Its that time of year when all the seed orders arrive, that enthusiastic flurry of ordering on a winters night when its cold and miserable, and the thought of spring, better weather and the garden coming to life is in your mind. Enabled by a cheeky glass of wine in hand, the orders are sent off. The reality hits when the deliveries arrive and along with all the seeds gathered from the nursery gardens yet again you realise that's a lot of seeds that will need sown 😂😂😂
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| Mouse dog about town |
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| Hellebores in Prince's Street gardens |
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| Becky and Maisie |
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| Let the train take the strain |
) Similarly the new edges are made from a willow tree in the woodland garden which was leaning last year, now it was leaning even more after the storm last week, so from a safety point of view it needed to come down. So I cut it down today and cut it into lengths to edge the borders and cut back another leaning willow behind the office for the other side. These trees will re-sprout from the base and provide good shrubby windbreaks. Recycling and re-generation are a huge part of what we do here 
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| I had company while tidying the railway garden today |
Useful plants from the Garden - Artemisia abrotanum
The Southernwood is the southern Wormwood, being a native of the South of Europe, found indigenous in Spain and Italy. Introduced into this country in 1548, it is a familiar and favourite plant in our gardens, although it rarely if ever flowers in this country. Common names include appleringie, Southerwood, lad’s love old man, boy's love, oldman wormwood, lover's plant, garderobe, Our Lord's wood, maid's ruin, garden sagebrush, European sage, sitherwood and lemon plant.
The leaves are finely-divided and greyish-green on a drooping sometimes messy plant that benefits from a trim in spring as the new buds are appearing. It will grow in a well drained soil in sun, providing a muted back drop for more showy plants through the year.
An ointment made with its ashes was used by country lads to promote the growth of a beard.
The volatile essential oil contained in the plant consists chiefly of Absinthol and the scent is said to
be disagreeable to bees and other insects, for which reason the French call the plant Garderobe, as moths will not attack clothes among which it is laid. Like other Artemisia it is commonly used as an insect deterrent in houses, often as a strewing herb in the rush floor coverings of old.
In Italy, Southernwood, like Mugwort, is employed as a culinary herb. There are some culinary uses of Sotherwood but they are not many as the taste can be quite bitter and unpleasant. Main uses are noted as being sparingly used in flavouring cakes, salads or vinegars and stews.
Culpepper says:
'Dioscorides saith that the seed bruised, heated in warm water and drunk helpeth those that are
troubled in the cramps or convulsions of the sinews or the sciatica. The same taken in wine is an antidote and driveth away serpents and other venomous creatures, as also the smell of the herb being burnt doth the same. The oil thereof annointed on the backbone before the fits of agues come, preventeth them: it taketh away inflammation of the eyes, if it be put with some part of a wasted quince or boiled in a few crumbs of bread and applied. Boiled in barley meal it taketh away pimples . . that rise in the face or other parts of the body. The seed as well as the dried herb is often given to kill worms in
children. The herb bruised helpeth to draw forth splinters and thorns out of the flesh. The ashes thereof dry up and heal old ulcers that are without inflammation, although by the sharpness thereof, it makes them smart. The ashes mingled with old salad oil helps those that have their hair fallen and are
bald, causing the hair to grow again, either on the head or beard. A strong decoction of the leaves is a good worm medicine, but is disagreeable and nauseous. The leaves are a good ingredient in fomentation for easing pain, dispersing swellings or stopping the progress of gangrenes. The distilled water
of the herb is said to helpe. . . diseases of the spleen. The Germans commend it for a singular wound herb. . . . Wormwood has thrown it into disrepute.'
I spent a few days tidying the railway garden, cutting back all the old growth, tidying, lifting leaves, re-doing the grass path edges and making a note of any plants that need moved or attention later on. The snowdrops are coming into flower as is Helleborus foetidus and Crocus ‘Blue Bird’ Robin kept me company again, keeping an eye out for any tasty morsels (for them not me lol). You have heard of leaves on the line well we have moss on the line, think the railway crew have a de-mossing job to do before the trains start running again.
One of those lovely winter days with blue skies and although everything was frozen there is still plenty to do. Isabel spent the day cutting back all last year's woody growth on the perennials, making the place a lot tidier and doing the final tidy will be quicker. David did lots of finishing and fixing jobs, all getting the place ready for opening. I was on bonfire duty, burning lots of branches from the storms, woody material and rubbish, having a good tidy up. The smallest member of the team however spent most of the day under her blanket in front of the heater in the office
A dreich day but we took ourselves off for a local walk from the hoose. An 8 mile circuit up Janet’s brae, to Buzzard’s nest at Glentress where we got a coffee at the café to fuel us for the second half. Down the hill through Glentress trying to avoid the mountain bikers and then onto the riverside path and back to Peebles. A great mixed walk of forest, uphill, downhill and river views.
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| The rugby stand, Peebles |
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| Lots of up through the forest |
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| View from Janet's Brae |
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| What do you mean an owl is bigger than me? |
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| Looking to Peebles |
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| Horsburgh Castle |
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| Our route |
#rural #countrylife #countryliving #cottagelife #antiquecottagescenes #interiors #scottishborders #independantretailer #smallbusiness #localbusiness #independantplantnursery #uniqueplantnursery #hardyscottishplants #scottishgarden #gardeningontheedge #scottishborders #walking #days out If you to see what's new and looking good at the nursery like our Facebook Find out more about the nursery here - our web site: www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk Follow us on Instagram @ quirkybirdgardener and Quercus Garden Plants |
#rural #countrylife #countryliving #cottagelife #antiquecottagescenes #interiors #scottishborders #independantretailer #smallbusiness #localbusiness #independantplantnursery #uniqueplantnursery #hardyscottishplants #scottishgarden #gardeningontheedge #scottishborders #walking #days out If you to see what's new and looking good at the nursery like our Facebook Find out more about the nursery here - our web site: www.quercusgardenplants.co.uk Follow us on Instagram @ quirkybirdgardener and Quercus Garden Plants |
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