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Finalist-New-Product-of-the-Year-Bulb-Compost-Image-1

Grow vibrant blooms using Dalefoot’s new peat free Bulb Compost with no need for extra feed!

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– Sustainable compost made from wild bracken that feeds bulbs for two years –

A new peat free Bulb Compost, made from wild bracken harvested from the Lake District fells, has been launched by Dalefoot Composts.

RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year finalist
RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year finalist

Dalefoot has developed this premium, carbon-neutral compost with award-winning lily growers HW Hyde & Son who have used it to grow ‘gold medal’ bulbs at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The compost itself has now been shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year 2018.

It boasts the perfect blend of free draining compost with natural, must-have nutrients and trace elements, to grow eye-catching flowers and to feed the bulb restoring its reserves for the following year. The bracken from the Cumbrian fells also gives it the perfect open structure.

The growing number of eco-conscious gardeners will welcome news that Dalefoot’s Bulb Compost provides a beneficial use for aggressive, waist-high bracken which makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Harvesting bracken on rotation, at exactly the right time of year, improves the habitat for ground nesting birds and butterflies, in particular the endangered High Brown Fritillary whilst also providing the perfect nutrients for beautiful spring, summer and autumn bulbs.

Dr Jane Barker, an environmental scientist, who runs Dalefoot Composts – makers of the award-winning Wool Compost range – with her husband Simon Bland said: “Our customers can now grow ‘show bench’ blooms from their bulbs with our new compost which feeds for two years and is 100% peat free.”

Celebrating its 21st year, Dalefoot Composts is a family-run business producing an exciting range of eight peat free composts using only the natural resources of wool and bracken sourced from the beautiful Lake District.

Dalefoot Composts offers premium composts to meet every gardening need – Wool Compost for Potting & Containers, Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads, Wool Compost Double Strength, Wool Compost Ericaceous (and Double Strength) and Wool Compost for Seeds. Lakeland Gold, the original bracken compost, is a renowned clay buster and high potash feed.

Dalefoot Bulb Compost is available from www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk priced from £8.99 down to £7 per bag depending on size of order. Delivery extra.

Tel: 01931 713281    Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Bulb Compost – How to use

Pots and containers

  • Place a layer of crocks at the bottom of your pot or container.
  • Add a layer of Dalefoot Bulb Compost to a good depth (10cm if possible), to allow good root growth.
  • Arrange bulbs-up to a bulbs distance apart-then add another 10cm layer of bulb compost.
  • Water after planting & continue to water for six weeks after flowering. The compost should feel moist to the touch but not wet.

Outdoors

  • Prepare the ground- remove weeds and add Dalefoot Bulb Compost to the planting pit- which should be 3-4 times as deep as the bulb itself.
  • Cover generously with bulb compost.
  • Mark the place of planting with a beautiful label to prevent disappointment in the future.
  • If you have squirrels in your garden- plant deeper!

Top Tip- Try layering your bulbs for a beautiful display.

Remember that bulbs with indents e.g. Fritillaria, need to be planted on their side- the stem will find its way up to the light.

 

The-RHS-Collection-from-Gold-Leaf-Gloves

The RHS Collection from Gold Leaf Gloves

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Beautiful leather gardening gloves with symbolic floral designs – remembrance, friendship, and hope & wisdom

An award-winning range of gardening gloves, inspired by original botanical artwork from the world-famous RHS Lindley Library1, has been launched by Gold Leaf, makers of the World’s Finest Gardening Gloves.

Perfect as a gift, or for your own use in the garden, ‘The RHS Collection’ comprises three styles of high quality deerskin leather gloves, with each design taking its name from a celebrated RHS Show. The gloves have ergonomically-designed padding for extra comfort and eye-catching images of symbolic flowers:

Chelsea glove
Chelsea

Chelsea – bares the hand-coloured printed engraving of ‘The Great Scarlet Poppy’ by Wedell after an original by John Lindley (1799-1865). The poppy is widely recognised as a traditional symbol of remembrance.

Hampton – graced with the beautiful colour illustration of Rose Marechal Niel, originally by renowned 19th century lithographic printer, G.Severyns. Historically, a yellow rose symbolised friendship.

Hampton glove
Hampton

Malvern – illustrated with a stunning watercolour image of Iris ‘Mrs Barnard’ by British botanical painter Lilian Snelling (1879-1972). The Iris is a long established symbol of hope and wisdom.

Working closely with The Royal Horticultural Society, which has endorsed the new range, Gold Leaf has designed a premium quality gardening glove for women that is beautiful and comfortable. The range has already scooped the Best New Product Award, Home, Gift and Clothing at leading industry trade show GLEE 2017.

Malvern glove
Malvern

Kelly Cooney of Jayco, the makers of Gold Leaf, said: “The RHS Collection boasts unique, design-led gloves which not only look stunning but also offer exceptional quality of both materials and workmanship. They make the perfect gift at any time of the year and the symbolic floral ‘meanings’ add that extra special twist.”

With a RRP of £14.99, the gloves offer great value for money and are available in major garden retailers across the UK and online, including The RHS, Hillier Garden Centres, Crocus and Harrod Horticultural.

Jayco – www.goldleaf-gloves.com  info@gold-leafgloves.com 023 8040 2025 Twitter/Instagram – @GoldLeafGloves

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason at emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

1 The RHS Lindley Library holds unique collections of early printed books on gardening, botanical art and photographs. It also holds the archives of the RHS and personal archives of notable gardeners and garden designers. John Lindley was Professor of Botany at University College London and the RHS library is named after him

Jayco, makers of Gold Leaf Gloves, is a family-run firm based near Southampton in Hampshire. Its gloves, widely recognised as the best on the market, are worn by RHS gardeners at Wisley, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, and have won numerous awards.

TRH-meeting-volunteers-from-the-Riverside-Community-Education-Centre.-c-Robert-Davis-for-Scotland’s-Gardens-Scheme-low-res

Royal visit to Ayrshire garden helping community to bloom

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THE DUKE and Duchess of Rothesay helped residents and school children from an ex-mining town in Ayrshire celebrate the grass roots success of their popular, local community garden, during a very special open day for charity Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.

Their Royal Highnesses visited Netherthird Community Garden near Cumnock in East Ayrshire, meeting the volunteers, local residents and school children who all benefit from the horticultural ‘oasis of calm’ built on a patch of scrubland next to Netherthird Primary School.

Scotland's Gardens
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay meeting garden volunteer Ian Marshall ©Robert Davis

The garden, the brainchild of Margaret Campbell, was set up in 2010 and is helping to transform the lives of many local residents. It opened to the general public for the first time this year to raise money for charity through the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and this second, special opening welcomed the Royal couple. The Duchess of Rothesay is the President of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and the Prince Charles’ Foundation recently provided funding for a wooden gazebo seating area in the garden.

The green-fingered project helps a host of community groups including the neighbouring school, which uses it as an outdoor classroom; local children’s group Four Connections; the Riverside Adult Education Facility, and Netherthird Community Action Training, which assists young people gain employment skills and training to help them compete in the jobs market, is based there. They all get to enjoy the colourful cottage garden and flower beds, productive vegetable garden and polytunnel, play area and café.

Margaret Campbell from Netherthird Community Garden said: “We are really delighted to have welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay to Netherthird Community Garden, they have worked so hard to improve and develop our surrounding towns and villages. This visit means so much to all the volunteers and to the people from our community.”

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, said: “This project proves how beneficial gardens can be; spaces for learning, healing, supporting and having fun. Netherthird has such strong community support behind it which is wonderful to see and we’re thrilled the garden opens to the public as part of our scheme.”

ENDS

For further information contact Imogen McCaw (imogen@scotlandsgardens.org) or Emma Mason (emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk) 07762 117433

 

 

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Recreate your own Galician ‘pazo’ garden as seen at RHS Hampton

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The Spanish Tourist Office is showcasing the mystery and romance of Galicia’s ‘Pazo’ gardens at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this July. Show garden designer, Rose McMonigall, shares her tips on recreating the look in your own garden.

The historic Galician Pazos are magnificent palaces famous for their exquisite architecture and extensive gardens, where formal design meets the untamed nature of Galicia’s landscapes.

Often mysterious and dripping with greenery, with mists enshrouding them in the cooler months, softening the edges of their often highly formal design, these gardens blend with a larger, more practical landscape, where the productivity of the land is as important as its aesthetic appearance. Vines tangle amid the ornamentation to yield harvests producing some of Northern Spain’s best wines.

“The climate of Galicia is very similar to that of the UK” says Rose, “and the plant life that thrives in northern Spain is not dissimilar to that which we enjoy here, so why not try to achieve the ‘Pazo’ look in your own garden?”

 Rose provides her top tips for bringing a little bit of Galicia to Britain:

  1. The key to this indulgently romantic look is to embrace nature in your garden. A few ‘weeds’ here and there will add to the theme, so let nature do its thing. If there’s a balance between plants that you have bought and those that have self-seeded and introduced themselves, you are following the right path. Celebrate the true beauty of these wild flowers; after all this is a romantic garden…
  2. Go for green, in all its many shades. A limited colour palette with varied green shades and a dash of cool blues will evoke the mysterious, shady gardens of the Pazos. Edges should be blurred, so avoid neat lines and be led by the shape of the plants.
  3. To add instant impact, invest in specimen plants common to this beautiful part of Spain such as glossy-leaved camellias and delicate mophead blue hydrangeas, or climbing varieties. Both of these need acid soil, so if your soil is neutral or alkaline (you can check this with a pH tester kit bought at a garden centre), you’ll need to add ericaceous compost. Ferns and arum lilies will also complete the look.
  4. Garden furniture, stone features or hard landscaping should look as faded and vintage as possible. A stone bench with lichen spots, rocks covered in cushion moss or even a classic statue tangled in ivy or vine will add to the atmosphere.
  5. Encourage wildlife into your garden by creating a small log pile as a haven for insects and hedgehogs, and avoid sweeping up fallen leaves. If you want to really embrace the Galician look, build a small pond or water feature and add some marginal pond plants and water lilies. Local wildlife will love it and the sound of trickling water will really heighten the romantic vibe.

Spain’s exhibit at the show this year, ‘The Pazo’s Secret Garden’, by Rose McMonigall, celebrates Galicia, its Pazos, the camellia, and the distinctive Albariño wine of the region and provides an exquisite example of what your Pazo garden could look like.

Known as ‘the land of camellias’, Galicia is a renowned destination for lovers of the outdoors and garden enthusiasts. Camellias have become such an integral part of the region that visitors to Galicia can follow a dedicated ‘Camellia Route’; a journey that passes from northern to southern Galicia through 12 manor houses (or Pazos) and gardens where the camellia reigns in all its glory.

Covered in lush greenery, with some of Spain’s most idyllic, natural beaches; home to a number of buzzing, charming and characterful cities; one of the top (though lesser known) wine producing regions in Spain, famous for the delicious Albariño white wine; and offering up arguably the best seafood in the country, Galicia is a must-visit destination.

To purchase tickets for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows and for more information on Galicia or other regions of Spain visit http://www.turismo.gal or http://www.spain.info respectively

Ends

Notes to editors:

  • There will be an opportunity to meet for 1:1 interviews with garden designer, Rose McMonigall, and the STO team throughout the show. Please contact the Rooster PR team should you wish to schedule a time to meet
  • A more detailed description of the garden and the symbolism behind its design is available upon request, as is a full plant list and background on designer Rose McMonigall.

 

For further press information on Spain, please contact:

Natalie Garland / Melissa Hobson / Julie Aguilera

Rooster PR

T: +44 (0)20 3440 8926

E: Spain@rooster.co.uk

 

For further information on designer Rose McMonigall, contact:

Emma Mason

Emma Mason PR

T: 07762 117433

E: emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

 

 

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Brutal beauty of Britain’s brownfield sites to be championed by RHS Hampton show garden

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‘Brownfield – Metamorphosis’ by designer Martyn Wilson, sponsored by St. Modwen

A CONCEPTUAL garden at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show will highlight the surprising beauty of Britain’s brownfield, urban sites and the important role they have to play in creating the communities of tomorrow. 

‘Brownfield – Metamorphosis’ by designer Martyn Wilson will take an abstract look at regeneration and demonstrate nature’s ability to succeed against the odds and transform an open space.

Designer Martyn Wilson
Designer Martyn Wilson

Show visitors will be greeted by a series of monolithic steel structures that reference the manufacturing industries of the Industrial Age. On closer inspection, the steel appears twisted and torn – a nod to the decline of these industries. Through the rubble, the decay is being replaced by the processes of natural regeneration, and trees and vegetation are self-seeding. This natural transition provides opportunities for wildlife in the heart of urban areas.

Sponsored by the UK’s leading regeneration specialist St. Modwen, the garden will feature urban art references by street artist Louis Masai on recycled hoardings. Swathes of grasses, ferns, herbaceous perennials and self-seeding annuals will soften the hard landscaping. The garden will form part of the new ‘gardens for a changing world’ category at the show.

Martyn’s design has been Inspired by Landschaftpark, Duisburg-Nord in Germany, the High Line in New York and successful brownfield regeneration schemes in the UK. He said: “What interested me initially was the changing nature of urban landscapes which are so often are in state of flux. There’s the process of demolition and reconstruction but between the two, before building work starts, you often find nature moves back in and a new, temporary landscape is created.

“My garden will recreate that moment in time, in a sculpted form, with nods to the past and also the future. We should see these city spaces as opportunities and, whilst appreciating their gritty beauty, look forward to welcoming the communities that will replace them.”

St. Modwen is a fitting sponsor for the show garden. Currently spearheading the regeneration of New Covent Garden Market, London; the transformation of Longbridge, Birmingham and RAF Uxbridge in west London, the company is the UK expert in developing brownfield sites and amongst its portfolio also counts the magnificent Trentham Estate and Gardens in Stoke-on-Trent.  Mark Allan, Chief Executive at St. Modwen, said: “The transformation and regeneration of urban sites not only goes a long way to answering the UK’s existing housing crisis but has also brought back thousands of acres of brownfield land into the public sphere that was previously not accessible.”

The steel structures on the garden are being designed by sculptor Simon Probyn and walls loaned by The Pot Company. The steel structure will sit on concrete footings being donated by Easymix Concrete.

The surface of the garden will be mulched with aggregates recycled from brownfield sites and donated by Smiths of Bletchington.  The plants are being sourced from renowned nursery and show garden supplier Hortus Loci.

Martyn’s garden will also help raise the profile of cancer charity UCARE [Urology Cancer Research and Education] at the show with volunteers greeting visitors.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or for information on St.Modwen, Emily Boswell 0121 222 9400  corpcomms@stmodwen.co.uk

 

Martyn Wilson – A trained town planner and lecturer at the Cotswold Gardening School, Martyn runs Wilson Associates Garden Design where his portfolio includes residential gardens, public and commercial spaces and three RHS award winning show gardens. He won the People’s Choice Award presented by Alan Titchmarsh at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2016 for his show garden ‘Time is a Healer’ in support of The Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

 

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Dalefoot Composts features in ‘Back to the Land’ with Kate Humble on BBC Two

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AN ENTERPRISING Cumbrian family firm that makes peat free compost from sheep’s wool, and restores damaged peat bogs across the UK, has featured in a new BBC TV series championing rural entrepreneurs.

Dalefoot Composts, based on a 120-acre family farm in the hills of the Lake District, was highlighted on ‘Back to the Land’ presented by Kate Humble on BBC Two on Tuesday (21 March). The documentary series travelled the UK meeting the growing band of rural entrepreneurs who have forged their own innovative products and businesses from the land in the Lake District, Devon and Pembrokeshire.

The programme took a behind-the-scenes look at Dalefoot’s eco compost-making using wool and bracken from the Cumbrian fells, joining the firm during the busy lambing season and then again for the bracken harvest. It also highlighted the specialised peat bog restoration work that the Dalefoot team undertakes across the nation for organisations such as Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The family who run Dalefoot Composts, Jane Barker and husband Simon Bland, were filmed throughout the year, for the third episode of the series which showcased companies in the Lake District. Their 11-year-old daughter Arabella also made an appearance, helping Kate and her parents with lambing.

Jane said: “It was a wonderful experience meeting Kate and the film crew, being taken through a process of reflecting on what we have achieved so far, and helping us celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dalefoot Composts.”

The enterprising couple began manufacturing compost and selling mail order 20 years ago, prompted by diminishing returns from their sheep farming business. Using Simon’s practical farming knowledge and the scientific input of Jane, who holds a PhD in Environmental Science, they began their composting using bracken – a by-product of their environmental and habitat restoration work – before adding wool to the mixture.

As well as helping the growing number of gardeners and horticulturalists who want to switch to peat free, the compost finds a novel use for British wool – good news for struggling sheep farmers. Their sustainable Wool Compost range, which is now widely used by gardeners across the UK, boasts wool from their own flock. Benefits include:

  • Natural water retention of wool fibres means up to 50% less watering.
  • Wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen.
  • High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, healthy growth and hearty crops – NO need for any additional plant food.
  • Made from totally renewable resources with great environmental benefits.

The use of bracken in Wool Compost is also beneficial for the local Cumbrian landscape, as the spread of this aggressive, waist-high plant in the Lake District makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Harvesting improves the biodiversity of flora and fauna, in particular ground-nesting birds and butterflies.

Tel: 01931 713281              Email: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk      @DalefootCompost

ENDS

For further information please contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762117433

 

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Work by leading garden photographer to feature in trio of new books

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– Programme of residential garden photography retreats also announced –

Encouraging readers to observe and appreciate the full beauty of nature, plants and landscape is the common theme in three very different books this spring by leading garden photographer Andrea Jones.

Garden photographer Andrea Jones 2017 books

Andrea wrote and illustrated ‘The Garden Photography Workshop’, to be published by Timber Press in March, in which she shares some trade secrets of how she cleverly captures the essence of beautiful gardens around the world on camera. She explains to readers basic photography skills and tips on using a range of camera equipment, covering everything from DSLRs to smartphones and accessories.

Profiles of real gardens exemplify the most common problems a photographer can face, like harsh light, wet weather, and cramped spaces, along with advice and techniques for addressing specific concerns. We live in a photo-driven world, and this helpful guide is a complete tutorial for anyone who wants to fill their world with beautiful images of gardens and plants.

Andrea’s landscape photography features prominently in ‘Making for Home: A Tale of the Scottish Borders’, published by The Pimpernel Press in June. Alan Tait traces his journey from childhood imaginings to a tenement flat in Glasgow in the 1960s to the Moffat Valley, in the Scottish Borders, where he bought a remote farmhouse in the 1970s, since when he has overseen its restoration and renewal during four decades of continuing change. Andrea’s beautiful images capture the evocative southern upland scenery over sharply contrasting seasons.

In ‘Essential Pruning Techniques’, also published by Timber Press in March, Andrea illustrates this practical reference book, written by the leading tree expert from the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, Tony Kirkham. Andrea’s photography entices readers to appreciate the natural shape of trees as well as explaining visually the best pruning methods and practices.

During 2017, Andrea will be hosting a series of weekend retreats offering guidance to those wanting to improve their own garden and nature photography skills. Based at Alton Albany Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Ayrshire, which is run by Andrea’s husband Alasdair, the retreats will take advantage of the abundance of photogenic natural subjects within easy reach of its doorstep. The weekends offer a taste of Scotland and a sociable escape with plenty of genial information sharing between like-minded folk.

Matt Cross of ‘Wild About the Forest’ will be at hand to give his guided nature walks on each of the retreats and as the farm is so well placed on the western edge of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, he will also be available to guide guests around the night sky when darkness falls. The residential retreats will include full accommodation and can be tailor made to suit small groups of between three to six people (depending on room sharing requirements). The full programme can be found at www.altonalbanyfarm.com.

Over the last 25 years, Andrea Jones has built an international reputation for her photographs of landscapes, gardens, and plants. Among other awards she was voted Photographer of the Year and Book Photographer of the Year by her peers in the Garden Media Guild. Her website is www.andreajones.co.uk .

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

‘The Garden Photography Workshop’ by Andrea Jones published by Timber Press March 2017 Price: £20, Pages: 256; Images: 247 colour photos

‘Essential Pruning Techniques’  by Tony Kirkham published by Timber Press March 2017 Price: £40 Pages: 256

‘Making for Home: A Tale of the Scottish Borders’ published by The Pimpernel Press June 2017 Price: £30 Pages: 144

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Architectural metal panels for home, garden or terrace launched by Stark & Greensmith

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Hedgehog-friendly, perfect for privacy & instant impact 

An award-winning range of architectural metal fence panels and garden screens is now on sale from Stark & Greensmith – ideal for homeowners wanting an instant contemporary design statement for their outdoor space.

Made either from recycled steel or powder-coated aluminium, the long-lasting panels are laser cut with a range of five beautiful botanical designs. The panels are highly versatile, with homeowners and garden designers using them as fencing with a contemporary look, as pergolas and balustrades, as garden/roof terrace features or screens to give additional structure, or to mask parts of their home or garden they want to keep under wraps. Unlike conventional fencing, the panels are maintenance-free, wind resistant and improve with age – the materials used mature rather than deteriorate.

Stark & Greensmith branches weathered steel panels
Stark & Greensmith Branches weathering steel panels

Alongside their contemporary and sustainable design aesthetics, the panels are hedgehog-friendly. When installed they float 11cm above the ground, enough room for the protected mammals to pass freely under them.

Developed by Stark & Greensmith’s creative director and designer, Martine Le Gassick, the panels are a reaction to the disappointing look, short lifespan and susceptibility to bad weather of traditional fencing. Having worked with well-known brands such as Diane von Furstenburg, Etro and Victoria’s Secret with her previous company, Martine set about designing an affordable, modern yet practical fencing alternative for the garden. When the range was launched at the recent leading trade exhibition, the Landscape Show, it scooped the prestigious Best in Show award.

Stark and Greensmith weathering steel Drift panel
Stark & Greensmith weathering steel Drift panels

Martine said: “We wanted to create products which perform better than traditional fencing by using recycled materials where possible, which won’t rot, are maintenance free and should last 20 years.  Our panels float 11cm above the ground as well, so that hedgehogs can move freely beneath them.  Hedgehog numbers are in steep decline, and we wanted to respond to that serious challenge, but with a product that is also affordable, sustainable and beautiful.”

Product details:

·         Retail prices start from £208 + VAT.  Standard panel dimensions are 1780m x 1190m x 3mm (approximately 6’ high, 4’ wide and 3mm thick), and are made in weathering steel and powder coated aluminium, with Martine’s unique designs laser cut onto them. 

·         The powder-coated aluminium was chosen for its clean aesthetic quality, an appearance it maintains over time, as it will not rust or decay.

·         The weathering steel was selected for the beautiful auburn rusted patina which it forms on contact with the atmosphere.  This patina stabilises and protects the material itself, meaning the panel stays strong, even in sandy or coastal environments.

·         The panels are installed using a fixing system featuring stylish dark grey aluminium posts, and powder coated steel clamps; these panels are sustainable, as they are made from 100% recycled steel and aluminium.

·         Now available to buy on Stark & Greensmith’s website – www.starkandgreensmith.com – and from a growing number of professional installers (see website for details).

In addition to the standard range, Stark & Greensmith also undertakes bespoke commissions, with current projects ranging from single panels in domestic settings, through to major commercial, leisure, hospitality and public realm commissions.

Stark & Greensmith Ltd   Phone: 01737 701088   Email: sales@starkandgreensmith.com  www.starkandgreensmith.com

-ENDS-

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on 07762 117433, emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk, @emmamasonpr or Facebook at Emma Mason PR.

 

 

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Scotland’s ‘hidden’ historic horticultural gems to be celebrated by Scotland’s Gardens

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-500 gardens opening in total across Scotland during 2017 –

THE IMPORTANT role gardens play in Scotland’s historic landscape will be highlighted in 2017 by the open garden charity Scotland’s Gardens.

Of the 500 gardens throwing open their gates to the public during the year under the Scotland’s Gardens banner, over 80 have been recognised for their historic, national significance. Many of these are not that well known, even though their horticultural features play a vital role in the country’s heritage, so Scotland’s Gardens will be encouraging people to visit, delve into their past and soak up the atmosphere.

Garden at Netherbyres, Berwickshire opening for Scotland's GardensA monastic priory garden dating back 700 years, an ‘apple walk’ at Tyninghame House, the Victorian kitchen garden of Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, an unique 18th century elliptical walled garden and even an Edwardian Japanese water garden, are just some of these noteworthy locations being celebrated in Scotland’s Gardens 2017 Guidebook. Many of the gardens are private, so not normally open to visitors, and all are listed in Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, compiled by Historic Environment Scotland.

As well as these distinguished horticultural stars, hundreds of other gardens of all shapes and sizes will be opening to visitors across Scotland to raise money for charities. Highlights of the Scotland’s Gardens programme during 2017 include:

  • 70 new gardens including Westerhouses in Roxburghshire, an old Borders farmhouse garden with fabulous views across the local hills; Drumstinchall House & Drumstinchall Cottage in Kirkcudbrightshire with an array of colourful borders, vegetable garden and walk to the local loch; a secluded wildlife-friendly garden surrounded by eight acres of pine trees at the Garden at Auld Post Office in Caithness, and the garden at Carey House in Abernethy with views over the Ochil Hills, transformed just six years ago from a field of brambles and thistles.
  • A week-long garden festival in Orkney during June. Four trails including one on the island of Hoy and Longhope with beach-side gardens boasting their very own resident seals
  • The Fife Garden Trail – nine stunning, privately owned gardens, five of which have never or rarely admitted visitors before
  • East Lothian Garden Trail – 12 spacious gardens and well-tended allotments open in June and July
  • Nine plant sales including a new sale in Angus featuring (unusual) plants and prosecco
  • 24 village openings including West Linton Village, a conservation village, offering a special Garden and History Trail and two with allotments
  • 226 different charities, from the very small to large, well-known organisations, will be supported by garden owners taking part in the programme

Scotland's Gardens 2017 Guidebook

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens said: “We’re excited to play a part in raising the profile of these gardens and the role they play in our historic environment and landscape. All the more so in 2017, which has been designated the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology by VisitScotland.

“Whether you’re a garden lover, history buff, or just enjoy a great day out with a good cuppa, please support Scotland’s Gardens and all of our many charities generously with your visits.”

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433, @emmamasonpr on Twitter or on Facebook at Emma Mason PR.  High res images and logos are available.

OR info@scotlandsgardens.org, 0131-226 3714, Terrill Dobson, National Organiser, terrill@scotlandsgardens.org .

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Scotland’s Gardens raises money for other charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto www.scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens 2017 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

All the gardens have to be of horticultural interest and meet a certain standard to participate in Scotland’s Gardens programme and this is carefully monitored by the charity’s team of 200 volunteers.

In the last 5 years, over £1 million has been raised for charity by Scotland’s Gardens. Forty per cent of funds go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SG beneficiaries who are currently Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, The Gardens Fund of the National Trust for Scotland and Perennial.