EDITOR'S WELCOME
Scotland Grows will be at Scone Palace Garden Fair right through the event so please do stop by our stand to say hello, and remember to bring your unwanted seeds and gardening books for our Seed & Book Swap which means you get to donate those seeds you know you will never sow, and those books you know you will never read again, and swap them for some seeds and books which you will sow and read - it's a win-win for all.
Salvias are always a garden show favourite and we've got salvias as our plant profile in this issue, as well as a look at what to do about tulips which do not reflower, how to plant for bees, seasonal plant picks from Rona Dodds, and a feature from The Meconopsis Group on the work they do as lovers of the big, blue poppy, as well as a deep dive into the beauty and longevity of Cretan pots.
If you sowed pepper seeds earlier in the year, Eli Appleby-Donald brings you the third instalment of her series on how to grow peppers this year, focussing in this issue on growing on and getting to fruit. And it's not too late to get sowing, we look at cut and come again salads, as well as showing you what to do with crops which are ready, like making a fruit kvass, mint tea, or using edible flowers for brunch, as well as highlighting Jordan Trainer's top houseplant picks for the kitchen to keep you company when you have to drag yourself away from the garden.
Looking across the country, Discover Scottish Gardens takes the chance to talk about National Trust for Scotland gardens, while the National Trust for Scotland explains more about the project they are currently undertaking to catalogue the plants in their gardens. The 91 years young Scottish Rock Garden Club tells us about falling in love with rock garden plants, and we hear about the excitement of the BISCOT botanical art show's return to Scotland.
Some of our favourite columnists apply their design principles to the garden and look at ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle, as well as protect plants naturally, make a pond in a pot if space is tight, and how to best use flowers in your summer parties.
We are delighted to carry an extract from Kim Stoddart's new book 'The Climate Change Resilient Vegetable Garden' on wildfire mitigation which is an increasing problem in Scotland in changing weather extremes (as well as a chance to win a copy), and we look at protecting yourself from sun exposure when in the garden.
Scotland Grows magazine features real Scottish gardeners, tending to Scottish gardens and allotments and showing you what grows well in them - we hope you find Issue 24 informative and inspirational!
M.T. O’Donnell
Editor
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