February, all the weathers, all the colours of sky

Tired mouse dog

Last Saturday I had a fabulous day on the workshop David gave me for my birthday last year. Run by Linda of Lovatt Gallery in Jedburgh, check out her creations they are amazing.

So today we learnt soldering and how to put together our own creation. Really good to learn some new skills and meet new people. I took some of my own china and bits and pieces to use and had an idea of what I wanted to do and here it is.

Its full of meaning of my life. The spoon, handle and china are from the stuff I dug up at Easter Mosshat, my last home. The birds are David and I, the oak leaves for Quercus and the 8 forget-me-nots for Ben, Jamie, Daniel, Becky, Adam and Natasha and the two miscarriages I had. The leaves will be patanated so they turn green then I will get it home in a couple of weeks.

Drawing out my idea

Making oak leaves

Learning to solder

The finished article, just needs the leaves and birds patanated

We took the scenic route to Kilmarnock on Sunday via St Mary's loch, The Gray Mares Tail, Moffat and then over the hills via Muirkirk and Sorn through snow, sleet, rain and wind. It was lovely to catch up with Ben and see what he's been up to. He's now met Maisie the shark dog too and survived just, his dreads look a bit shredded tho. A great meal in the Long House too. A lovely weekend off.

Heading towards St Mary's loch

St Mary's Loch

Approaching the Grey Mares Tail

Ben, my eldest

Cocktail for lunch, don't mind if I do

A wet blustery day on Monday so I spent the morning sowing all the annual seeds. I love sowing seeds, its a promise of things to come, flowers and vegetables through summer and the joy of new life in the garden.

The afternoon was spent spring cleaning the covered area, also known as our wee shop area. De-cobwebbed (sorry spiders), dusted, cleaned down and ready for stocking up the wee shop ready for opening in a months time! So much to do before then, eeeek!

A busy last hour of the day barrowing up all the new fruit trees. We will have some great varieties of apples, pears, plums and cherries and some fan-trained varieties too this year when we open on the 5th of March. I will get the varieties listed on our website soon 10 trips up and down the nursery track certainly helped work off yesterday's 3 course lunch

Sowing our own gathered pea seeds

Fruit tree delivery

I've added all the fruit trees we have in stock for opening on 5th March to our website. Soft fruit and bush fruit will follow shortly I'm really pleased to get a good variety of apples this year and I've gone for Pears and cherries and more varieties of plums too. So many to choose from Get planning those mini orchards

http://www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk/herbs.html

Plants in the shade border

Arum italicum subsp. italicum 'Marmoratum'

Chaerophyllum hirsutum 'Roseum', Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman', Pulmonaria 'Opal', Vinca minor 'Azurea Flore Pleno', Cardamine pratensis 'Flore Pleno'

Pulmonaria 'Diane Clare', Primula 'Wanda', Ranunculus acris 'Citrinus', Waldsteinia ternata, Geranium nodosum, Myosotis sylvatica ‘Sylvia Blue’

Helleborus orientalis

The shade border before

I started tidying the shade border last Friday and have been dodging snow, sleet and a bitterly cold winds ever since. Anyway its done now, faded labels re written and waiting on more bark being delivered to top up the mulch

After

An interesting night out on Wednesday night as I was asked to be part of a Q&A panel at the West Linton Horti club. Great questions and good to catch up with some of my customers, some plants and seeds sold too

Useful plants from the garden

Mentha x piperita f. Citrata Eau de Cologne

“Eau de Cologne mint”

Like many mints Eau de Cologne mint is often used as a herbal remedy and household herb. I find this mint is too perfumy to eat so at least it has other uses. It is especially useful for its antiseptic properties and has a positive effect on the digestive system.

A tea made from the leaves is traditionally used in the treatment of headaches, digestive disorders, fevers and many minor ailments. Harvest the leaves as the plant comes in to flower and use fresh or dry for later use. An essential oil can be extracted from the leaves to be used in toiletires, perfume, etc.

Traditionally this mint was used as a strewing herb in homes and granaries to discourage insects, rats and mice as the rodents intensely dislike the smell of mint.

Eau de cologne mint can be toxic in large doses and shouldn’t be used by pregnant women.

**I haven’ tried any of the herbal uses of this plant so cannot say whether they work, as always it is good to do some research or buy ready prepared products from a reputable herbalist

I had all the weathers today, but the strong winds and bitter wind chill were constant. Driving to the nursery in snow showers, blizzards while working in the polytunnel and then clear blue skies and a great sky last thing.

A snowy day

A lovely end to the day

Winter trees

Cold and snowy weather means indoor or undercover jobs and time to refresh the seasonal planters. Old leaves and dead annuals removed, some feed and a top dressing of fresh compost and some new primroses for great colour. The Daffodils in the pots are through the soil already. Cant wait for spring.

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