Snowdrops and gin, another eclectic week in the life of the Quirky Bird!

Mid February already and the weather is strangely warm and dry with no snow and ice, and yes I know, I've probably jinxed it now. But, it has allowed me to get very much ahead in tidying the nursery gardens ready for spring and opening the nursery in a couple of weeks! Fortunatly we have had some rain so everything is refreshed, can you believe saying that in February in Scotland. A sign of change for sure!

Magnolia - feels like I haven't painted for ages, so many others things going on.

Sunrise Tuesday morning

I treated myself to some snowdrops for my garden from Elworthy Cottage Nursery and once bulked up will make their way to the nursery too. I’ve potted them into some of my vintage terracotta pots until our garden is finished and I can get them in the ground. Varieties are: 'Marjorie Brown', 'Ketton', Beatrix Stanley', 'Viridapice' (niv), 'South Hayes' and  'Wendy's Gold’

Into town tonight to celebrate Becky's birthday last Wednesday. Fab food and service at Chez Jules Bistro. If you like french food, check it out. Great to catch up with Becky and get into Edinburgh for a change.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw the shade bank, the scented garden and left track border getting their turn to be tidied, short back and sides all round, and new bark on the scented garden. Despite the deep cold before Christmas plants are looking good and no loses so far. Today I was working on the Railway garden and over the past two days Isabel has been tidying the herb garden, more on those later

The shade border before tidying

and after

and after

The scented garden in its winter scruffy look

and after

We've taken four days off for a wee break before both businesses get busy and into the silly season. On Saturday we had a lovely relaxing day off. We went to see David’s new office which is great then a walk. A new to us walk around Portmore Loch and up to the Northshield Rings. A series of three ancient defensive earthworks around a fort. The ramparts and ditches are still very distinctive even after all these years. Lovely lunch at the Scots Pine Tearoom and then home for an hour in my own garden tidying the front garden

I spent an hour in my own garden lifting leaves and tidying the two shade borders. The bulbs I planted in autumn are growing well and two of the hellebores are coming into flower. I planted an Adonis amurensis (the one with the yellow flowers) how fabulous does it look, it also has feather leaves, a fabulous and unusual plant. I’ve been growing this one on for several years and now it was big enough to split into two. One for me and one for the nursery gardens where you can see it in the new woodland garden. Can’t wait to get on with planting the two large new border snow the slabs have been lifted, Need a ton of compost first though…..

Adonis amurensis

Helleborus x hybridus own seedlings 'Picotee type'

Helleborus x hybridus own seedlings 'Picotee type'

We really enjoyed our gin tour at Peebles Hydro on Sunday. Thanks to Jamie and Natasha for our christmas present. The cans of gin were part of the tour gift, the rest we treated ourselves too. Ideal being able to walk there and back too. The history of gin, tasting all the varieties made at the hydro and a talk through the gin making process in their distillery.

cans, candles and a bottle of gin

On Monday and Tuesday we took ourselves off for a wee night away before both businesses get into the busy silly season. More on that in another blog. We visited lovely places, good food and lots of walks which was probably a good thing. 

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