For sure. Useful to share. It just could be gardeners getting excited at a blank canvas and excited to share ideas. This thread is all about Scot - for Scot and what they need.
Without shelter @scotjam , you'll be continually picking bits of plants up - at almost any time of year, unless they're well supported. The bulk of our weather comes from the west, and it's windy a large part of the time. Anything flimsy needs good support, and the best, and cheapest, way to do that is with some shrubs. A mix of evergreen and deciduous, especially down that left side in your pic [which is the west] and maybe at the front edge, and that will give you winter interest. Add some perennials which suit and bulbs which suit the site. If you have early bulbs, that helps early pollinators, and then add suitable planting for the next few months, and go from there. The vast majority of perennials are good for insects of all kinds. You could mix some annuals in too - nasturtiums are one of the easiest, and you can retain seed for the following year too. You can certainly have some wildflowers, if that's what you like, but bear in mind that most like a poorer soil. Check with the site you mentioned at the start for the best ones to use, and take care with the siting of them. I'd agree that those prices are high. If you're at this end of the central belt, I can give you the name of a good nursery to visit. The most important thing is climate, for whatever you choose. Don't kid yourself that the last year of weather we've had is the norm for here, and bear in mind that plants don't get into growth as early here either, especially if you're at any altitude at all. I'm only at around 400 feet, and it's different here from gardens lower down in the same area. Good luck with whatever route you go down.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl just taken a look at McLaren's on line you are very lucky to have such a good nursery nearby. Here we have two huge Garden Centres that have prices to match. I think £5.49p for a bedding plant in flower is something to just walk past and ignore.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Have they updated the prices @GardenerSuze? They hadn't, the last time I looked, but a shrub in a 2 litre pot is usually around £8, from what I can recall since I was there recently. It varies of course, but compared to most outlets, they're very cheap. The bulk of their products are homegrown, and they supply lots of retail outlets. It's about 40 mins drive from me, which isn't a great distance. I used to live just along the road from it too. Very dangerous! There's no way I'd pay that for a bedding plant, but it's the old story - if people pay that price, they'll keep banging them out
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl One tomato plant £2.95 at this G C, same size plant at our local hard wear shop £1.00. Shrubs can be £12 upwards. Garden Centres have the magic ingredient, tea and scones that is why the non gardeners are happy to go too. I have a favourite nursey it is an hour away .Cup of tea and a bacon sarnie is all you get and then only on certain days. The guy who runs it refuses to give in to the G C idea and is an amazing plantsman. A rare breed.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Really appreciate all the help everyone's given so far. Here's a quick update in the form of a picture of where the front garden is at.
Wild flowers planted in the middle, I hope, or they could all be weeds And repurposed the old cobbles to make a wee boundary.
Thinking of repurposing red gravel I have as ground cover over the weed membrane (plan to lay cardboard beneath the membrane). Then thinking of finding some easy/low cost shrubs (and things) in the four corners to finish it. And there's a round slab in the middle of the circle where I plan to place a make shift bird bath (from a metal bin lid) on top.
Posts
A complete newbie
south facing in central Scotland
keen to use local plants and flowers
The bulk of our weather comes from the west, and it's windy a large part of the time. Anything flimsy needs good support, and the best, and cheapest, way to do that is with some shrubs. A mix of evergreen and deciduous, especially down that left side in your pic [which is the west] and maybe at the front edge, and that will give you winter interest. Add some perennials which suit and bulbs which suit the site. If you have early bulbs, that helps early pollinators, and then add suitable planting for the next few months, and go from there. The vast majority of perennials are good for insects of all kinds. You could mix some annuals in too - nasturtiums are one of the easiest, and you can retain seed for the following year too.
You can certainly have some wildflowers, if that's what you like, but bear in mind that most like a poorer soil. Check with the site you mentioned at the start for the best ones to use, and take care with the siting of them.
I'd agree that those prices are high. If you're at this end of the central belt, I can give you the name of a good nursery to visit.
The most important thing is climate, for whatever you choose. Don't kid yourself that the last year of weather we've had is the norm for here, and bear in mind that plants don't get into growth as early here either, especially if you're at any altitude at all. I'm only at around 400 feet, and it's different here from gardens lower down in the same area.
Good luck with whatever route you go down.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
a shrub in a 2 litre pot is usually around £8, from what I can recall since I was there recently. It varies of course, but compared to most outlets, they're very cheap.
The bulk of their products are homegrown, and they supply lots of retail outlets.
It's about 40 mins drive from me, which isn't a great distance. I used to live just along the road from it too. Very dangerous!
There's no way I'd pay that for a bedding plant, but it's the old story - if people pay that price, they'll keep banging them out
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have a favourite nursey it is an hour away .Cup of tea and a bacon sarnie is all you get and then only on certain days. The guy who runs it refuses to give in to the G C idea and is an amazing plantsman. A rare breed.
Wild flowers planted in the middle, I hope, or they could all be weeds
Thinking of repurposing red gravel I have as ground cover over the weed membrane (plan to lay cardboard beneath the membrane). Then thinking of finding some easy/low cost shrubs (and things) in the four corners to finish it. And there's a round slab in the middle of the circle where I plan to place a make shift bird bath (from a metal bin lid) on top.
Welcome any suggestions / thoughts...