Olea europaea. Photo by Tony Garn

Olea europaea

An avenue of Zonal Pelargoniums leading visitors into the Victorian Palm House. Single colour block planting; what better way to make a statement. This is Pelargonium ‘Pentland Deep Red’, a cultivar raised from seed and grown on from plug plants. Planted out in early June and now showing scarlet bloom in profusion welcoming visitors taking respite from the Edinburgh Festival. By continuously dead heading the display will prolong well into the autumn.

The containerised Olive trees, Olea europaea, are showing tight flower buds. A native of the Eastern Mediterranean where it fruits on hillsides baked by the sun. Here these are given shelter in a polytunnel during the winter months.