COLUMNIST: THE CALEY
The Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, known affectionately as ‘The Caley’, was established in 1809 by a group of seventeen Edinburgh worthies at a meeting held at the Royal College of Physicians.
In a regular column for Scotland Grows, members of The Caley talk about the work of the Society in Scotland with gardening and gardeners.
Our new teaching garden at Saughton Park Walled Garden has now been operational for a full growing year so it is a great time to look back over what we have achieved. Beginning with a few keen volunteers and some strong guidance from our vegetable experts, our small plot has blossomed into a local destination for learning.
Our original objective within the teaching garden centred around the regeneration of soil, before filling the garden with as many vegetable plants of as many varieties as possible. Trying and testing varieties not always readily available within supermarkets, was crucial.
The teaching garden is divided into four main areas:
We attempted a seasonal planting structure, beginning with the preparation of the soil, soil temperature gauging, and the planting of some early crops in February and March. Onions and garlic were the first to be planted. Sets were planted in four rows and were well spaced to allow for growth. We grew several varieties of fast-producing spinach, lettuce, carrots, and peas. These provided results quickly and allowed a focal point for discussions.
Slowly, through the weeks, the garden blossomed into full summer with a variety of peas, beans, courgettes, and other vegetables. Visitors at this stage were enamoured with the young plants, many revisiting our garden in the following weeks to keep up to date with their progress.
In late summer, the fun noticeably increased. The seasonal harvest of produce drew a steady stream of children and their parents to visit, learning about how food grows and how it tastes fresh from the garden.
One key point of interest with younger children was the growth and development of peas. They were able to pick ripe pods straight from the plants, pop them open, and eat them. Many were extremely enthusiastic about this opportunity and found the discovery of the origin of their supermarket peas a confusing revelation.
Digging up potatoes was a huge treat that continued throughout summer thanks to the range of early, main, and late cropping varieties. Each lucky child received a bag of veggie goodies, that they had helped harvest, to take home. Growing seasonally has meant that repeat visitors continue to learn and try new crops in following weeks.
The huge success of the potato digging and crop harvesting around the plot has led to the development of a new family-based approach for next year’s main growing season. We hope to involve more children and excited adults with our garden and to teach them to grow, sustainably and seasonally.
We tried this year, as well as growing edibles, to cultivate an environment to encourage pollinators into the garden. These flowers helped our crop production, with courgettes, peas, and beans doing especially well.
We have four main objectives moving forwards:
The Caley Teaching Garden this year has provided a real opportunity to show a working garden, from planting until harvest, and we hope to increase the range of provision for next year.
Adults and children are welcome to stop by for a discussion and a tour of the patch during our regular volunteering hours on a Friday, and on our Saughton Sundays. Keep up to date with The Caley Teaching Garden, our events, and workshops online.
To donate £5 to our Caley Glasshouse Fund, text GLASS5 to 70450.
The Caley is always ready to welcome new members and offers a wide range of benefits in joining. From workshops and classes to talks and trips, there is sure to be something to interest anyone in Scotland with a love of plants and gardening. Find out more about joining Scotland’s National Horticultural and Gardening Society on their website.