Hello 2026, places to walk, seeds to sow, back to work

A chilly and bracing first walk of 2026 and one of my favs straight from the house. Up to Tantah, then up to the top of Spoon wood, over the style and back down through the woods, across the road and back down through Southpark Woods. There’s lots of big plantation trees down in the last storms, lots over the the paths, huge gaps and leaning trees, hung up on their neighbours branches. Fortunately, the native woodland and big beech trees in the woods further down haven’t been affected and still lots of leaves to scrunch through (yes I am that big kid lol). Back over the railway tunnel and back home for lunch.

Maisie loves a bit of height, she can see whats going on

Finishing off December in my watercolour journal

It’s that time of year. The festive season is done, the lights packed away, the good cheer resting until next winter. There’s a reason ancient and Norse cultures celebrated light, the turning of the year, and the promise of longer days ahead — it helped them endure the darkest part of the cycle.

As gardeners, when we look out at the snow and ice — beautiful though it is — we can create our own sense of light and hope. This is the season of planning, dreaming, and quiet preparation. Seed catalogues, garden sketches, thoughts of colour and growth all remind us that life is only resting, not gone. Beneath the frozen ground, the next season is already waiting.

By using plants that are interesting through winter we can provide points of colour and interest to focus on when it seems spring is a long time away. You can read some of my recommendations in my updated blog - Keeping the Scottish Garden interesting through winter here

A chilly but beautiful day and my last day off, back to work on Monday after my winter break. We took ourselves to Melrose and a walk along the river, walking eastwards from the town along the river with great views to the Eildons. A lovely lunch in Eden coffee house which is dog friendly has does great food and the staff are lovely too.

A dreich, chilly, sleety, snowy day on Tuesday so no work outside but I have made great progress sorting through our photo information signs that go out in the stock beds when we are open. Damaged and faded ones binned and some have had updated photos added from the photos I’ve taken in the past year or two. Next is printing and laminating, but that can wait until another bad weather day, which I am sure there will be

Here are some photos I took in the nursery on Monday, it might have been colder but the blue sky and sunlight were amazing.

Snow, sleet, rain we had it all on Tuesday, but at least it wasn't as cold as the last two days! Managed a walk along the river then spent the day doing nursery admin.

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 😂

Plant addiction manifests itself in many forms......

I know its not just me.......

I again got my six packets of Heritage seeds from Garden Organics Heritage seed catalogue, a fantastic way to support and continue these wonderful varieties is to join Garden Organic, some have fascinating stories.

A range of rare and unusual perennials for the nursery gardens and my own garden from the fabulous Growild Nursery, cant wait to see what all these amazing plants do.

Our veg and flower annuals for the herb garden again from Tamar Organics. Always great, reliable seeds and organic too.

Our annual order from Chiltern Seeds includes many of our reliable old favs on our stock list and a few more annuals and a few perennials we don’t stock just because I can’t help it)

Lastly the wooden container contains all the seeds we have collected from the nursery and gardens through 2025. Mostly annuals, these were cleaned and sorted by Fiona, Isabel, Shannon and myself on the last day of our 2025 season. It’s a great way of maintaining our hardy healthy stock and passing that on to customers once they are a sellable plant.

144 packets to sow!

If you can't escape it, you might as well paint it!

Once upon a time I thought it might be a good idea to buy a plant nursery on a hill in the northern borders............... the other option I considered was a villa in Tuscany.............. I mean what was I thinking

Bored now, so over this weather. I have 50 million things to do before we re-open the nursery after our winter break and the weathers not co-operating, bloody cold too! -9C on Monday morning, -7C when I arrived this morning

I've written a blog about making my thyme hot toddy, a great drink for cold days, especially if you're coming down with a cold. Find it here - Thyme hot toddy.

Our main job in the nursery when we come back in the new year is to weave the willow fedge on the bottom terrace. If you've ever wondered how it began, what's involved and about willow in general then please do read my blog all out this versatile plant.

We do have one place left on Saturday 17th January for our last willow fedge workshop of the year.

Here's the link to my blog: Willow

Ending the week with some family time visiting Betty and Dan in Linlithgow, lovely dinner by Betty, can't beat a roast dinner, lol. Maisie as usual made her self at home, getting her own roast dinner and lots of cuddles from Granny biscuits.

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