Mist in May, heat in June, make the harvest come right soon

It was on with the wellies and into the stream garden for some weeding today in between the showers. Isobel got more weeding done and seedlings potted up from the garden.

Propagating our own stock is central to what we do and at times there are at least 3 of us working on potting seedlings, cuttings or sowing seeds, making cuttings or dividing plants. We love making new plants. So in amongst the showers work continues with all the potting, propagation and general nursery work.

In the stream garden, literally

Epimedium pinnatum subsp. Colchicum

Maianthemum  racemosum

Onoclea sensibilis

Primula chungensis

The wee free garden library is now stocked up for 2022 after a few roof repairs. There are some great books thanks to generous donations from a couple of customers over winter.

We also have journals from the Hardy plant society and RHS.

You can

~ Bring a gardening book and swap for one in the library

~ Take a book, read it and bring it back and take another one

~ Take a book and leave a donation in our charity collection can.

Another big task done today, with big thanks to Rory who ended up doing the bulk of the work including barrowing up all the gravel, which I am most grateful for while I helped customers. This border gets very wet after rain or when the sprinklers have been on and the drainage is non-existent, so today we put in another French drain as I did last autumn at the far end of the top terrace where it has worked very well. A trench dug, mypex, gravel and pipe put in then the plants replanted all in a days work I put on the sprinklers for the last half hour of the day and we have a dry border and water running out the pipe onto the bank. Result

Just waiting on a delivery of bark next week to top dress and finish off the border.

With new bark on, you would never know......

The apple trees in the nursery orchard and stock beds are laden with blossom this year, I hope we don’t get a late frost! The crab apple I planted in the orchard is covered in beautiful blossom. A bonus of cutting the grass at this time of year is I really get to enjoy the orchard as I’m walking up and down behind the mower. As well as apple trees there are a few feature shrubs, climbers on the boundary fence and other fruit plants. You can sit on the bench at the bottom and enjoy our silent space with views over the gardens to the Pentlands beyond. Its worth a few moments to sit and enjoy the sounds of the birds, the peaceful quiet and contemplate.

Crab apple blossom in the orchard

Bluebells

May highlights in the nursery gardens

Primrose

Dog violet

Centaurea 'Jordy'

Euphorbia griffithii

Euphorbia palustris 'Walenburg's Glorie'

Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman'

Monday and Tuesday were busy days off, including a lovely lunch with Andrew and Linda on Tuesday. I managed to get some photos of plants looking good in my alpine troughs in between everything and my Amaryllis is looking fab.

Juicy cherry

Corydalis ochroleuca

In my alpine troughs at home

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee'

Rhododendron 'Curlew'

Oxalis enneaphylla 'Minutifolia'

Fritillaria camschatcensis

Fritillaria camschatcensis

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