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This is a 3.6 acre rural garden which we have had for 15 years, before we came it was a grazing field and small birch wood.
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The garden has a 360
degree skyline surround of high moorland hills, with the Highland boundary
fault mountains and Loch Lomond to the north. Gardening here is dominated by
exposure from the dramatic physical backdrop and a cold wet climate. I have
grown hundreds of mostly native trees and hedging plants, wild flowers and
bulbs planted as naturally as possible to encourage wildlife. The trees
shelter five open clearings and the organic veg garden, and lengthen the
short summer seaon with spring blossom, autumn colour and fruits. |

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Our front door, southwest facing, obscured windows and an ongoing marital
debate. John would like to eat by daylight. At this time of year the
Actinidia kolomikta has hardly any of the earlier pink and white leaves
showing, it is concealing Ivy 'Goldheart', Clematis 'President' and Daniel
Deronda, Rose Aloha (R) and is doing battle with a passion flower. Welsh
poppies and pink geranium have colonised the gravel below. The clay head is
where the pied flycatcher built a nest behind his hair (artimisia) and
reared three young. |

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Corner of the veg garden, late June. Yes, I have a blue paint habit. GM giant
ladybirds are taking over Scotland. Sunflowers setting off up their
stakes. Wood chip paths laid this spring have been weedproof so far. I
planted those trees in the background as 2 ft whips in 1987. |

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The old birch wood, wind blowing the foxgloves and some ragged robin behind
them.(Both introduced from seed). |

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Outer wall of the summerhouse. Golden Hop, Honeysuckle 'Graham Thomas',
Ruth's Rose (name of nursery staff who propagated it from a cutting, who
also didn't know it's proper one). |

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Across the wildflower meadow (past the early summer peak) to the
summerhouse built by John in 1996,the cedar shingles weathering nicely now.
Smothered with more golden hop and white Jacobite rose,from cutting from
old cottage nearby. It was planted to denote a safe house to the Bonny
Prince's supporters.The taller trees behind the summerhouse, are the
birches of pic 3; the lower ones planted by me in the last 9 years. The two
bods walking in the long grass are called Janet and John and painted blue. |

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A section of the 100 yard wild hedge I planted in 1988, on the north
boundary. It has a rabbit and stock proof fence behind. This bit is about 5
ft tall and has left to right , chaenomeles , dog rose, honeysuckle, hawthorn.
Hidden in there are small holly seedlings and ivy cuttings which will
eventually make a dense evergreen centre. In front, geranium pratense from
local wild seed .I haven't laid the hedge yet but interweave its branches. It
has two great colour flushes, early summer flowers then autumn fruit, but
this year the hips and haws are combined with a mighty second flowering of
the honeysuckles. |

You can email me at....
...I hope you've enjoyed my garden.

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