Yirdit – Gardening Scotland, reluctantly

In writing this gardening Scotland website, I wouldn’t claim to be an expert. But in case you, my reader, are an anxious or newbie gardener, then these pages are written to encourage you to get out there in your plot.

Right now, as we gradually degrade our own earth, creepie-crawlies of all sorts are in trouble, even sparrows are struggling, so just about anything you do that involves growing green things will help – just so long as you spurn weedkillers, insecticides and their like. (Oh and avoid plastic grass – often known as shitlawn. )

Schizoztylis coccinea
Schizostylis! Bless you…! Easy to grow and brilliant colour for autumn/winter

Don’t be tidy – and break rules gardening Scotland

Don’t be too tidy and be ready to break rules whenever possible – and take time to sit around in your green haven – whatever shape it takes. Hope a blackbird or a hedgehog deals with most slugs – though you could go out on a damp night and spear them with cocktail sticks. (I mean the slugs, obviously.)

  • Take cuttings and hope for the best…
  • plant everything a fortnight later than the ‘experts’ say…
  • don’t buy plants from ANY diy centre – ever…
  • Seed-bomb your neighbour’s lock-block if possible. Pansies will do for starters
  • Observe which blooms the bees prefer – then plant more next year.

Here are the pages you’ll enjoy if gardening in Scotland…

Gardening in Scotland - a thriving rose and good thick Scottish roof slate.
Red rose and Scottish slate – it looks like a northern garden. Also a pic that reminds me that roses like tea-leaves. At least, this climber thrived with a few years’ worth of them. Gardening Scotland at its laziest? Well, the compost bin was on the other side of the garden and I only had my slippers first thing in the morning.