Welcome to 'The Tenacious Gardener' blog where I attempt to blether about my trials, tribulations and successes of gardening in the harsh Scottish Highlands.
I live on 4 acres of wild gorse filled land with my husband, twin daughters, 4 dogs, 13 hens and various birds of prey.
I really don't know where my love of gardening started. I remember mum & dad growing veg when I was a kid but it never really captured my attention back then.
I had my first experience of a garden just after the twins were born but I kept the garden strictly as lawns with the odd border.
We then moved to a house with large gardens and that's when I started wanting to make the garden look pretty but with a houseful of Great Danes and GSD's I had no hope of keeping it looking pretty.
In November 2003 we moved to the Scottish Highlands with the intention of renovating a derelict croft type house and living mortgage free. The garden here is fairly new as we've only lived in the new house for a little over a year and the garden has been (and still is to some extent) a building site.
I've now been growing veg here for just 4 years so I am in no way an expert (as my yields - or lack of - will testify to) but I carry on learning and persevering year after year - tenacious as ever!
I have more experience with flower gardening but have found that living in the Highlands of Scotland in an exposed area slap bang next to the North Sea Coast has demanded that I forget about many of the blousy plants I enjoyed in England and acquaint myself with hardier, more durable species.
As a builders wife it was only a matter of time before I grabbed hold of an electric drill and am now never more happy than when I'm cutting, hammering and painting everything and anything I need for the garden from compost tumblers to wishing wells to garden sheds. Most of the materials I use are scrap I've collected or spare stuff I've borrowed from the hubby - I recycle as much as I can when it comes to making goodies for the garden.
So thank you for stopping by The Tenacious Gardener and I hope you will follow me as I build this blog into a hive of information.
Sharing our success and failures of cold climate gardening in the Scottish Highlands.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, I want to wish you a Happy New Year!
I am interested in submitting a guest post for your site. Do you accept guest posts? If so, what are your guidelines?
I am a freelance marketing consultant for Greenbloom Lawn & Landscaping (www.landscapingtoronto.ca) and I would be writing the article on their behalf. The content will be well-written, creative and, last but not least, completely original. I would just request that you include a link to the Greenbloom Lawn & Landscaping website.
Very best regards,
Dan
My name is Janet and I work for an independent TV production company called Spun Gold TV. We are currently making a brand new ITV series with Alan Titchmarsh called “Britain’s Best Garden”. Our new series aims to find the best private / domestic gardens in Britain. We are looking for gardens that are owned and maintained by the nation’s horticultural heroes, who have turned their backyards into amazing spaces.
ReplyDeleteTo mark the 50th year of his horticultural career, Alan Titchmarsh is launching a nationwide search to find Britain's 30 best private gardens. These gardens will represent what gardening means to our nation. We love our grand, professionally run gardens in this country but this search is about celebrating our gardens – the people’s gardens. We are looking for gardens that say as much about us and who we really are as they do about the blooms, lawns and fragrant borders that decorate them. The search will honour and celebrate the nation’s most dedicated horticultural enthusiasts. The final 30 selected gardens will be revealed in three primetime, hour long shows, to air on ITV in 2015. We will film those gardens and a long-list of others throughout the summer months of 2014.
We are seeking applications from the length and breadth of Britain with an array of horticultural wonders from the outrageous to the draw-droopingly beautiful, the grand and opulent to the small and perfectly formed, from the wildest to the most the meticulous - this is the series that opens the gates to gardens that are works of art, labours of love, flights of fantasy and feats of engineering.
All private, domestic gardens are eligible for entry and I am hoping that you will be able to help me find some really extraordinary spaces. Does any garden specifically come to mind? Can you think of someone who has created a truly staggering and original outdoor space? We are looking for a variety of different types, styles, sizes and themes and at this stage have no pre-conceived idea of what Britain’s best private gardens looks like.
If you were able to help our campaign and spread the word about our series that would be much appreciated. If you have a mailing list or twitter account please do spread the message and include the link below to the application form. If you have someone’s garden in mind who you think could be right for the series please do let them know and pass on my contact details. If you have any other suggestions of ways you think we could find some of Britain’s best gardens then please do let me know as we are always open to suggestions. Please also forward this information onto any who you think would be interested.
Feel free to contact me at any time on 02070656929 or at Janet.Atkinson@spungoldtv.com with any questions.
I hope to hear from you soon with some prospective private garden suggestions.
Many Thanks,
Janet