Wow, the weather has been amazing this past week. So much sun, blue skies and heat, we've been really enjoying the novelty even though we've been working. Sort sleeves, suntans and eating outside. At the nursery I've been potting lots of vegetable and bedding seedlings in the tunnel, at this time of year they root through very quickly and have been selling just as quickly. We'll definitely be doing more next year.The tunnel is gradually beginning to empty as I've moved plants over to the sales area and the stock beds for summer and potted up the seedlings.
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One of my cacti in full flower at home, sadly these beautiful flowers only last a day,
so I was glad to catch them before going to work one morning |
Of course the problem with such hot weather is the need to water, fortunately now with our fully working watering system this is now much easier and we have 10,000 stored in tanks just in case. The nursery and planted borders are really springing into life with lots of foliage colour and flowers. I've been planting more plants to fill in spaces in the borders and to ensure that we have everything in stock planted for future propagating and so we can show customers what their purchases will do in the ground. I have finished planting the native woodland and hedgerow borders and am looking forward to seeing them knit together. The final additions were Thalictrum minus and Blechnum spicant.
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| Each flower is 6 inches long |
At the weekend, despite the heat we got the mypex under the last of the black currents along the top of the stock beds. In a couple of weeks well have some wood chippings which will then go on top of the mypex, keeping the weeds down and stopping them seeding into the potted plants. This will help reduce the amount of weeding required over time, always a good thing. David and Adam put in the renovated Quercus sign that eldest son Ben has been working on. He sanded both signs down, oiled and varnished them and now they look fab, much better than when we found them on the ground under weeds a year ago.
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| Feeding squirrels in Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline |
Our day off was again very relaxed and an afternoon out on the other side of the River Forth in Dunfermline. David lived here from the age of ten and previous generations of mine have lived in around this area of Fife well back into the 1700's. The weather was glorious again as we parked up and went for a wander around Pittencrieff Park. We took peanuts to feed the squirrels which is on my bucket list, so another tick. We walked through the glasshouses and gardens before collapsing on the veranda of the cafe with drinks and ice cream. From here we walked up to Dunfermline abbey and embraced the cool of the thick stone walls. We walked around the ruined Abbey palace, old and new parts of the church and stood at the foot of Robert the Bruce's grave. Back to the car and a short drive west found us in the lovely picturesque village of Culross on the River Forth. Again I have ancestors buried in the church yard here. We had a lovely late lunch in the gardens of the Biscuit cafe, tucked away behind the main street. The food and service were very good. A few photos of the palace which we didn't have time to go into as it was nearly closing time so we wandered up to the Merket Cross where I had an Outlander moment where some of the scenes were filmed. We stopped in at the Community garden in Culross to have a look around, and very good it was too. Lots of herbs, early summer colour and an empty site put to very good use. You can see what they are up to on their
Facebook page. We meandered back along to Kincardine and across the old bridge and home via the motorway and Bathgate, etc. A lovely relaxing day with a nice mix of history, gardens, good food and good company.
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| Squirrels, Pittencrieff Park |
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| Pittencrieff House |
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| Opuntia in the glasshouses, Pittencrieff Park |
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| Water lilies in the glasshouses, Pittencrieff Park |
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| Approaching the abbey from the park, Dunfermline |
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| Stained glass windows in the Abbey |
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| A few minutes relief from the heat and sun |
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| Taking in the history |
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| The crypts below the royal palace |
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| The Aboots house, Dunfermline, love this colour on the old building |
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Culross Palace, well worth a visit, we didn't have time on Tuesday, but have visited before and
the lovely walled garden behind |
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AN Outlander moment in the
Merket Square, Culross |
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| Lane leading up to the church, Culross |
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Beautiful old house, Culross, love this
style of Scottish building |
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It look as though your day out was a good one - I love the pretty houses in Culross. I had no idea that cacti could produce flowers like that - it's a beauty! The nursery's looking good, and the squirrel photo's very sweet. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteCathy x
Hi Cathy, thanks for commenting, your comment makes me realise how eclectic my posts can be lol. Culross really is a pretty wee village, an well looked after. Have a great weekend too :) x
DeleteWhat great photos. I love Scottish houses, especially the tall, high walled narrow windowed ones. Living as I do now in a small windowed ancient house I appreciate that the glorious protection in winter has to set against the lack of light but they are still lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth, thank you, you can understan why they were built that way, cost of glass, weather protection ..... I do like a cosy cottage too :)
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