In a few short weeks the garden has transformed into a hive of activity; bees buzzing, the hum of chat as visitors enjoy wandering around the grounds. The gardeners delighted to be harvesting – harvesting – harvesting almost non-stop!
When colder weather turned to warmer days mother nature responded with alacrity, producing as if by magic, a cornucopia of garden produce.
There are vegetables and fruit in abundance, a feast indeed.
Beetroot, cucumber, tomatoes, peas, distinctive purple shiraz mangetout, green beans, runner beans, kales, salad vegetables, cabbages, broad beans, artichokes, chard, courgettes, spring onions, small marrows, an almost endless list.
Don’t forget new tatties! Of which there are several varieties from heritage to more recognised names, all dug fresh each day.
Soft fruit bushes are laden with gooseberries, black and red currants, raspberries , blackberries, brambles and the apricot trees growing tall in the shelter of the garden wall are laden with golden fruit. Plums are ripening in the warm sun with some early ones ready to eat.
In the large greenhouse trusses of ripening tomatoes hang in profusion from the plants there, the atmosphere pervaded by the aromatic smell of basil growing nearby. Cucumbers are growing well and in the small greenhouse a feast of sprouting chillies watch over a promising crop of ripening melons.
And the flowers! ‘Oh’ the flowers! The trial cut flower beds are very successful this year, larkspur, agapanthus, dahlias, cosmos such unusual vibrant colours!
In the gardens flowers of every shape and hue are in full bloom filling each possible space; familiar names like sweetpeas, roses, gladioli, nasturtiums and more besides.
The wild flower meadows sway in the gentle breeze and the lavender beds, a sea of purple, home to happy bees and a surprise display of rustic garden pottery by Jenny from Burnbank pottery at Kingston nearby.
The Potting Shed shop is filled and re-filled hour by hour supplying freshly harvested fruit and vegetables as the gardeners do their best to keep up with demand. Mhairi has even found time to make exquisite fresh flower bouquets and of course there are still bunches of Gordon Castle Sweet peas, a true scent of summer..
Enjoy a freshly prepared snack or light meal in the café which serves fresh garden produce as much as possible!
Stroll round the garden filled with summer scents and sounds then buy fresh fruit and vegetables to take home and perhaps a bunch of garden flowers to keep memories of a lovely day alive.
Kindly written by Liz Ashworth for Gordon Castle Walled Garden
