June is welcomed into the garden
“What is one to say about June?
The time of perfect young summer, the fulfilment of the promise of the earlier months,”- Gertrude Jekyll
At last, a persistent icy wind has dissipated giving way to warmer temperatures and a kinder breeze to welcome June into the garden.
The vegetable garden
This year a family of eleven bright scarecrows created by local primary schools are on ‘garden pest patrol,’ duties! While visiting please vote for your favourite, the competition ends in mid-August.
The first crops of asparagus and rhubarb are past, the last seedlings are planted out and direct seed sowing into warmer soils carries on apace.
Brassica beds
A third crop of brassica seedlings, such as sprouts and kales, grown from seeds planted six weeks ago are transplanted to grow over the next months in time to harvest for Christmas!! Protective nets covering the first earlier planting have been removed and moved to the third cropping brassicas, however, it is hoped that greedy pigeons may find that running the gauntlet of the ‘School Scarecrow family’ is not worth the hassle! We shall see.
Alium beds
Late leeks and celery are planted alongside beetroot, parsnips, carrots and turnips where seeds are sown directly into the warmer soil. Over the summer, successive seed sowings will ensure a steady supply of vegetables. A layer of special fleece canopied over carrot seedlings should thwart carrot fly by preventing their nocturnal egg laying escapades. Carrot flies lay their eggs on the surface of the soil and when they hatch the larvae then burrow their way down into the soil to feed on our precious carrot roots. Telltale signs you have carrot flies are reddish leaves and week growth on the leaves above the surface.
Each vegetable bed is illuminated by bright flowers like salvia, tagetes, and fragrant nepeta including flowers which will be dried to make wreaths later in the year such as statice and helichrysum.
Squashes
Now snugly settled in their garden home you will find such classics as the white ‘Polar Bear’, ‘Racer’ and ‘Crown Prince’ joined by aptly named new varieties to the garden like Peachy pink ‘Autumn Crown’, knobbly blue ‘Queensland Blue’, bright orange and green ‘Goosebumps.’
Salads
Successional direct salad seed sowing over warmer months will ensure a steady supply for the Walled Garden Restaurant and Potting shed shop. This year’s leaf mix is a flavour filled selection of green and red salad bowl, Iceberg, Copacabana, lollo rosso, rockets, mizuna and chicory among many, many others.
Tomatoes have moved! Still in the greenhouse, but in the hopes of avoiding the beginnings of blight detected last year, thriving plants are to be found alongside rose bushes at the opposite end and a small bed ‘mid’ greenhouse. Cucumbers, melon, watermelon and okra grow in the original tomato beds, facing them, they are joined by Salvia ‘Oxford Blue’ and ‘Estrella Coral’ as well as Carthamus and stocks.
Garden peas
This year’s crop has not been a success mostly caused by persistent cold drying winds. The continuous onslaught had a dramatic effect on the crop which this year was planted to grow up artistic wigwam structures. Already Head Gardener Jennifer has thoughts of amending next year’s pea cultivation to a more sheltered aspect. Perhaps, instead, growing an herbaceous perennial climber, Mashua, a South American relation of the nasturtium family. An ancient Inca plant its brightly coloured tubular flowers would certainly make a colour statement across the vegetable garden.
Potatoes
A wide variety of earlies and main crop potatoes are growing well, the shaws ‘earthed up’ to encourage stems to produce more tubers for an increased yield. O’ for that first taste of this year’s new tatties!! Not long to wait now.
Soft fruit
Strawberries are nearly ready to pick, again delayed by cold winds. Gooseberries are catching up, but it will be up to three weeks before they ripen sufficiently to crop.
Flower garden
Blooming June has had a slow start but hopefully now that icy blasts have gone, warmer days will bring the diverse beauty and heady scents redolent of this early summer garden.
In the central borders
Tall sky-blue delphiniums sway gently in contrast to the slender sentinels of stunning peach foxtail lilies (Eremurus); there are young roses just popped from the bud, dark dramatic Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace,’ interspersed by creamy yellow phlomis and much, much more —Wander and wonder.
Sweet peas are slow to emerge, but with a burst of warmth they will soon dance brightly over the garden and into the annual sweet pea bouquets; their sight and scent the epitome of summer’s arrival.
Gordon Castle dahlias have now been replanted into their garden beds and, good news, because Dahlia lovers can buy some to grow for their own pleasure at the Potting Shed Shop.
Trial flower beds are filled with bright Sweet William, rich purple Aster ‘Blackberry Surprise’ and Nicotiana ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ contrasted by Solidago a bright golden yellow perennial.
Tropical summer flowerpots
Colourful, aromatic vibrant orange Agastache ‘Navajo Sunset’ is joined by Ricinus (Caster oil Plant), Dahlias, Cannas and Coleus. Let us hope that their tropical colours are matched by similar weather!! No matter a show of vivid colour awaits.
Summertime in the garden
Flower arranging workshops:
Zara and Mhairi – How to make the most of your flowers.
The date for your diary is 11th July – book online here to secure your place.
Gin school
4th July and more dates available into August – Learn to make your very own unique gin. Book online here.
Summer open-air theatres:
King Arthur and the Holy Fail – 2nd July at 4pm to 6pm
Book here.
The Jungle Book – 7th July at 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Book here.
Romeo and Juliet – 17th July at 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Book here.
Macbeth – 14th August at 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Book here.
The Potting Shed Shop
Open daily from 10am till 4pm selling a variety of fresh garden produce from vegetables and the start of the fruit and plants. Gorgeous hand-tied bouquets are available each weekend (once they’re gone, they’re gone!) or to pre-order online here.
The Walled Garden Restaurant
Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm serving Scottish food made with seasonal produce freshly picked from the gardens. Booking in advance is recommended during weekends and high season. Menu details including service times are easily accessible online here. Tables for coffee and cake are available on a walk-in basis.
The Walled Garden
Open 7 days a week, 10am to 4pm. Wander, wonder, breath scented summer air, sit a while, listen to bee’s hum, surrounded by the peace of mother nature.
