We've had some rain, which was very welcome after five weeks or so of hot sun and no rain. I could almost hear the plants sigh as the first drops fell, soon becoming torrential and raining on and off for several days. Its allowed me to do some planting which I've been putting off as it's been too dry. It's also given me a few days off from timing sprinklers and thinking where needs watered next. The gardens continue to blossom and grow here in the nursery, mid summer is here and the plants have caught up after the cold spring.
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| Rosa glauca |
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| Fungi on the log pile in the wildlife garden |
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| Athyrium filix femima 'Oceans Fury' |
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| Clematis 'Nelly Moser' |
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| The bug hotel looking its best in the wildlife garden |
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| Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker' and Origanum vulgare 'Aurea' |
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| Water lilies flowering in the wildlife pond |
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| Can you spot him? |
It was a spoiled, sunbathing doglet kinda day for this nursery dog
I mean how many places do you need to sunbath?
Useful plants from the garden
Lemon
thyme Biscuit
Makes
20
125g
chilled butter plus 150g softened 175g plain flour
300g
icing sugar 1 egg
Zest
of one lemon and juice from half a lemon 1
tbsp lemon thyme leaves
Seasalt few
drops vanilla essence
~
Preheat the oven to 170C / 150C fan / gas mark 3 and grease the baking trays
with butter.
~
In a large bowl mix together the plain flour, 60g of the icing sugar and a
pinch of salt then grate in the chilled butter. Rub the flour into the butter,
using the finger tips, until a breadcrumb like consistency is achieved. Mix in
the egg, lemon zest and thyme leaves.
~
Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the biscuit mix to approx. 0.5cm
thick. Cut out as many biscuits as a 6cm cookie cutter will produce. Transfer
to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat the process until al the mix is used up.
~
bake for 10 to 15 minutes, keep an eye on the as you want them lightly golden
and still soft in the centre. Leave to cool.
~
To make the buttercream, whisk the softened butter, vanilla essence and
remaining icing sugar together in a large bowl, mix until light and fluffy then
whisk in the lemon juice.
~
Sandwich the biscuits together with the buttercream and enjoy!
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| One of the lemons from my lemon tree |
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| Thymus citradorus |
Another area of the nursery gardens looking its best at the moment is our wildflower meadow. This area is set aside for wildflowers and wildlife along with the banks between each of our terraces. Two years ago we listed all the plants appearing over a year and we had a total of 42, this didn't include the grasses of which there are many. There are a few more plants appearing since then including excitingly spotted orchids. As well as wild flowers this area is literally bussing with insects. Its a beautiful place to sit on a warm sunny day and enjoy the sound and sight of nature at its best.
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| mid summer in the meadow |
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Happy gardener embracing the rain   |
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| Anchusa azurea 'Dropmore' |
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| Seedheads of Clematis alpina 'Ruby' |
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| Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’ |
First Monday off since February and tbh I just enjoyed a day at home pottering, cleaning the house, doing odd jobs I haven't had time to do, cooking the rhubarb I brought home from the nursery, cutting the grass and tidying my alpine troughs. I went a walk with David and Bracken up the hill behind the house, read 2 magazines and had a snooze on the sofa! I was looking forward to Ben coming over on Monday night and spending time with him on Tuesday.
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| Lewisia 'Little Peach' |
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| Armeria juniperifolia 'New Zealand Form' |
This week my eldest son Ben is finishing off his Waverly line adventure which he did the first half of 2 years ago. In this adventure he is walking the disused railway line where he can. Two years ago he walked from Galashiels railway station to Shankend Viaduct where we picked him up. Finally he is back to do the second half, walking from Shankend to Carlisle and getting the train home to Kilmarnock from there. Having collected him from Gala railway station last night we wet off this morning back to Shankend where David dropped us off and then drove further on to pick us up further down the line. Ben had asked if I wanted to do some of the first part with him which of course I was delighted to do, a walk somewhere I haven’t been and more time with my boy, happy Mum. We
set off past the old signal box which has been converted into a holiday house, nice and along the old track bed which was very easy walking. Through a small holding where there were pigs, goats, all sorts of sheep and llamas! Onwards towards Whitrope Tunnel which sadly is blocked off due to a roof collapse. You can’t even get near it to see the entrance. We followed a rough path up and over the
hill between the forestry with views back where we had been. The rain was on and off all morning, but it was warm so not unbearable. Finally we reached the top of the hill over the tunnel and back down the other side to the Whitrope Heritage Railway site. From here we picked up the railway again, and David and Bracken and headed another 2 miles towards Riccarton Junction. This is where two railways joined and was a busy and thriving village and home to many people. You can see imaged of what it was on google. Now its just bare earth, though we did find the platform which is where we had out picnic. Lunch done, Ben set off on his way towards Carlisle just under 30 miles away, luckily he’s done the
hard bit and its all down hill from there. David, dog and I headed back to the car and then home. A nice few hours out and about and for me it worked out to be an 8 mile walk which I’m happy with.
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| Starting our walk at Shankend |
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The old signal box has been converted
into a holiday home |
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| Quirky holiday home |
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| Some smile piggy |
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| Llamas in the middle of nowhere! |
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| Disused railways make the best wildflower meadows |
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| up and over the railway tunnel |
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| Orchids in the grass |
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| Down the other side |
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| Railway stuff |
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| Looking south |
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| Consulting the map |
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| Cirsium heterophyllum |
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| Lunch on an old platform |
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| Give me your lunch |
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| Dog rose |
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| Old waggon at the heritage Railway |
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| Our route |
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