‘April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks GO!’

April 24, 2023By Gordon CastleBlog, Gardening advice, Gifts 1 Comment
‘April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks GO!’
Christopher Morley ( John Mistletoe)

It certainly is all go for the gardeners and volunteers in The Walled Garden. Springtime means longer brighter days, when mother nature is ready to go, or should I say grow!! There is much to do, preparation and planting out continues apace.

It is important to prepare the ground by mulching and ploughing so the soil is full of goodness to feed hundreds of seedlings, all lined up in waiting by the greenhouses.

Already the potatoes are planted in the ground and next will be peas, garlic, broad beans and salads.

Davy has all but completed winter landscaping of paths and borders; just in time as weeds emerge; they wait for no man. Early weeding is a necessary job to prevent them spreading while planting out continues.

Tubs of spring tulips and daffodils in full bud await warm sun, then to burst into bloom.

The gardeners have been busy bending supple willow canes over and round them to create a protective dome which will support the flowers as they grow into flower. The young willow, sourced locally from Karen at Naturally Useful in Forres, bends easily into shape. May the sun be with us to encourage flower buds to burst into vibrant colour after cold days of winter and early spring!

The grass is growing too, and soon will be the first cut of the season to tidy the garden for Easter.

Over Easter week a Spring Trail invites visitors to explore the garden and on the 9th an Easter Family Fun Day with face painting and Easter egg hunt. It was such fun last year, a welcome return.

Nearer the end of the month a Gin School event on 29th April is a must for those who would like to create a bespoke gin to their own tastes!! Booking is essential as numbers are limited.

Book a session

For two weeks of Easter holiday, The Walled Garden shop is open daily from 11am till 4pm.

Keen gardeners and those looking for unusual gardening delights need search no further. flower trugs, gardener’s hampers, tempting seed packets, the tools with which to plant them and much more.

Scented pelargonium invite you to visit The Potting Shed shop.

The Café is open daily Wednesday to Sunday from 11am till 4pm.

Book a table

There is always a ‘happening’ in The Walled Garden as the garden awakes from winter slumbers each day new green shoots, blossoms emerge, flower buds burst into colour serenaded by the calls of resident nesting oyster catchers.

Henry van Dyke wrote: ‘The first day of spring is one thing, but the first spring day is another!’


We wish you all spring days to enjoy the hidden secrets of The Walled Garden.  All are welcome in this special place.

Easter Oat Cookies

This German recipe is quick to make and there will be plenty to share with friends and family over the holiday.
Makes 56 to 60

You will need:
200g butter or margarine
250g porridge oats
180g caster sugar
125g plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
Heat the oven to 180C ( 160C fan) 350F, Gas 4. Oil four baking trays. Melt the butter. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, mix in the melted butter then beat in the two eggs.
Deposit in teaspoons on the trays. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till crisp on the outside, but soft in the middle. Cool on a wire tray and store in an airtight container.
Drizzle with chocolate if liked.

 

Quick No-Cook Oat Bar
Makes 16

You will need:
175g  porridge oats
30g Pumpkin seeds
30g chocolate chips – milk, dark or white
60g fudge chunks or dried fruit pieces
150g Crunchy peanut butter
60g chocolate nut spread
125g golden syrup

Put the dry ingredients into a bowl. Melt the peanut butter, chocolate nut spread and syrup then mix into the dry ingredients. Press evenly into an oiled 20cm square tin. Chill to set, cut into bars and enjoy. To make a healthier bar replace the fudge pieces with chopped apricots or dried cranberries.

Kindly written by Liz Ashworth for Gordon Castle Walled Garden.

Life Changing Foot Balm

January 8, 2018By Gordon CastleBlog, Gifts No Comments

Our Herbal Foot Balm is causing a buzz – new year and soft tootsies seems to be paving the way! This little gem is a moisturising natural foot balm is made in Scotland and contains comfrey and pure essential oils of lavender and rosemary picked straight from the garden.

Part of our Gardeners Essential Beauty range, these are perfect for anyone with tired or sore skin in need of a little TLC. Brimming with natural ingredients and inspiration from Gordon Castle’s Walled Garden, the products are ideal for those seeking the natural healing properties of the garden.

Its natural properties don’t stop there – just take a look at the ingredients. Plus – no artificial fragrances, colours, parabens, glycols, sulphates or petrochemicals in sight!

Gordon Castle Herbal Foot Balm

Ingredients: *helianthus annus (sunflower),~symphytum spp. (comfrey leaf), *prunus dulcis (sweet almond), *cera alba (beeswax), *triticum vulgare (wheatgerm), *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary extract), limonene, linalool (from essential oils).

But you don’t have to take our word for it, have a read of a few reviews below.

“Can’t quite tell you what a life saver this is. I could barely walk my feet were so sore and cracked. The doctor told me it was plantar psoriasis so I was prescribed steroid creams which didn’t work. Then i tried blue light treatment. then onion oil from India, emu oil from Canada and so on – you name it I tried it! Finally I found this and it’s honestly a miracle. After one week (picture below) my feet looked completely different and I wasn’t in pain or itchy constantly. I now use it religiously every evening and go through about one pot a month. I’m not sure what it is about it, maybe the natural ingredients, but my goodness – please don’t ever stop making it!!” Lisa Simons  

Gordon Castle Herbal Foot Balm Results

“I live in Canada and a dear friend gave me this foot balm. I had tried every cream out there for my foot issue and this is the first one that actually has helped. ” Sandra Charron  

Discover the range and pave the way to baby-soft feet for only £8.95.

Gordon Castle Herbal Foot balm

Our Top 10 Favourite Festive Gifts

December 5, 2017By Gordon CastleBlog, Gifts No Comments

Our Top 10 Favourite Christmas Gifts

Christmas stocking fillers Header

Christmas, by definition, is a time for giving; whether this is with the time you spend with your family or in the beautifully wrapped present you gift to a loved one. We’re always on the hunt for those extra special Christmas gifts – an offering that is unique and personal to that person and really portrays how much you care. It’s not an easy feat so to make it easy, here are some of our favourites for this year!

For those who aren’t familiar, each and every one of our 289 products is inspired by our historical Moray walled garden. We grow the botanicals for our gin, the tomatoes for our chutney and the garlic for our oatcakes. We extract the previous pure, natural essential oils from the herbs and flowers to make our bath and beauty range smell divine. Best of all, all of our products are made in the UK (many just a few miles away) and they are all free of nasty artificial additives, colourings and fragrances.

Gordon Castle Gin Engraved Bottle Side

For gin lovers, this is a very popular choice. From Jo’s Favourite Tipple to ‘Mum’s Gin Hands Off’ Engraved Gordon Castle Gin is the perfect personalised present. Choose up to 10 personalised words and not only will the unique bottle go down a storm, the garden-grown botanicals means it will taste amazing! Plus once the gin has been merrily enjoyed, the bottle becomes a keepsake. Order by 20th December for Christmas delivery. Priced at £44.25.

Gordon Castle Tweed Rucksack Front

 

Not sure what to buy for the man in your life? Tweed has never been more in fashion and the Gordon Castle Scotland Tweed Rucksack is both rustic and stylish. The beautifully hand-crafted tweed mixed with the finest quality leather, meaning it is built to last, leads to an extremely classic and contemporary look. Priced at £300.00.

Gordon Castle Cider&Ale Trio

A keen craft brew enthusiast? Our Craft Cider and Beer Set contains our apple and pear cider, whisky cask cider and our traditional light ale. The cider is made using our very own pears and apples grown on the walls of the garden. The Ghillies Brew ale is a unique combination of the Estates own barley creating a perfect light Scottish ale. Priced at £8.50.

Gordon Castle Orangery Diffuser Set

For her, the Orangery Diffuser is top new favourite for 2017. Complete with the delightful smells of the mandarin peel and sweet orange essential oils from our Walled Garden, it will leave your senses energised. Priced at £24.00.

Herb Garden Relaxation Set

We absolutely love the Herb Garden Relaxation Set and it’s the perfect gift for busy mums and friends! Take some time to relax and unwind after the stress of Christmas with the scents of rosemary and thyme straight from our Walled Garden. The salt scrub will brighten and nourish dull skin and is created using cranberry seeds (no nasty microbeads!) Priced at £48.00.

Bubbly Afternoon Tea Gordon Castle Walled Garden

Treat your loved one to a delicious Bubbly Afternoon Tea at Gordon Castle Walled Garden in Fochabers. Enjoy a selection of homemade sandwiches, cakes and delights as well as tea or coffee and the obligatory bubbles! Priced at £18.95pp.

Feast Hamper Front

The Gordon Castle Feast Hamper will brighten up everyone’s Christmas. Packed with a range of delicious products to share with the whole family, from our cranberry sauce to the vanilla fudge, there is something for everybody to enjoy. Priced at £85.00.

Christmas Pudding Fudge Gordon Castle Scotland

The perfect stocking filler is the delicious Christmas Pudding Fudge which is crafted to a traditional Christmas pudding recipe. It is a sweet treat with a smooth, creamy consistency which will warm you up on a cold Christmas morning. Priced at £4.60.

Small Christmas Pudding with Plum Gin

Love Christmas puddings? So do we. So much so we have added our very own plum gin to this one! Christmas Puddings with Plum Gin An authentic Scottish recipe with a twist making Christmas lunch that little bit more delicious. Priced at £9.99.

Gordon Castle Miniature Gin Trio Christmas Gift Front

Another one for fellow gin fans and a new one for 2017, The Gordon Castle Gin Trio Set. Sample all thee of our gins – botanical, plum and raspberry – in handy 5cl miniature bottles. From making a raspberry rose gin and tonic using the delicious raspberry gin, to making classic martini – the options are endless. For just £17.95 it’s a perfect stocking filler too!

Why not discover our full Christmas range on our website – happy browsing!