November comes
November comes And November goes,
With the last red berries And the first white snows.
With night coming early And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket And frost by the gate.
The fires burn And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest Until next spring.
Clyde Watson
A few cleverly chosen words describe November in The Walled Garden.
Facing the changeable weather challenge with gusto, the gardening team are working flat out. They continue to strip out the flower and vegetable beds, putting them into order while bamboo canes and plant supports are removed and packed away for the winter.
Dahlias are inclined to rot in cold wet soil. The garden now grows twenty five different varieties which have been dug up, cleaned off then packed into sawdust in neatly labelled boxes to store in a dry cellar till next spring. A monthly check will make sure they remain mouse and damage free.
All the tender plants and olive trees are now sheltered in the greenhouses.
A major project to replace aging lavender is in full swing or should I say ‘dig.’ Already 1,500 ( 50%) of the ten year old plants have been removed by a small digger. This offers an opportunity to tackle perennial weed growth; mare’s tail in particular; before it gets out of hand. Each day the gardening crew are to be found on a two hourly weed battle stint hand digging to remove as many weed roots as possible. Next May the beds will be replanted with blue and white English lavender plants ( Angustifolia) planned to perpetuate the distinctive haze of summer lavender over the next ten years of the garden’s maturing life.
The ‘fun and games,’ continued when a cold snap arrived on Tuesday 19th bringing thick snow flurries to add clearing the drive to allow visitors and staff access to the castle and gardens to the jobs list!!
Christmas decorations already illuminate the café while outside the gardening team’s festive decorations brighten darkening days.
The Potting shed shop is filled with fresh winter produce for sale. Heritage apples join a variety of winter vegetables such as parsnips, leeks, kales, cabbage, Swedes, turnips and the last of the beetroot.
The extended garden salad season ended with the first snows, however, inside the large greenhouse experimental beds of salads and winter greens offers an alternative fresh supply to the café kitchen.
Annual Christmas wreath making workshops are sold out. However hand made Christmas wreaths made with natural materials harvested form the castle grounds and Walled Garden will be available from Saturday 7th December.
Ordering in advancefor collection is essential, view our options here.
The café is open daily from 11am till 4pm where a freshly prepared menu reflects the seasonal fresh garden produce used by Cook Sheena in her kitchen.
Christmas afternoon teas and Christmas lunches await visitors to the café, view dates or book a table here.
The end of the year also marks the end of a decade for Head gardener Ed Bollom who is leaving the Walled Garden to set up business with his wife Anna. “I will miss the garden after working here for ten years but I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.” said Ed.
We have since taken on Jennifer Wright to become our new Head gardener. There will be more to read about Jennifer in December, so keep a look out.
The multi award winning Walled Garden has received yet another accolade this time from the Royal Horticultural Society. In 2022 the garden became an RHS partner garden, now The Walled Garden team are delighted to be awarded RHS Scottish Partner Garden of the Year. Thank you to all the visitors who voted to make this happen, it is indeed a testament to the skill and dedicated hard work of the gardeners and volunteers and an apt farewell to Head Gardener Ed.
Gordon Castle Heritage Apple Cake
Created using a variety of Walled Garden Heritage Apples to celebrate the award of RHS Scottish Partner Garden of the year 2024.
Makes a 20cm round cake
250g butter or margarine
200g soft brown sugar
50g golden syrup
4 medium eggs
250g self raising flour or 250g gluten free self raising flour + 2 teaspoons xanthan gum)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
200g heritage eating apple – peeled cored and chopped
2 red skin heritage apples – cored and sliced
Oil and line the cake tin. Heat the oven to 160C ( 140C fan) 325F, Gas 3. Cream the butter with the sugar and syrup. Beat in the eggs then sift in the flour and cinnamon. Fold in the chopped apple and spread evenly in the cake tin. Arrange apple slices on top of the cake mixture and press down lightly. Bake in the middle of the oven for one and a quarter to one and a half hours till the cake is firm and the point of a skewer inserted in the middle comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin and enjoy freshly baked.
Hot Winter Salad
Plenty shredded lettuce – like iceberg or little gem.
Add grated carrot, apple and shredded cabbage
Dressing:-
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 large tomato – finely chopped
¼ teaspoon sugar
Sea salt to season
1 table spoon extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze of lemon juice
Generous splash of balsamic vinegar
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and heat till they start popping add the chilli flakes and tomato to sizzle lightly then remove from the heat. Add all the other ingredients. Stir over the heat to wilt. Pour over the lettuce in the bowl and toss together. Serve at once.
Stir fried winter kale or cabbage
Takes minutes – serve hot or chilled as a salad
Serves 4
A large handful of kale leaves or ¼ winter cabbage– washed
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Pinch of chilli flakes
Sunflower oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Topping:-
Sunflower oil
30g (1oz) each sunflower and pumpkin seeds
30g (1oz) porridge oats
Pinch of chilli flakes
Sea salt
Remove and discard the thick stalks from the cavolo nero. Shred the leaves roughly. Heat a good glugg of oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Cook the garlic, mustard seeds and chilli flakes over a medium heat till the seeds begin to pop. Toss in the cavolo nero leaves and keep stirring to cook through. This will take about 3 or 4 minutes. Season well with sea salt and ground black pepper. Keep hot. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan, add the seeds and oats and keep stirring over a medium heat till toasted and sizzling, season with chilli flakes and sea salt and toss over the leaves. Serve hot with grills or roasts or part of a vegetarian meal. Can be eaten cold drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette as a salad.
Lemony Apple Preserve
2 x 350g jars
450g – cooking apple – peeled, cored and sliced.
Rind and juice of 1 large lemon
300g granulated sugar
Put the apple into a deep pan, add enough water to come half way up the depth of apple and simmer till softening. Add the lemon rind, juice and sugar and stir till the sugar has dissolved. Simmer very slowly till the mix turns a blush pink and thickens. Pour hot into clean jars and cover. Label and store in a cool place. Delicious on toast instead of marmalade, enjoy warm as a sauce over ice cream, delicious spread on a freshly baked oven scone.
