Visit to Floors Castle

Hello Everyone, 

…and hello Autumn. The season of Autumn gives such beautiful colours and the trees are all about to give us spectacular vistas. Enjoy the views. 

Bob and I had a very unusual day trip away from the farm last Sunday and we would advise anyone to enjoy a visit to Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders (see photo). As part of our new venture with re-establishing a two hundred year old walled garden, we are researching existing walled gardens and Floors Castle Walled Garden did not disappoint. Even though the gardens were ‘on the turn’ they still looked spectacular. The Hot Garden still showed beautiful colours from the flowers which did look very Autumnal. The glass houses proved positive with peaches, vines and Tamarillo exciting us both. If they can grow such fruits sixty miles North of here, then maybe we can. 

As part of our new venture we are officially recording progress. When I say ‘officially’, I mean that we are recording lots of what we are doing on film…more of this in future journals.

On the day we were filming, a representative from the Soil Association arrived for an unannounced spot check visit. We had no idea that the Soil Association carried out such visits. All was very well with no issues discovered. Phew! Thank goodness. 

I have also been asked to contribute to a quarterly magazine. They want to hear how life for us as gardeners has been in the past and also in the future. I never in a million years could see myself ‘in print’. Who would have thought. If you are wondering it will be in Appetite Magazine from the end of this year. 

So, I feel we have been quite busy (along with grandparent duties, children's birthday parties and visitors from Amsterdam). Plus - The farm is still a full time job. The new walled garden is also becoming a full time job. Bob is now learning all about water courses, drainage, sewage, power lines, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering along with all the environmental and sustainable issues required for new builds. What he learns, I learn too. 

So, the week begins again and so does the learning,

Till next week,

 Ann👩🏻‍🌾