"And Spring arose on the garden fair

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; 

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast 

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest." 

-  Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Sensitive Plant

The last week has felt like we've gone backwards into winter. Cold winds from the north east all week, hail, some rain and back to many layers of clothing. Progress continues in the stock beds and polytunnels, lots of potting, tidying and organising. The nursery has been busy busy with customers all week which is great. Its lovely to see so many people enjoying the nursery and gardens, despite the weather! 

Hepatica nobilis - The plant in the nursery gardens was planted in by me in 2017 in one of the display alpine troughs we have in the nursery gardens. That plant was propagated from the one I had in my last garden, which I planted when we moved there in 1999 in one of my own stone troughs. It is now in my new garden and has been in every rented house we’ve been in over the last 8 years along with its 6 friends! That plant was propagated from the one I planted in my parents garden in 1988 which was propagated from the plant growing in Inveresk Gardens where I did my YTS year with the National trust for Scotland between 1986 and 1987. Hows that for plants provenance?

Hepatica are small woodlanders, happy at the front of a border, under shrubs and in dappled shade in rich, not too dry soil. Starry blue flowers appear in February and March over semi-evergreen foliage. H 20cm, S 20cm.

As dog owners we know how great it is to be able to take your dog places you visit, especially as the weather warms up.

We are super dog friendly and love seeing all our doggy visitors. All we ask is you keep them on a short lead and clean up after them. If you have forgotten a poo bag, we have plenty, please ask There are several dog poo bins around the farm and car park now to place them in, just look out for the red bins. If your dog likes a wee snack we also have a jar of dog treats

Lastly dogs, like children never do what you want when you want and Maisie is no different The last two photos are me trying to get a cute dog photo for this post!!! As they say, never work with dogs and children lol.

Spring is springing in my own garden too

Narcissus 'Delnashaugh

Narcissus 'Minnow'

Pulsatilla alpina

Rhododendron 'Little Ben'

The mouse plant (Arisarum proboscideum) is doing its mousy thing

All in a days work - Maisie the nursery dog has been demoted for stealing cuttings out of pots and chewing them up while in the tunnel this morning.

I've finished the second stock bed, only 10 to go

I found a Fritallaria in the orchard where I didn't plant any - yay nature win

True friends, like ivy and the wall Both stand together, and together fall - Thomas Carlyle

We have 9 varieties of ivy in stock, all propagated from our own plants growing here in the nursery. From tiny leaves of Hedera helix 'Minima' to the large leaves of Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata', from plain green to gold or silver variegation, the splotchy leaves of Hedera helix 'Fantasia' or the butter yellow of Hedera helix 'Buttercup' and of course my namesake Hedera hibirnica 'Rona'. Tall one,s miniature and smaller height ones, we have an ivy for everyone for evergreen ground cover or up a wall or fence, to cover tree stumps or an ugly shed, ivies are versatile and worth growing.

Some of the beautiful daffodils flowering in the nursery gardens today. The nursery and gardens are really coming alive now, its a joy to see all the shoots emerging from the ground, flower buds opening and the borders and stock beds colouring up.

Great meal at Franco's in Peebles for Adam's birthday, great to catch up with him, enjoying all the chat

Monday and our day off, we decided to spend the day at home and finish off the front garden. We sieved and shifted all the gravel from this border in the back garden to the front to finish off the front garden

Today Maisie and I were in Edinburgh doing a garden consultation. We then went for a run around on Portabello beach, well Maisie did lol.

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  Quercus Garden Plants

Find out more about the nursery here - our web site: www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk

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