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Last week we sowed wildflowers round the base of our new orchard. This is a great way of helping to attract pollinators, a vital part of the edible…
A short film made during a visit by Inverkeithing High School biology students to explore career opportunities in plant science and horticulture.
Cornus capitata has a wide range through SW China and the Himalayas. This evergreen, or in very cold winters semi evergreen, is found at lower elevations (around 2300m)…
Lavender is one of those easily propagated plants found in many British gardens, though native to the Mediterranean. It has one drawback: as it ages the plant becomes…
Paramongaia weberbaueri is a tender bulb native to Peru. The genus is in the family Amaryllidaceae as are Daffodils. Growing to one metre plus; the long linear foliage…
Large green Hosta’s are often regarded as the cabbages of the ornamental garden; this specimen is more elegant Hosta lancifolia ‘Aurea’ is a delicate coloured cultivar. The leaves…
We’ve cleared the polytunnel of the last of the winter crops. The spinach was running out of steam and several of the plants had started to flower (also…
Wednesday was a beautiful sunny morning, just perfect for an early morning breakfast at the Botanics. Our Edible Edinburgh event took place as part of the Festival of…
There are some new arrivals on student plots: Rory finally finished planting out his lettuce-made snail. Jessie and Roslyn brought in a pair of scarecrows. He and she…
Viva is just a day away and my plants are still pretty tiny! My great disappointment – sweet peas. Looking at them I cannot believe they will ever…
The Olympic torch passes through Edinburgh this week. Our own Olympic double has been showing promise thriving in the south border for many a year. Forming a thicket…
We attended Gardening Scotland at the weekend and along with volunteers from the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society met Jim McColl. As you can see we were pretty…
Adiantum aeluticum, the “Western Maidenhair” is found in a wide distribution range through Western North America. Growing in crevices on steep slopes where shade is available. It is…
Slugs – one of the most hated pests in garden. Slugs – holes in plant leaves, eaten up seedlings. Slugs – slimy unpleasant surprise. How to get rid…
With the arrival of warmer weather a lot of activity has been seen on student plots. We are all busy thinning, weeding, edging or building supports. Even some…
Scents evoke memories of days gone by. Competing with the heavy lingering fragrance of Philadelphus at this time of year is Cytisus battandieri, an outstanding shrub with loose…
The last frost date for the Edinburgh area is generally around May, just to be on the safe side though most local vegetable growers wait until June before…
Struggling to flower in our climate, it is heartening to find a scattering of soft lilac coloured buds held tightly to the older wood of Cercis griffithii. It…
Family: Malvaceae Description Cocoa is an evergreen tropical tree, usually 5 to 8m tall. The flowers are small, yellowish white to pale pink and grow directly from…
Deutzia purpurascens a deciduous twiggy shrub of light structure which nonetheless manages to develop into an impenetrable tangle of growth. A native to Western China, found on steep…