A round up of 2022

Well, that was 2022, what a year personally and in the nursery! We started off in January with a real mix of weather, a lot of dry days that allowed me to get on well in the nursery. We had a few walks, which were still odd without a dog by our side. Our willow weaving workshop went very well in the nursery, we had a visit to Edinburgh Botanics, always plenty to see no matter the time of year. Then near the end of January we decided it was time, time to look for another dog which led us to Maisie. Awwww, she has really has added so much to our lives in the almost year we have had her. She's a wee devil sometimes but loving and fun and we love her to bits. 

Finishing the willow weaving

February, well February does what it does in Scotland, a few smatterings of snow, cold wet but dry days too to get on with the nursery garden tidy up. Snowy wet cold days are spent sorting out plants in the tunnel and sowing seeds, there's always plenty to do. We had a visit to Kilmarnock to visit eldest sone Ben, great to catch up with him and go out for dinner. We also went away over night to one of our favourite places, Northumbria and Aknwick. After exploring Amble on the way down and a walk on the beach at Alnmouth we stayed in a hotel in Alnwick over night. The next day we went to the book shop of course and a walk on the beach at Bamburgh on the way home. Just a couple of days away but it felt really good to have a break. 

Bamburgh beach

Late winter colour in the seasonal pots

 March and the weather was all over the place, but plenty to do getting the nursery ready for opening and another year. We also had staff this year or the first time with Rory and Sam working two days a week starting in March. It made a huge difference to my workload and was lovely to have such great company. We also had Isobel join us this year volunteering when she was able to, building experience on top of her RHS qualifications. I did a talk to the Elsrickle WI one evening and was part of a team of experts at the West Linton Horticultural society Q&A evening. We had a trip up to Fife to collect our heather order and swung round by Cambo Gardens for a visit, almost too late for the snow drops but plenty colour in the winter garden. With the help of our staff and volunteers we got the gardens tidied in good time then its on with propagation and potting. All the while we were are trying no to stress too much about the farm sale and the impact it  might have on our business and whether we might have to move. A lack of information and a lot of disinformation did not help the stress levels!

Cambo Gardens 

Sorting out plants in the tunnel

April and its full steam ahead in the nursery with so much potting and propagation to do. We had some short local walks with Maisie, getting her used to walking. Spring flowers erupting everywhere in the nursery and the weather was warmer. Youngest son Daniel travelled to York to receive his young engineer of the year award, a proud moment for that young man and proud mum moment :) We had a trip to Edinburgh to have lunch with Becky, David's daughter, Maisie coped very well as city dog. We added a new garden to the collection in the nursery with David and Rory finishing the French topiary garden. Maisie and I did her first hill walk up to the monument behind the house. It was no effort to her, unsurprisingly! 

Maisie on her first hill walk

Creating the French topiary garden

May and the gardens erupt into colour. The work continues in the nursery and poly tunnel with a lot of propagation happening. Its one of our busiest months, with all the propagation, keeping the gardens looking good, customers, deliveries arriving and tidying the stock beds. But the most exciting thing that happened in May started off as a disaster when after 6 months of trying we finally got a mortgage after 8 years of working towards this goal (for various reasons). We had planned with our land lord to buy the house we we renting but sadly they changed their mind (long unpleasant story) and we suddenly found our selves at the mercy of the crazy housing market and no houses available to rent. So I lined up three houses to look at in the following days and we liked one of them enough to put an offer in along with another interested party. Nervous over night wait to see if our offer would be accepted and it was! Such a relief  and at last we would have our own home again. We also had a trip to Culzean castle and visited eldest Ben for dinner. A trip to middle son Jamie and partner Natasha to get my broken laptop looked at, dinner and planting the plants I took them. We also had our most successful charity day yet, with the train running, Fiona and Isobel manning the book and succulent table and lots of people coming to support the day.

No explanation needed

Sunset at the nursery

June and the nervous wait for completion on the house buying continues, the wait for the new farm owner at Whitmuir to be on the ground and see what happens continues. Its was very stressful! Packing up and de cluttering also started along with a very busy month in the nursery. The nursery gardens are the best they have ever looked and everyone enjoyed exploring them. We had a visit to Dawyk to see the Rhododendrons, lovely as always. One thing we could be happy and excited about was getting to keep our nursery at Whitmuir when the new owner took over at the end if June. We had a couple of days away on Monday and Tuesday was exactly what we needed, to relax, see somewhere different, and de-stress. The weather was brilliant giving it even more of a holiday vibe, the hotel was excellent and we discovered new places. On Monday we stopped at Corbridge for a picnic next to the river then on to Brimham Rocks, before heading to the White Bear Hotel in Masham. Tuesday - Hutt Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park - I'd never heard of this garden before and it was just down the road from where we were staying so we decided to go and explore. What an amazing place with lots of sculptures, 3 ponds, woodland and gardens planted on the steep slopes below the house. We were too late to see the rhododendrons which must have been an amazing sight. There is a lovely cafe that serves amazing food, I had the gardeners platter, would be rude not too! All dog friendly too.

Birnham Rocks

The checkerboard in the herb garden in June

How did my youngest son turn 21? Celebrations in July for that young man with a family dinner which was lovely. As well as all the work being done in the nursery I enjoyed how good it was all looking, especially the gardens. Lots of work happening on the farm which was great, what a difference from before. We had a lovely day on the Strathspay railway with youngest as part of his birthday. The weather was good and we had a run up on the train and a walk along the river Spey. We are still packing up the house, still waiting on lawyers. We went to visit Daniel in his natural habitat, where he can usually be found building, welding and making things at the Edinburgh Society of Model Engineers home at Almondell. A day trip to Arran on Monday. David had a site survey to do for work so we made a day of it. An early start at 6am to get over to the ferry and a lovely sailing to Arran. I took Maisie for a walk while David did his survey and then we had the rest of the day to explore. A lazy lunch at Blackwaterfoot overlooking the sea and a paddle in the sea teaching Maisie to swim. Then off around the rest of the island with a stop at Sannox to paddle in a river and more swimming for Maisie. Fish and chips by the sea for dinner before heading back to the ferry. A month of hot weather, and it got hotter and hotter. At last David and I got the keys to our very own house it's taken a long time to get to this and a lot of work but we did it. This is the first house we've owned together so its super special. It needs a lot of tlc but we love a project, a challenge and it will be our wee place.

Happy 21st to Daniel

The exotic corner in the nursery

August our move went as well as one if those goes. First time we've employed a company to move us, amazing. Lots of sorting and decorating to do as and when. I also presented the prizes for Peebles in Bloom after judging the gardens last week. A lovely meal out for our anniversary at Osso Restaurant in Peebles. Great food and service. Loved being able to walk there from our new house and share a bottle of wine. A leisurely wander back across the river and home. Maybe I've been a secret townie all along after nearly 30 years living in the deep dark countryside. The nursery continues to grow and thrive, new customers and old visiting and we were excited for the cafe opening again. Days off were spent decorating, sorting and gardening in our new home. We also had our second charity day which was very successful. Mid month a fab day out with my boys and Betty. Stayed overnight with Jamie and Natasha then an early train on which we joined Ben, and into Glasgow Central. A walk along to the science centre where we met Betty and Daniel. Onto the coach which took us to Greenock where we boarded the Waverly. Its a very long time since I've sailed on this boat, so great to share it with my steam loving boys. Second breakfast on the boat, sitting upstairs enjoying the views, lunch, sheltering from the increasing wet weather. Sods law huh? We sailed from Greenock to Largs, then onto Ayr and Girvin before heading out for a sail around Ailsa Craig which was very interesting. Back to Ayr where everyone headed back to their homes and Jamie and I got the train back to Johnston, dinner and then a late drive home in torential rain and flooded roads for me. 8 hours on the boat.

presenting the prizes for Peebles in Bloom

In the nursery garden

September and the gardens in the nursery change again, taking on more autumnal hues. the work load also eases off and we can enjoy the efforts of our labours through the early part of the year. Work continued in the house decorating and fixing, its been neglected for a while so we are enjoying breathing new life into the place and making it ours. I am enjoying having a garden of my own to play with again and planting some of my own plants and my favourite plants. The hot weather continues. We have become B&Q best customer but we did have a fun evening at the beach after shopping, a paddle and lovely sunset. We also had a trip to Strathspey where David had a job to do, Maisie and I had a great walk along the river and then a picnic when David was finished working.

Evening on the beach

September colour in the nursery gardens

October and its was hard to believe our open season for 2022 was almost done. We got on with autumn tasks and prepared the nursery for winter. Lots more work done on our house, sorting and decorating. We have been exploring new walks from the house, there are so many in such lovely country side. David had more work to do at Saddell on the Mull of Kintyre so Maisie and I went along for the day and to take a share of the driving (me, not Maisie, tho I wouldnt put anything past her!) Its a 4,5 hour journey both ways. By the time we got there the rain was on, so Maisie and I had a very blustery walk along the beach while David worked. We found a path through the woods, which was more sheltered and lush with ferns and mosses and chestnuts. Once the work was done we stopped in Tarbert for some lunch in a cafe with the best cafe loo ever before wandering home in the worsening weather! Over the Rest and Be thankful with landslide warning signs flashing. I took Betty out for a belated birthday lunch in South Queensferry and we met Davids brother Ian for lunch in Peebles. The stock take was done in the nursery and I made great progress in the front garden at home. A trip to Dawyck to see the autumn colour finished off the month and youngest passed his driving test.

A visit to Dawck

getting the stock task done in the nursery

November and the nursery is closed for winter and we have a holiday. This year we spent a week in Devon and a week in Cornwall with some excellent weather, beaches, gardens to explore, too much good food and a real break away. Maisie had a great time and loved exploring new places like we do. 

Once home we were both struck by a really horrible flu which took us right through December and are both only now beginning to feel 100%. So we didnt get any of tyhe decorating we'd hoped to do done or the long walks I'd planned. 

The Minak Theatre and gardens

Seed heads in the nursery garden

December and still struck down by the flu but christmas planning was in full swing in preparation for every one coming to us. We had two weeks of very very low temperatures, -15C some nights and snow and ice, very pretty to look at, not so good for the plants or our watering system at the nursery. Still I got some great photos of our first winter in Peebles and saw the Tweed almost frozen over. In the nursery before the snow we got the meadow strimmed. Sadly we lost on of our gold fish after 7 years in the herb garden pond. I've kept up my painting, doing one a day most days while off and made my own christmas cards this year. It was great to bake and cook for all our christmas guests.

First christmas in our new home

Narnia comes to the nursery!

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