Three months into the contruction phase of the project, elements of the Botanic Cottage are now really starting to take shape. It’s wonderful to see the outline of the front door, the window sills, and the first few steps of the spiral staircase. The team from Maxi who are building the cottage have had to deal with quite changeable weather, with the last fortnight having strong winds, snow, ice, heavy rain, and temperatures which ranged from very cold to suprisingly mild! In order to protect the stonework, each day the team have to wrap the parts of the walls which have been built, protecting them from frost and the elements. Ultimately the cottage will be covered in a pale lime render, giving it a uniformity in its appearance; the decision to render the stone walls was taken because it is thought that this would probably have been the finish when the cottage was originally built back in the 18th century. If you find yourself in the Demonstration Garden, do pop by and have a look at the progress of the cottage build.