attention.

2006-05-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

On Friday, a trip to Stobo (Dawyck arboretum) proved inspirational as always for the Garden School staff. The garden's rhodedendrons are at their best, flourishing in the acidic soil, as do the wonderful swathes of Trillium grandiflorum (wood lily).

2006-05-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Rising stars of the new garden include Amelenchier, Kerria japonica, French lavender, Norway maple (crimson king) and euphorbia... elsewhere there is a wonderful small cluster of Betula Jacquemonti, as yet too young to sport the characteristic ghostly white bark, but still eye-catching. More images of the garden shortly.

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Last year we began work on a new area of the Learning Curve garden. It was made up of a series of overgrown vegetable beds (left). Since then, much hard work on the part of staff has transformed the area - the beds are gone and the new garden is beginning to take shape.

In the next post is a picture of the same area shortly after it was replanted.

2006-04-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed to say they like the photos and encouraged me to keep up with the blog. I've decided to open it up to everyone in The Garden School, so there will be more beautiful images to share. We're also planning to use the page to record the development of our own garden. Students will already be familiar with the new Tranquillity Garden we are creating for Learning Curve staff. A place to escape and enjoy a few quiet moments. There have been some exciting developments over the winter and the garden is really starting to take shape now. Photos soon. For now, welcome to spring...!

Sad news regarding the listening tree at Bemersyde (18th November) by the way- it is dead and is becoming a danger so it will need to be cut down this year.

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Copper beech, in beautiful landscaped grounds running down to the River Tweed.

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Summer fruitfulness...

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Summer visitors remembered...

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The mystical Scrape Glen at Dawyck Arboretum.

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Pictures taken today at the magical Dawyck Arboretum. The Gardens are over 300 years old and are now part of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens. The Arboretum can be found in Stobo village just outside Peebles and are open every day from February - November.

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last days of autumn...

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It may be a few months away, but these pictures from Caroline Jackson are a great reminder of spring. Taken in a woodland garden in the Borders.

If you are interested in visiting unique Scottish gardens a good starting point is Scotland’s Gardens Scheme (SGS) - a registered charity which opens privately owned Scottish gardens to the public. All the money raised goes to good causes.

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This amazing tree has an 'ear' shaped growth on the trunk and is known by regular visitors to Bemersyde gardens, where it can be found, as 'the listening tree'.

2005-11-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

The first heavy frost. The trees are heavy with berries this autumn and I've heard it said that this is a sign of a harsh winter to come.

2005-11-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

Some of the most beautiful gardens include stunning natural features like this one from a hillside garden in the Borders.

2005-11-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Having moved to the Scottish Borders from Lancashire, I'm aware that the growing season here is slightly shorter, but it seems all the more vivid and intense, for all that.

2005-11-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

These images were taken at the beautiful Floors Castle Gardens just outside Kelso during July. The gardens also include a small garden centre offering an amazing array of more unusual species as well as familiar garden favourites , well worth a visit for those living close enough!

2005-11-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

After heavy winds last night the trees have well and truly shed their beautiful autumn colours, and the ground is thick with leaves. A nightmare for the gardener and the end of a fleeting oppportunity for photographers!

I have heard it said that the Borders in autumn is as beautiful as New England.

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Sad to say that shortly after taking the picture above, this delicate tree nearly died from wind exposure. We moved it to a more sheltered spot and fortunately it quickly recovered. Hopefully by next summer it will be fully recovered.

These globe thistles are among my favourite garden inhabitants, and I've used them in a couple of advertisement designs I've done this year.

2005-11-12T00:17:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Scottish Garden! This year I made a conscious effort to take as many photographs as I could, both of my own garden and others - to remind me of how beautiful our gardens are in the summer. They are beautiful in winter, too, of course, in a different way, and I'm sure there will be some winter pictures to come.

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