The Gardener’s Diary: May 2023

Although the weather has continued to be unsettled – cold nights, windy days – the sun is stronger and there’s sometimes warmth through the cloud. We are enjoying the cheery tulips and the blossom on the espalier fruit trees, apple following the pear, visited by pollinators like this Early Bumblebee, ensuring a good crop later […]

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Although the weather has continued to be unsettled – cold nights, windy days – the sun is stronger and there’s sometimes warmth through the cloud. We are enjoying the cheery tulips and the blossom on the espalier fruit trees, apple following the pear, visited by pollinators like this Early Bumblebee, ensuring a good crop later in the year.

Garden news

Seed sowing in the Gardens is now in full swing. We have sown some crops direct into the ground: peas, broadbeans, beetroot, spring onion and spinach beet, but some benefit from

starting their growing journey in the greenhouse in trays, pots and modules. Cucumbers and melon to grow on in the greenhouse, French beans, courgettes and sweetcorn to plant out when you can feel warmth in the soil and all risk of frost has passed.

‘Ne’er cast a clout til May’s oot’, in other words don’t pack away your warm clothes until the blossom on the May tree or Hawthorn is out!

Our wee tomato seedlings have been potted up, planting them deeply right up to the bottom leaf, as the buried stem will develop extra roots. As the young plants grow, they develop side shoots between the stem and the leaves. These will take extra energy away from the plant so it is best to pinch them off with thumb and finger first thing in the morning.

We also sow flowering plants to ensure the gardens are blooming from mid-summer onwards, great for pollinators as well as visitors. Annuals such as Calendula, French Marigold and Nasturtium are all easy to grow and great companion plants in the veg patch. Tender annuals such as cosmos and sunflowers will be planted in clumps and drifts throughout the borders and in planters and containers to enhance the overall planting. Biennials form a small plant in their first year and bloom the second year before setting seed and now is the time to think about sowing these seeds: wallflower, honesty, foxgloves, all provide early summer colour and with luck they will happily self-seed around the gardens, or we can collect seed to sow the following spring.

The Flowery Meadow has been planted up with a mix of native wildflowers, self-seeders and the odd random plant that has popped in from elsewhere in the Gardens! It is a joy to watch the plants gradually appearing over the weeks and we wait with anticipation to see how it evolves this year; which plants have seeded or spread, have any been lost, any new appearances. We do grow some plug plants to dot around the area and have recently planted Wild Carrot, Devil’s Bit Scabious, Vipers Bugloss and Kidney Vetch to increase diversity and provide food, shelter and habitat for wildlife. We counted 8 species in flower at the moment, with a highlight being the primrose, cowslip and oxslip all making an appearance!

Plant Kiosk

Our plant kiosk is back offering a variety of perennials, summer annuals, herbs and vegetable plants. All our plants are grown or propagated in peat free compost by ourselves, and all proceeds are used to maintain the Gardens for all to enjoy.

Nature Notes

We have set up our first moth trap of the season with volunteer Richard Weddle from GNHS. Not a huge list but we did record the Early Grey, a first for The Hidden Gardens. You can find a full list of species recorded here on GNHS website Biodiversity Sites the West of Scotland (glasgownaturalhistory.org.uk).

We look forward to setting up the moth trap throughout the year and learning more about the moths of the hidden gardens.

Our birdclub met on the last Wednesday in April and we had a sunny morning listening to birdsong and spotting birds in the high trees or scurrying around the undergrowth. Highlights included the very cute young robin, and the very vocal tiny wren.

In all 13 species were counted including the declining greenfinches and visiting blackcaps.

No Mow May

Our lawn plays a central role in the Gardens, as a place to meet, play and relax, but we want to make room for wildlife too and by carefully managing the space, we can ensure it is an oasis for all. Lawns have traditionally been strictly managed but we don’t need a ‘bowling green’ standard lawn, taking time and money and energy to maintain. A wilder lawn is much more interesting to us and beneficial for wildlife. A diversity of wildflowers will benefit bees and butterflies, provide shelter for caterpillars and beetles and other insects, which in turn feed birds and bats.

The climate crisis is causing dramatic changes to our weather patterns but lawns can play an important part in urban gardens, and its important we all learn to adapt.

We usually think of trees as important carbon sinks but grassy meadows and garden greenery capture and store carbon in our soils and are important part of climate action. Areas of grass stay cooler than concrete and paving, and lawns can soak up and filter rainwater, slowing run off and reducing flooding.

An established lawn should not need watering, and even if it looks parched and brown in dry weather, it will soon bounce back after a shower of rain. Longer grass will have deeper, stronger roots, making it more resilient to dry spells, as well as providing shady shelter for wildlife to escape the heat.

And by mowing less, we are cutting down on the carbon foot print of mowing too! Taking part in Take part in No Mow May – Plantlife is an ideal opportunity to discover exactly what is growing in your lawn. We plan to leave the whole lawn unmown through May, then leave strips uncut throughout the summer. You may want to try the same, or try a mown path through your developing meadow, or designate areas to mow every 3-4 weeks and leave some areas uncut until the end of summer. Lots of opportunity to experiment and discover the benefits of a wilder lawn!

Play Along – Meet the Artists

Play Along is our fourth art exhibition in collaboration with Glasgow School of Arts and the Sculpture and Environmental Art department, as part of the Negotiated Project. Tucked away at the back of The Hidden Gardens this exhibition transforms the Woodland Glade into a wonderland of wind-up constructs and chimes, beckoning visitors to interact with […]

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Play Along is our fourth art exhibition in collaboration with Glasgow School of Arts and the Sculpture and Environmental Art department, as part of the Negotiated Project. Tucked away at the back of The Hidden Gardens this exhibition transforms the Woodland Glade into a wonderland of wind-up constructs and chimes, beckoning visitors to interact with musical sculptures, play with others, and create new immersive soundscapes. 3rd year GSA students Amy Anna Graham, Emil Gunnarsson, and Amy Dixon, talked to us about their experience creating new art for The Hidden Gardens, working with our communities and exploring the therapeutic side of art.

Emil GunnarssonMelodic Embrace

Emil’s imposing chimes are positioned as the centrepiece of the Woodland Glade. The sculpture invites visitors to nestle inside its melodic embrace, find comfort and create tunes with a harmonious doming effect. The soothing harmonies of the chimes complement the birdsongs and prayer sounds from the nearby Gurdwara, perpetuating the idea of an aural sanctuary. Emil explains that he was inspired by his favourite book as a child, The Secret Garden, and the idea of a green safe space that inspires curiosity, playfulness and contemplation. The sculpture echoes Emil’s music upbringing, but veers away from his classical music training, using notes from the pentatonic scale, a musical scale associated with cultures from all around the world. Melodic Embrace offers an opportunity for visitors to come together and create impromptu compositions and new harmonies. As Emil mentions “The sculpture can be played from both sides by up to four individuals, this is a piece about collaboration”.

Amy Anna GrahamThis space is ours

Amy’s rotary sculptures emerged in the Woodland Glade like seasonal wildflowers. Her sculptures can be felt, read, and played, inviting visitors to unravel their hidden message like opening a scroll. The phrases unveil little by little: “L I S T E N T O T H E B I R D S”, “I F E E L T H E P E A C E”, revealing phrases that she collected while interacting with visitors of The Hidden Gardens and members of our community groups. Amy’s sculptures are created through a process of abstraction the artist has implemented in previous works. The sculptures use a signature phrase, denoting a ridge for each of its letters. The phrases are then repeated as mantras in an infinite circle. As Amy mentions this repetition is an important element of her art, it provides the comfort that “this space will continue existing like that forever, that the Gardens will always be here”. Amy has a very personal relationship with the Hidden Gardens. She was born on the year of the Gardens’ opening and has been a regular visitor ever since. She recalls herself hiding in a hole in our bamboo hedge, or laying down on the grass on a hot summer day, and chasing after the shadow of the ginkgo tree to escape the heat. “This has been a full circle moment for me”, she confides, “I would have never imagined myself exhibiting my work at The Hidden Gardens, especially on such an important year, as the Gardens’ 20th anniversary”.

Amy DixonAssorted Pottery

As you explore the edges of the Woodland Glade, keep an eye out for the delightful pottery pieces that dot the landscape. These beautiful creations are the result of a series of workshops led by Amy Dixon with members of The Hidden Gardens Men’s Group. Each of these whimsical pieces has a story to tell and reflects the individuality and personality of each participant. As Amy explains, she wanted to explore the therapeutic effects of pottery, while introducing a relaxing and deeply grounded activity to the group. Amy learned how to create pots by watching videos on YouTube, and ever since she has been passionate to share the craft in various community settings and make it more accessible. “It is such a satisfying and relaxing activity”, she says, “it reminds myself of the mud pies I was making as a child. It’s just so gratifying creating something from the earth”. Amy is now will creating a small publication that documents the creative process behind the development of the pots.

Play Along. At The Hidden Gardens’ Woodland Glade, Friday 31st March – Wednesday 5th April 2023

The Gardener’s Diary: April 2023

Spring is finally here with wood anemones, muscari and primroses blooming in the woodland and magnolia and plum blossom bursting out on the trees. Be wary of heavy showers and frosty nights, but there will be warm sunny days to get out and enjoy the garden. This is an exciting time to get on with […]

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Spring is finally here with wood anemones, muscari and primroses blooming in the woodland and magnolia and plum blossom bursting out on the trees. Be wary of heavy showers and frosty nights, but there will be warm sunny days to get out and enjoy the garden. This is an exciting time to get on with seed sowing, planting potatoes, taking care of your lawn and enjoying the birdsong.

Garden Updates

First cut and lawn maintenance

We have changed our lawn maintenance over the last few years with the focus on mowing as little as possible. Long grass is one of the most important environments for wildlife in gardens, and a lawn can be so much more than grasses. By making less frequent cuts and setting the blades higher, you will be surprised at the diversity of plants that are waiting to pop up, attracting a host of birds and insects. By gradually reducing the height of the cut as the weather gets warmer, the lawn will be a much healthier and more resilient green sward. We add all the clippings to our compost, mixing it well with dry, brown material such as twiggy branches or cardboard to stop it becoming a smelly wet sludge.

Bulbs

Some of the earlier bulbs are beginning to go over, and it is a good idea to spend some time deadheading to prevent the plant putting its energies into seed production rather than storage reserves in the bulb. It’s also important to let the leaves die back naturally to let the bulb store energy for flowering next year. Now is the perfect time to plant snowdrops and winter aconites ‘in the green’ as they are much more successful planted when growing rather than as a dried bulb in the autumn. If you have large clumps they can be lifted carefully so as not to damage the bulbs, gently tease apart and replant elsewhere to the same depth.

Crown imperial fritillary are stunning exotic looking bulbs flowering along the white seat border; so called because the petals hang down in a circle to form a crown. They are found in the wild across Turkey to India where they are pollinated by birds. A botanist working in Cambridge found that these flowers are pollinated by blue tits. Until recently, it was thought no plants in Europe were pollinated in this way.

Growing notes

Plant potatoes – First earlies

It’s time to plant out the ‘first early’ potatoes. These are the new potato varieties and we have been chitting ours for the last few weeks to encourage healthy shoots which give a head start to grow when planted out. If you don’t have a garden you can still plant 1 or 2 tubers in a large pot of compost. Plant in the bottom third of the pot and cover with compost, and when the new growth appears mound more soil up around the plants. This protects early shoots from frost and ensures new tubers aren’t exposed to light that can make them green and poisonous. Potatoes are hungry and thirsty plants so will appreciate well-rotted manure or compost. Don’t let them dry out.

Seed sowing and slugs and snails

We are stepping up seed sowing of hardy annuals and vegetables for the greenhouse and in the potager. We tend to start seedlings off indoors to give them a good start before planting out, where they have to face the munching molluscs and changeable weather. Slugs and snails are often regarded as gardeners’ enemies, but they are actually very efficient recyclers of vegetable matter. Unfortunately, they don’t really discriminate between a fallen leaf and a delicious young seedlings. There are over 30 species of slugs in the UK, and it’s not necessarily the largest that do the most damage. Most live in the soil and are a vital part of decomposition and nutrient recycling. So what can we do to stop us getting angry when we come across slugs and snails? Grow strong healthy seedlings in plenty of light without stressing them with temperature fluctuations, but don’t mollycoddle them and they will become strong and healthy and be able to survive the odd hole in a leaf here and there. Don’t over feed plants which makes them produce the soft sappy growth slugs love, and finally encourage predators into the garden to help you keep a healthy balance – thrushes and frogs, beetles, centipedes and hedgehogs all love a slug meal. Provide them with homes and shelters, avoid toxic chemicals such as slug pellets, and be tolerant of a wee bit of collateral damage here and there.

Nature notes

This is the month to look out for the first bluebells and cuckooflowers, and our wildlife areas have a carpet of wild garlic. Did you know that you can make delicious pesto with it? 

With the rising temperature, large queen bumblebees emerge from their winter hibernation and begin to forage for nectar-rich flowers to gather the energy they need for their activities. They then begin to look for suitable nest sites; old mouse holes, tussocky grass, birdboxes or garden sheds. We were delighted that this buff-tailed bumblebee seemed impressed with the mossy cavities within the log-filled gabions of the bee and butterfly border. When she has chosen her nest she will collect pollen to bring back to the nest, which she forms into a mound with the wax she produces, and lays her first brood of eggs.

The Gardener’s Diary: March 2023

March is the start of the meteorological Spring, but also brings some unpredictable weather – the old saying ‘in like a lion out like a lamb’ sums up the potential for frosts and snow, alongside mild sunny days! The big bonus this month is days at last extending into evening, and with the Spring equinox […]

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March is the start of the meteorological Spring, but also brings some unpredictable weather – the old saying ‘in like a lion out like a lamb’ sums up the potential for frosts and snow, alongside mild sunny days! The big bonus this month is days at last extending into evening, and with the Spring equinox on March 22nd daytime finally outweighs the night. The snowdrops are beginning to fade, but crocus and daffodils follow on, and the woodland flowers; primrose, wood anemone, wild garlic make the most of the light before the leafy canopy fills in above.

Garden Updates

Seed sowing has finally begun, although tentatively as it is still some time before seedlings will be able to survive outside, and if too many are started off now we will run out of greenhouse and windowsill space. We are starting with the greenhouse crops such as aubergine and chilli that need high temperatures to germinate and a long growing season. We will hold off from sowing tomatoes and cucumbers until later this month, then launch into the flowery hardy and half hardy annuals.

Outdoors, the flowery meadow annual cut has begun and we will assess carefully to ensure dominant plants are reduced and suckers of the vigorous blackthorn are removed. This is an exciting time to watch the various plants emerge and try to work out what is coming up before their flowers give them away.

Gardening for pollinators

Our series of Pollinator talks by Dr Miranda Bane have come to an end, but they have taken us to the start of the growing season and inspired us to consider all aspects of wildlife; whither in our own gardens, allotments, back courts or windowsills! In the final talk of the series, Miranda highlighted some of the practical things we can do for pollinators. We are all adapting to the way we think about gardens and urban greenspaces and realizing their importance, not just for our own health and wellbeing, but also for biodiversity, the environment and the changing climate.

One of the most important things we can do is banish pesticides from our gardens. By planning for healthy plants and soil, and using companion planting and beneficial plants, we can ensure pesticides are not needed, and the garden is a haven for pollinators and beneficial insects.

Studies are increasingly showing the importance of a healthy soil environment, with relationships between the plant roots and the soil fungi creating a protective area called the rhizosphere. By reducing the amount we cultivate the soil, using mulches and planting perennials, this relationship between plant roots and soil organisms is allowed to flourish. Adding a mulch of garden compost benefits the soil food web by creating a flow of nutrients from decomposing plant material back into the soil. The plant material is broken down by fungi and bacteria then passed through tiny microbes such as nematodes and protozoa. These in turn are consumed by beetles and earthworms, centipedes and spiders, opening up the soil structure and releasing nutrients back in a form available to the plants. Most disease causing microorganisms are anaerobic (living without air or oxygen) and are out competed and often consumed by beneficial aerobic microbes in a healthy well aerated soil. Above ground, a healthy plant will also release sugars and carbohydrates that attract beneficial microbes. Studies also show that healthy plants will release chemicals that deter pests, resulting in the pests moving on to attack weaker plants elsewhere. So healthy plants growing in soil rich in organic matter, and in a suitable climate, will not be susceptible to pests and diseases. If pests do come their way, the plants will have the strength and resources to fend them off.

Plants also provide a natural pharmacy for the garden. Companion planting has long been practiced and is an organic way of creating beneficial plant communities, where one plant is planted alongside another to provide protection from pest or disease. For example, when nasturtiums are planted alongside cabbages, the cabbage white butterfly lays her eggs on the nasturtiums and the caterpillars munch their way through these leaves rather than your cabbages.

Underplanting roses with a salvia from the microphylla or jamensis varieties, such as the Salvia jamensis ‘Hotlips’ grown here, will prevent mildew and blackspot due to release of a sulphorous compound from its leaves, particularly on a warm sunny day. Sulphur has long been used as a fungicide, but growing these pretty plants is a much more attractive option!

Tagetes or French marigolds deter whitefly and are the perfect companion for tomatoes and cucumbers. They release a voltatile oil, limonene, which repels these insect pests. Basil and other citronella scented plants are often grown to keep mosquitoes away but are also useful in keeping pests away from tomato plants and what could be nicer than a freshly picked tomato and basil salad.

Tagetes minuti is a tall variety of marigold with small insignificant flowers that is often grown to suppress perennial weeds such as ground elder. Its roots secrete a natural herbicide which, over time, will eliminate the weeds without reaching for harmful chemicals.

Homemade sprays are also useful and cheaper (often smellier though!) Garlic spray will deter aphids and can be made by blitzing a bulb of garlic with 250ml water, making up to one litre, leaving to settle before sieving and then spraying regularly as a preventative measure. Chopped chive spray will prevent powdery mildew, a common problem in dry weather. We have a susceptible apple tree as the wall it grows against creates particularly dry conditions, so I will be trying this out!

Preventing infestations is the best way of not needing pesticides. Fill your garden with as many beneficial insects as possible, and attract them in with an abundance of flowers; umbels such as dill, fennel, ammi and wild carrot for hoverflies and parasitic wasps; open flowered cosmos and dahlias for bumblebees and butterflies; herbs such as marjoram and thyme, lavender and sage. Native wildflowers are not only a great source of nectar and pollen, but are often the food plant for caterpillars of butterflies. Ground beetles, frogs, toads and birds will help to keep your slug and snail populations in balance, so don’t rush to clear the fallen leaves from your garden as they provide another layer of habitat for these valuable garden friends.

Nature notes

Activity is increasing in the gardens this month with so much to note in Nature’s Calendar, as each day bring new leaf buds and blossom. Blackthorn blossom appears before the leaves, with hawthorn leaves unfurling before may blossom. The cheery lesser celandines will be opening their star shaped yellow flowers to provide much needed nectar for newly emerging bumblebees and butterflies. Watching the tree bumblebees in the snowdrops and the buff-tailed bumblebees enjoying the crocus is a timely reminder of how important these early blooms are for wildlife in the garden.

The increase in bird song in the Gardens is notable, and we heard the first song thrush in the Gardens last week. Look out for blackbirds and bluetits collecting nesting material as they check out potential nest boxes.

The Gardener’s Diary: February 2023

Our Head Gardener Paula, recounts the many wonders of our winter garden in her nature diary, and inspires us to look more carefully and appreciate the beauty of nature all year long. “January has been a cold and wet month, but by the time we reach the end of February there will be a distinctly […]

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Our Head Gardener Paula, recounts the many wonders of our winter garden in her nature diary, and inspires us to look more carefully and appreciate the beauty of nature all year long.

“January has been a cold and wet month, but by the time we reach the end of February there will be a distinctly Spring like feel to the air with lighter evenings, bird song, the first bulbs colouring the borders and leaf buds bursting on early trees. Look out for the hellebores in the ballet border, the winter aconites in the wildlife area and the snowdrops lining the pathway up to the Xylotheque. 

Garden Updates  

We continue our winter maintenance jobs, with the annual cleaning of the greenhouses well  underway. Removing the algal growth and dirt that accumulates on the roof and walls will ensure the plants receive maximum light during the growing season.  

This is the time of year to prune many ornamental plants. This might be removing dead or diseased branches, restricting the size, improving the shape, or encouraging flowers, berries or fruit. Along the white wall border we have a variety of climbers, each with their own pruning needs. The Clematis montana will be left until after its spring flowering, following the old rhyme ‘if it flowers before June, do not prune’, but the wisteria needs the whippy stems cut back to 2 or 3 buds to ensure the flowers are not swamped by vigorous leafy growth. The branches of the espalier fruit trees are trained to grow horizontally against the wall, so we must limit pruning until the sap has slowed from July onwards. Too much pruning now will encourage the tree to put its energy into growing upwards instead of fruit production.  

Growing notes 

If you are planning to grow potatoes this year, now is the time to get your seed potatoes from a garden centre. These look just like supermarket potatoes but are certified virus free, important to reduce the spread of disease and ensure a good, tasty crop. Potatoes grow from sprouts that emerge from these tubers. You might be familiar with the spindly transparent sprouts that appear from potatoes kept in a dark cupboard, but if you expose your seed potatoes to light, they will produce strong dark sprouts that will ensure the potatoes get off to a good start when planted out next month. Choose an early variety if you plan to grow in a raised bed or a potato sack, these varieties will be ready to harvest sooner than main crop varieties and take up less space, giving you delicious new potatoes later in the summer. Varieties to look out for are charlotte, casablanca, red duke of york, and for something really different try the early maincrop variety ‘salad blue’ which is blue throughout and gives excellent blue mash! 

Towards the end of the month we will begin to sow chillies and peppers as they can take a wee while to germinate and they need a long growing season to produce fruit. We love lemondrop, a hot yellow chilli with a hint of citrus, and Alberto’s Locoto from Real Seeds for something a bit different with fuzzy leaves, purple flowers and striking black seeds. Chilli Pepper Vegetable Seeds to buy in the UK from The Real Seed Catalogue.  Sow seeds in a pot or tray of peat free compost and cover lightly with compost. Water and pop into a heated propagator or warm windowsill until they germinate. They can be potted up into their individual pots when they have their first set of true leaves. 

Nature notes 

Snowdrops are blooming in the gardens now, and the first blooms opened around the same time as last year despite the recent very cold spell. We are now watching the hazel catkins unfurl and getting up close to look out for the tiny red female flowers bursting from the stems. The blackthorn flower buds are swelling and might be flowering by the end of the month, along with leaves emerging on hawthorn and elder. Another early flower to look out for this month is the yellow coltsfoot, popping up in our flowery meadow as well as pavement cracks and nooks, standing out before the large crinkly leaves appear. Historically this plant was used as a remedy for coughs, colds and sore throats but, along with our early spring crocus and iris bulbs, it is also an important source of nectar for any pollinating insects emerging from hibernation on a milder day. 

Nature’s Diary: Notes, Tips and Thoughts from our Head Gardener

Our Head Gardener Paula, recounts the many wonders of our winter garden in her nature diary, and inspires us to look more carefully and appreciate the beauty of nature all year long. “We are beginning a new year, and the days are lengthening, even if it is by just a few minutes each day. Bulbs […]

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Our Head Gardener Paula, recounts the many wonders of our winter garden in her nature diary, and inspires us to look more carefully and appreciate the beauty of nature all year long.

“We are beginning a new year, and the days are lengthening, even if it is by just a few minutes each day. Bulbs are poking through the leaf litter and buds are beginning to swell on the shrubs. The blooms of the winter flowering shrubs are subtle – Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis) and Sweet box (Sarcoccoca confusa) along the white seat border – but both have the added bonus of scent to enjoy.  

Gardening tips 

This is the perfect time to prune gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants bushes, and make new plants at the same time. First, remove any dead or crossing branches then aim to open up the centre of the bush to allow air to flow, reducing the chance of disease and letting light in to ripen fruit. Prunings can then be used as cuttings to make new plants:  

  • Select nice straight stems about 10-20cm long and about a pencil thickness.  
  • Cut the top at an angle and the bottom straight across so that you remember which way up to plant it! 
  • Place the cuttings around the edge of a pot filled with gritty peat free compost, burying them deeply so only a couple of cm are above the compost 
  • They don’t need any extra heat, just put them outside somewhere with a bit of shelter, and leave them until autumn when they can be potted up individually 
  • Plant out in their final position the following spring (or swap with friends!)  

Nature notes 

Are you curious about what effect the recent weather has on wildlife, and does climate change affects timings in nature? Nature’s Calendar is a long running biological recording scheme that has been going since 1736, and it’s easy for everyone to take part. You will be helping scientists discover the answers to these questions while finding out what’s happening in your local area, from first snowdrops, to leaf buds bursting and brambles ripening.  

The website Nature’s Calendar (woodlandtrust.org.uk) is full of useful information and signs to look out for in January. We are eagerly watching our snowdrops poke through the leaf litter and they will be flowering soon (21st January last year, will there be changes this year?) Other things to look for in January are hazel catkins, elder leaf burst and singing song thrushes. 

Snowdrops at The Hidden Gardens

Growing notes 

It is very tempting to rush into seed sowing but light levels, air temperature and day length are still too low to grow strong healthy plants. Germination may be successful in a heated greenhouse or on a warm windowsill but the plants will struggle in the winter light and will become weak and leggy as they reach upwards in search of light. It is much better to spend some time planning and researching, leafing through catalogues and searching websites for ideas for the coming growing season.

If you are planning to grow some edibles this year, consider selecting open pollinated seeds, rather than F1 hybrids that result from years of inbreeding to produce a standard uniform crop. Gardeners and allotmenteers benefit from the slights variations found in open pollinated seed. This means not everything ripening and maturing at the same time (who can eat a row of cabbages all at once!), plants can adapt to varying weather patterns and a changing climate, and over the years collected seed will produce plants that are adapted to your own environment. You will also save on future seed purchases and you will have seed to swap or share with friends.  https://www.realseeds.co.uk and Organic Seeds – Vital Seeds – We help you grow food – Buy online now are both good places to start and offer loads of useful tips on growing vegetables and collecting seeds.  

If you are keen to get your hands dirty, there is still time to plant garlic as it needs a spell of cold to stimulate growth (which is why you shouldn’t keep your garlic in the fridge!). Buy garlic bulbs from a garden centre or online as supermarket bulbs can spread disease and may not be reliable to grow in this country. Choose cultivars suitable for Spring planting and look out for Hardneck varieties. Although they don’t store so well as Softneck cultivars, they have a stronger flavour and produce ‘scapes’ or flowershoots which can be harvested in early summer, excellent for making garlicky pesto! 

Cultural Cookery: Festive Recipes

Our workshop leader for Cultural Cookery, and cook extraordinaire Fatima Uygun, shares some delicious vegetarian recipes from all over the world, that will add flavour and colour to your festive dinner table. Jewelled Couscous Ingredients · 100 g couscous · 1 pomegranate · Water/stock or orange juice · Golden sultanas · Raisins · Pumpkin seeds […]

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Our workshop leader for Cultural Cookery, and cook extraordinaire Fatima Uygun, shares some delicious vegetarian recipes from all over the world, that will add flavour and colour to your festive dinner table.

Jewelled Couscous

Ingredients

· 100 g couscous

· 1 pomegranate

· Water/stock or orange juice

· Golden sultanas

· Raisins

· Pumpkin seeds

· Small bunch mint

· Small bunch parsley

· Salt and pepper

Directions

· Place couscous in a bowl add enough boiling water and or a mixture of stock or orange juice to cover the couscous plus approximately 1cm above the couscous. Then cover with a lid and allow to soak.

· When absorbed and soft add the rest of the ingredients and the seeds of the pomegranate and mix.


Festive Red Cabbage

Ingredients

· 1 red cabbage

· 2 apples

· 2 sprigs of rosemary

· 1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds

· 100 g dried prunes

· 1 orange

· 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

· Olive oil

Directions

· Trim off the base, cut the cabbage into wedges, then finely slice it and put aside.

· Peel, core and dice the apples.

· Add a slash of oil into a medium pan. Add the fennel seeds and diced apples to the pan, then tear in the prunes, removing any stones, strip the rosemary leaves into the pan

· Stir and fry for 2 minutes, then finely grate in the orange and squeeze in the juice.

· Add the vinegar, cabbage and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

· Cook with a lid slightly open on a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through.


Festival Apple Crumble

Ingredients

· 1.5 kg mixed eating apples and pears

· 100 g quality cranberry sauce

· 1 clementine

· 50 g unsalted butter , (cold)

· 100 g plain flour

· 50 g golden caster sugar

· 50 g flaked almonds or unsalted festive nuts

Directions

· Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

· Peel and core the apples and pears, then quarter and chop into 3cm chunks. Place in a pan on a medium heat with the cranberry sauce, then finely grate in the clementine zest and squeeze in the juice.

· Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes, or until the fruit has softened, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

· Cut the butter into cubes and place in a mixing bowl with the flour and a pinch of sea salt. Rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then scrunch in the sugar to add a little texture. Roughly chop and stir through the almonds or nuts, and crumble.

· Transfer the fruit to a baking dish and sprinkle over the crumble topping, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

· Serve with custard or ice-cream.

The stories behind our garden bulbs (Part II)

We have relied upon plants for food, medicine and their beauty since our time on this planet began. The plants in our gardens have many stories to tell about our history. Among the first flowers to appear in spring are bulbs like the daffodil and crocus. In summer, tall spikes of gladioli and varied forms […]

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We have relied upon plants for food, medicine and their beauty since our time on this planet began. The plants in our gardens have many stories to tell about our history. Among the first flowers to appear in spring are bulbs like the daffodil and crocus. In summer, tall spikes of gladioli and varied forms of dahlias make a vibrant cut flowers. In autumn, we plant more bulbs in anticipation of next year’s blooms.

Behind each bulb is a story. From the sunny daffodil to the tasty garlic, let’s delve into the history of some of our popular garden and edible bulbs.

Tulip

Tulip is the national flower of Iran, Turkey and The Netherlands.

Tulips are native to mountain ranges in central Asia, southern Russia, Turkey and Iran. They were cultivated in Iran from around the 10th century. The Ottoman Empire (also known as the Turkish Empire) really loved bulbous plants. Tulips were a prominent feature in their gardens, and they were skilfully cultivated to create different styles and colours.

In the 16th Century, European visitors to Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) saw gardens filled with colourful tulips and took specimens back with them. Europe soon followed the tulip craze and began cultivating new varieties. The Netherlands is now the largest producer of bulbs, including tulips, in the world.

Dahlia

The Aztec people of Central America grew dahlias as a food plant.

Native to Mexico and Central America, colourful and ornate dahlias are popular with gardeners and florists in Europe today. Long before dahlia seeds were sent to Europe, the Aztec people cultivated these native flowers for their edible tubers.

Dahlia seeds were first sent to European growers in the 1780s. They did not become popular as a food plant (they taste quite bitter) but they did become a fashionable flower. Today, you can find lots of different styles and colours – but they don’t like being left outside in our wet British winters

Gladioli

Gladioli flowers are native to Africa and the Mediterranean.

Tall, colourful flower spikes of gladioli make a lovely garden plant and flower bouquet. The gladioli we grow in Europe today derive from a mix of species native to tropical and southern Africa and the Mediterranean.

There are more than 250 species of gladiolus, and most of them come from Africa. In Africa, several communities use the corms of Gladiolus dalenii as food and medicine.

Bulbs from South Africa: Zantedeschia (calla lily), Nerine and Amaryllis are all native to South Africa.

Daffodil

A symbol of good fortune, the daffodil is often used in flower displays for the Chinese New Year.

From China and Japan to Europe and Egypt, the daffodil (Narcissus) has a long history as a cultivated flower. European traders took Narcissus tazetta (a white-flowered daffodil with a yellow trumpet) to China and Japan in the 10th Century. Daffodils are known as the ‘Good Luck Flower ’in China. Preserved daffodils were found in ancient Egyptian tombs.

Daffodils initially grew in the wild in western and southern Europe, but from the 1500s onwards, they began to naturalise in woodlands and fields around northern Europe.

Garlic

Humans have used garlic as food and medicine since ancient times.

The Qur’an, the Bible, and ancient Indian, Chinese, Egyptian and Greek texts, all mention the garlic. For over 3,000 years, Traditional Indian Medicine (Ayurveda) has used garlic. Lasuna, as garlic is called in Sanskrit, is prescribed for conditions such as cardiac diseases, fevers and worms.

Other edible bulbs: Onion (true bulb), ginger (rhizome), leeks (true bulbs), dahlia (tuber) and potato (tuber).

Crocus

The saffron crocus is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.

The crocus is mainly native to Europe and the Mediterranean, and there are around 100 different species. They come in a variety of colours, including yellow and purple.

Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) is one of the oldest cultivated plant’s in the world – it’s been used as a spice, medicine and as a dye plant since ancient times. The Minoans of Crete grew and traded saffron from as early as 1500 BC. Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, bathed in saffron-infused water. Buddhist monks used saffron to dye their robes yellow.

It takes around 170,000 flowers to produce a single kilo of saffron, making it the most expensive spice in the world.

Plant Journeys

Plants travel around the world with the help of water, wind, animals and humans.

Pilgrims, nomadic tribes, soldiers, traders, refugees, slaves, merchants, scientists and explorers carried plants and seeds with them as they travelled over the centuries. The movement of plants across continents changed medicine, agriculture, ecosystems and how we garden. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not.

Some plant collection practices through history did not consider the communities and ecosystems where the plants were extracted from, or where they are taken to.

Things are changing. Communities, growers, scientists and governments need to continue to have open conversations about the cultural and ecological impact of plant cultivation.

This blog is adapted from a bulb history activity created for The Hidden Gardens by writer and gardener Lynne Maclagan (former volunteer and garden assistant with The Hidden Gardens), and the artwork is by Alan Lyons.

The stories behind our garden bulbs (Part I)

We have relied upon plants for food, medicine and their beauty since our time on this planet began. The plants in our gardens have many stories to tell about our history. Among the first flowers to appear in spring are bulbs like the daffodil and crocus. In summer, tall spikes of gladioli and varied forms […]

More

We have relied upon plants for food, medicine and their beauty since our time on this planet began. The plants in our gardens have many stories to tell about our history. Among the first flowers to appear in spring are bulbs like the daffodil and crocus. In summer, tall spikes of gladioli and varied forms of dahlias make a vibrant cut flowers. In autumn, we plant more bulbs in anticipation of next year’s blooms. Let’s find out what bulbs are and how we can grow the most stunning floral displays out of them!

What are bulbs?

Bulb is a catch-all name for a group of flowering plants which have underground food-storage organs. These organs help the plant to survive through drought or cold. This group of bulbous plants includes: True bulbs, including daffodils, are mostly layered (like an onion) with a papery outer skin.

Tubers, including dahlias, have swollen stems or roots which are irregularly shaped.

Corms,including crocus, often look like true bulbs from the outside but when you cut them in half they are solid rather than layered.

Rhizomes, including ginger, are mostly swollen, horizontal underground stems.

Where to grow?

Most bulbs like a sunny location and a free-draining soil. They like to be lightly moist in summer, and not too wet in winter. You can grow them in sunny flower borders, pots and planters, and some, like crocus, will even grow in your lawn. Some don’t mind a little shade, like snowdrops and daffodils, and will grow under trees or around shrubs.

When to grow?

You plant bulbs when they are dormant. Spring flowering bulbs are best planted in early autumn. Tender summer-flowering bulbs, like gladioli, are planted in spring

Bulb Planting

Learn how to plant your bulbs properly, in four steps.

1) Choose

Consider which bulbs will best suit your planting position in the garden or the size of your container. Have fun too – pick flowers and colours you like!

2) Prepare

PLANTING IN THE GROUND
If you have a free-draining soil, use a bulb planter or trowel to dig holes for planting your bulbs in. If your soil is a heavy clay, dig in lots of compost or other organic matter, like leaf mould, to help aid drainage.

PLANTING IN POTS
Fill your pot with compost that best suits your bulb choice. Usually bulbs like a well-draining compost – a mix of peat-free multi-purpose compost and grit is a good start

3) Plant

• Plant your bulb at a depth of two to three times its length.

• Space the bulbs twice their width apart.

• Plant your bulb with the pointy end upwards.

Check the bulb’s packaging for specific planting details. If planting in pots, you can grow different types in one pot by layering them, placing deep planting bulbs, like tulips, in the bottom layer and working up.

4) Grow

In the growing season, feed and water your bulbs. Use a high-potassium feed (such as a tomato fertiliser) to encourage growth. Remove dead flowers

This blog is adapted from a bulb history activity created for The Hidden Gardens by writer and gardener Lynne Maclagan (former volunteer and garden assistant with The Hidden Gardens), and the artwork is by Alan Lyons.

A Greener Glasgow (Hyphen Magazine)

Last month, Hyphen Magazine, a new online outlet focusing on issues important to Muslims across the UK and Europe, visited the Hidden Gardens and interviewed our dedicated volunteer and member of staff, Saubia, and our chief executive Amanda. You can read their full interview here. The Hidden Gardens, also in Pollokshields, is one of Glasgow’s […]

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Last month, Hyphen Magazine, a new online outlet focusing on issues important to Muslims across the UK and Europe, visited the Hidden Gardens and interviewed our dedicated volunteer and member of staff, Saubia, and our chief executive Amanda. You can read their full interview here.

The Hidden Gardens, also in Pollokshields, is one of Glasgow’s longest-established community spaces. Set up in 2003 and funded by a mixture of public donations and charity grants, it welcomes thousands of visitors per year. What was once the site of a tram depot is now a tranquil garden, full of flowers, trees and lawns. A newer building on the site also provides space for classes and events.

Saubia Safdar got involved with the Hidden Gardens in 2012 through community cooking classes. She brought recipes from her native Pakistan to share with 12 other women, and learned how to make an array of dishes from elsewhere in return. Now she proudly uses recipes from Spain, Poland, Italy and Bangladesh at home. 

Safdar also works for the project, two days a week, as a cleaner, regularly attends classes and visits the garden on her days off. “The Garden helps a lot of people. It changed a lot of people’s lives. It changed mine, definitely,” she said.

Safdar is full of praise for the organisation, which she credits with boosting her confidence and allowing her to make friends from around the world. “When I first arrived in Glasgow, I had kids and didn’t really do anything. I was a mum, at home. Then, when my kids were in primary school, I thought, I need to do something, they’re growing up now.’ I started volunteering at different places and didn’t find one that was nice and friendly. When I came here, it was different,” she said.

“Most people, when they come to the UK, stay within their community. They are afraid to meet other people. One of the main problems is language. Places like here encourage people to integrate, especially the classes, the gardening group, the cookery. The environment is so good and friendly. Within a few days you are like, ‘OK, it’s fine, they are like us.’ Nobody laughs at you, nobody makes fun of you, people don’t make you feel you are less than them. They give you respect. That’s all you need.”

Amanda Patterson, chief executive of the Hidden Gardens, explained that a special effort was made to engage with locals from the outset. Over a period of 18 months, the charity spent time talking with and listening to the community about what they wanted from the space and what was missing in Pollokshields. 

“What was overwhelmingly coming back from the community was that green spaces didn’t feel safe, particularly for Muslim women,” she said. 

Concerns about racism when out in public, the need for women-only spaces and a lack of diverse voices in decision-making about public spaces were common. At design stage, it was decided that a fence would be placed around the Hidden Gardens and a decision was made to ensure that the space would be staffed at all times. Alcohol, smoking and pets are not allowed on the premises. 

“It makes sure that it’s a clean space and that it’s neutral for anyone to use,” Patterson said. 

The approach has worked. In addition to visitors, around 30 people volunteer on a regular basis to maintain the garden. Many are people seeking asylum in the UK and a significant number come to practise their English. Around 100 more locals help out as and when needed.