Organic gardens open in Autumn

Monday 27 August, 2018

Your garden is your world, to order and manage as you like. This month we look at several organic gardens, to see the principles they have brought into their patch of green. Organic gardening involves no use of chemicals in the garden, and is beneficial to the wildlife. It's also a wonderful way to grow lots edible fruit and veg, without having to scrub them afterwards, other than removing some good healthy mud!

Laundry Cottage
Culdrain, Gartly, Huntly AB54 4PY

The garden takes its cues from the surrounding Strathbogie landscape of rolling, tree and heather-clad hills. Divided by undulating hedges, the various parts of the garden are planted in an informal, cottage garden style and contain a mixture of the common place and many unusual plants. Grass paths lead from one section to another, and although the area around the cottage is level, there are also flower meadows on steep banks (not suitable for wheelchairs), leading down to the river Bogie. An organic vegetable garden lies behind one of the mixed borders and elsewhere there is a small orchard.

By arrangement 1 January - 31 December

Laundry Cottage
Laundry Cottage
Hollytree Lodge
Hollytree Lodge

Hollytree Lodge
Muckhart, Dollar FK14 7JW

A tranquil garden, divided by internal hedges into smaller areas. These include a small Japanese garden, spring bulbs naturalised in grass, a mini orchard and wildflowers, a rill, a wildlife pond, mixed herbaceous borders, all within an acre plot. An interesting variety of unusual trees and shrubs, a good collection of rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas, a snow gum, a Metasequoia glyptostroboides and a Persian ironwood which colours beautifully in autumn, as do the acers. Plus a Tree Trail. The garden featured in Country Homes and Interiors January 2015 edition. Our aim is to garden with nature, and organically, complementing our beekeeping interests; the best planting scheme often seems to happen by accident!

By arrangement 1 April - 31 October

5 Knott
Clachamish, Portree, Isle of Skye IV51 9NZ

An informal, organic garden on a gently sloping ½ acre site. Perimeter hedging has enabled a sheltered, tranquil oasis to be created. Winding paths meander through densely planted borders filled with a diverse range of perennials, annuals and shrubs. The house overlooks a sheltered bay with regular sightings of otters, sea eagles and harbour porpoises. There is a separate vegetable and herb area with raised beds. Garden seating in several locations. The garden is situated in an easily reached, particularly quiet and scenic area of Skye.

28 June - 14 September (Thursdays & Fridays), 2pm - 5pm (2018)

5 Knott
5 Knott

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