Scotland Grows magazine is once again proud to support the Fair as Media Sponsor and our editor, M.T. O’Donnell, caught up with Head Gardener at Scone Place, Brian Cunningham.
This two-day “gaitherin’ o’ the gairdners” aims to celebrate all that is brilliant about Scottish gardening and horticulture, featuring many of Scotland’s great plant nurseries, garden centres, gardening groups and societies, plus so much more! Both attendees and exhibitors have fed back that the set up and atmosphere allowed for thorough engagement with each other.
Set on the main lawns under the shadow of the Palace and only metres away from Moot Hill, where the Kings of Scotland were once crowned, the grounds are full with marquees crammed with plants, outdoor furniture, garden related gifts, information on gardens to visit, and specialist interest groups to join like the National Vegetable Society and the Scottish National Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society. Not only can you receive invaluable advice from their members, you can also buy plants grown by these experts.
Scotland is blessed with many beautiful gardens to visit, and we also have the ever-friendly teams from Discover Scottish Gardens, Scotland’s Garden Scheme, and the National Trust for Scotland who can tell you about the gardens open under their care.
Maybe most importantly, the Garden Fair offers the greatest collection of gardening minds this country has to offer all together in one spot and all keen to pass on and share their hints and tips. What more could a gardener want!
Yes, a new introduction to the Garden Fair last year was our Potting Shed speakers’ tent where expert plantsmen and women enthralled audiences with their stories and advice on everything from peonies and dahlias, to plastic-free gardening and using discarded fishing rope to make plant pots.
Attendees on the Friday rolled back the years to a Gardener’s Question Time treat with Carole Baxter and former 'Beechgrove' presenter Lesley Watson, as well as George Anderson’s invaluable advice.
There is of course, a similarly wonderful programme of speakers in the Potting Shed this year, as well as panel events featuring Beechgrove’s Carol and George on the Friday, and Kirsty Wilson and Calum Clunie on the Saturday.
Personally, I cannot wait for the results in this year’s final of our Scottish Garden Design Competition aimed at design students, gardeners, landscapers, and anyone else who wishes to showcase their talents.
The judges, and all of us, were blown away by the standard of gardens produced last year. Hopefully it showed Garden Fair attendees how glorious gardens can be achieved in as little as a 2.4m (7ft 10in) by 2.4m (7ft 10in) space. Thousands of attendees voted for their favourite garden in the People’s Choice Award and will be given the opportunity to do so again this year.
There is, alongside some new nurseries and exciting exhibitors joining us for the first time this year, and an extended offering for our junior visitors, we are finalising a practical demonstration programme which will take place in the 220-year-old walled garden.
The Palace gardens team are at the very beginning of the latest incarnation of the historic walled garden which will be open to the public for the very first time this year. Cut flower beds, an apple orchard of pyramid trained trees, a formal garden, and Siberian Iris plant collection are some of the projects that have started in the last couple of years for visitors to view for the first time.
Well, I might be a little biased! The entry fee to the Fair also allows those attending a chance to explore the whole 100 acres of gardens and grounds. I would definitely recommend visiting the Walled Garden as the gardens’ team start to infuse it with life, so you can compare how it progresses over the next few years. The Kitchen Garden, Victorian Pinetum, Murray Star Maze, and Douglas Pavilion are all linked by walks planted with rhododendron, philadelphus, and other shrubs and perennials which might inspire your own planting combinations at home, so it is well worth taking advantage of being at Scone Palace and exploring the grounds.
There is a Plant Creche at the Garden Fair, manned this year by The Caley so they will look after your plants while you take a walk around the gardens, or shop for more plants or garden accessories.
Set on the main lawns with the Palace as a backdrop, the blue skies and sunshine could not have made the setting any more spectacular for the first two Garden Fairs. Of course, the weather can be a factor for many but don’t worry, I have already made steps to make sure a sunny weekend will be had: the very first thing we did was ensure that George Anderson was booked up, that way we can guarantee he will borrow the sun from Sunny Joppa that weekend (disclaimer - it’s Scotland!).
Exactly, and Scone Palace itself will be open for tours so if you have never been inside before, you can top-up your ticket at the gate and take shelter inside the Palace for a bit.
Oh, and there is a sparkling wine tent this year too, so you could always hide in there from a shower or two!
It is, situated in the centre of Scotland, just outside Perth, we are easily accessible by road and public transport to attract gardeners to come from all over the country and within a reasonable time: Edinburgh is 50 minutes away, Glasgow 1 hour 20 minutes, and Inverness and Aberdeen are just 2 hours away.
That's right. We hope we have something on offer for everyone for the oldest to the youngest gardeners, and look forward to again welcoming many Scotland Grows readers to the Fair.
Running on both Friday 31st May and Saturday 1st June 2024 from 10am-4.30pm, Scone Palace Garden Fair is shaping up to be an amazing event again this year! Tickets are on sale at www.sconepalace.co.uk.