A huge congratulations to all the finalists in the Scottish Garden Design Competition which took place at Scone Palace Garden Fair at the end of May.
‘The Resilience Garden’ by Lizzie Pattinson won the Small Space Garden Design category, with ‘Find Your Path’ by Olga Runcie receiving a Highly Commended and the People’s Choice vote.
‘After the Fire’ by Jack Verren was the winner of the new, larger ‘Showcase Garden Design’ category. Voting for the People’s Choice in the ‘Showcase Garden’ category remains open until February 2026 as these larger show gardens will stay in situ in the Walled Garden at Scone Palace for 9 months, showcasing an evolution through the seasons.
Explore the history of modern garden design, the important role gardens play in all our lives, and find out how our outdoor spaces can shape a greener, more imaginative future in the new ‘Garden Futures’ exhibition open at V&A Dundee.
The exhibition highlights groundbreaking gardens by visionaries like Piet Oudolf and Derek Jarman, alongside innovative work from leading artists, designers, and landscape architects, such as Jamaica Kincaid, Duncan Grant, and William Morris.
Discover what the future of gardens could look like, and gain insight into the power of gardens and how our outdoor spaces can be part of a better world.
Lewis Normand of Bernhard’s Nurseries, and President of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, has been awarded ‘Most Influential Nursery Person’ in Pro Landscaper’s new Most Influential Nurseries awards.
Introduced to shine a light on the incredible work being done by nurseries around the UK, readers had the opportunity to vote for their favourite nurseries, as well as the Most Influential Nursery Person of the Year.
The magnificent flowering of the rare Puya alpestris ssp. zoellneri is happening right now at Logan Botanic Garden in Dumfries & Galloway, but you’ll need to be quick as the incredible blooms usually fade within a week.
The plant, native to Chile, bloomed for the first time at Logan in 2024, making it the first outdoor flowering of the species in Scotland. Then, it reached around four feet high, so experts at the Garden were astounded to find this year that it just kept on growing…and growing – with the flower spikes now reaching a mighty 12 feet high. The plant is already partially in flower, with more buds forming on the alien-like spikes.
With the common name of sapphire tower plant, the plant is distinguished by its wonderous combination of clusters of turquoise-blue flowers with vivid orange stamens and is located at the entrance to Logan’s Walled Garden.
Richard Baines, Curator at Logan Botanic Garden said, “I’ve been a horticulturist for over 40 years and the Puya alpestris is truly among the top three most spectacular plants I’ve ever seen in my career.”
Dalry Community Council and Propagate present a new and exciting project: The Glenkens Pollinators Project, which will see around 120 fruit and nut trees being planted across gardens and community spaces in the area to create a nature network for nectar loving insects to thrive, boosting biodiversity while creating edible landscapes.
They are looking for host gardens and places to plant the trees. Could you have space for a fruit or nut tree to welcome pollinators into your garden? More information can be found HERE but initial guidelines are:
Fruit and nut trees can get big, and each will need clearance of around 4-6 metres, depending on the variety.
Your space should be sheltered from strong winds for trees to thrive.
Ideally you will have a sunny spot, with at least 6 hours of light during the main growing season.
Pollinators need chemical free environments, so your garden should be wildlife friendly and not use Roundup or other toxins.
This project is funded by Scottish Power Energy Networks and the D&G Climate Hub.
A pilot Scottish Water scheme, aimed at mitigating the risk of flooding by capturing rainwater runoff from roofs before it enters the drainage system during extreme weather, has seen 31 water butts and 32 planters now installed at 53 properties in Prestwick.
Rainwater runoff from over 5000m² of roof area has been removed from flowing into the drainage system, reducing the risk of flooding further downstream, with plans to install monitors at two properties participating in the scheme to capture data on how effectively rainwater runoff is captured.
Project manager Max Currie said, “Incorporating nature-based solutions into the way we deal with flooding issues not only enhances the resilience of our communities but also offers a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to mitigating the impacts of climate change.”
Scottish Water is in the process of delivering a similar scheme in the Craigleith area of Edinburgh, with involvement from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
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