The rattle on the window makes me sit up and look out. The hail and snow are horizontal. Outside on the bird table, the Siskins, Sparrows and Goldfinches are stuffing themselves with homemade fat balls, peanuts and wild bird seed. They are lucky to be so well fed. Preparing for the spring. It’s time to […]
Continue ReadingLochaber
Ard Daraich – An excellent base for those who like to walk.
Ard Daraich is an excellent base for those who enjoy walking, whether to conquer our highest Munro, Ben Nevis, or to have a gentle stroll on the beach. The parish of Ardgour has been described as an Undiscovered Walkers Paradise with twelve Corbetts to choose from. On a clear day you get stunning views, ranging […]
Continue ReadingTulip Obsession
When you grow up somewhere different, in my case the south of England, there are some things you miss even though you would never turn back the clock. I have been surprised by the things that have lodged in my heart and that I still pine for. One of the most surprising is the sound […]
Continue ReadingWe’ve been trying to grow Roses.
As a previous owner of this house was famous enough to have a rose named after her, it was inevitable that we would try and grow not only Rosa Constance Spry but also a number of others. Maybe we assumed it wouldn’t work but with the enthusiasm of our dear friend Linda Coggin, who […]
Continue ReadingPrimula Season
When you become a gardener one of the first principles you learn is to try and make a plant selection that provides something of interest throughout the year. This is a challenge in any garden but by no means impossible and as you live with your garden over the years you come to look forward […]
Continue ReadingExtreme Gardening.
At Ard Daraich we do a particular form of gardening. Norrie calls it Extreme Gardening or Gardening with the Elements. We live at the bottom of a steep infertile hill; blanket peat over granite and we use the topography to inform the design as paths meander up the hill. Where there is little soil […]
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