Fife Gardens - Glassmount House

Glassmount House * Fife

At the crest of the hill between Kinghorn and Kirkcaldy, overlooking the Firth of Forth is Glassmount House. It's in the book - SCOTLAND FOR GARDENERS by Kenneth Cox - and one of those places that I had not seen that I MUST see from just one look at this glorious Mackenzie and Moncur greenhouse.

Here is what others call densely planted and what I call wabi/sabi, authentic, bohemian. There are several sheds, a walled garden, topiary, yew hedges, rambling roses, a myriad of perennials, a fish pond, a painters studio, and more stacked firewood that I have ever seen together in one place.

Outdoor pavilions, small lawns and romantic views over woodlands. This is an artist's place. This is an original place where one can create and dream and organize their life in colour.

Created by Irene and James Thomson over 35 years ago and now attended by artist and gardener Peter McLaren petermclarenfineart.com

Here is the dream come alive.

Are we sure we are not in a Philip Pullman novel?

The Declaration of Independence was signed with ink made from this flower I am told. It is the Virginia Poke Weed.

Crail Food Festival - The East Neuk of Fife, Scotland

The easternmost tip of the East Neuk of Fife is the former Royal Burgh of Crail, population 1,812.

The weekend brought out the best of  Fife food producers, restaurants and caterers as well as plant sellers for charity.

Sample the hog roast, eat a burger, or smoked mussels, salmon salads, fresh prawns, and the famous Arbroath Smokies, a type of smoked haddock that is a specialty of the town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.

A lovely sunny day that turned grey and scattered rain about just as the smoker posed for the camera.

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/crail-p239091

1st Volunteer Day at Kellie Castle Garden Fife, Scotland

Today is my first day as a volunteer at the Kellie Castle Garden. I was captivated by gardens after visiting Sissinghurst recently and thought I could learn something right in my own back yard at Kellie.

This is how it looks, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

The long row of nepta - also known as catmints - beside the grassy walk is in full bloom and about to welcome in the delphiniums behind it. You can just see them coming in on the lower left hand of the photo. The flow of blooming colour soothes the soul.

So much changes each day in this lovely walled garden, part of the National Trust of Scotland.

 Apples beginning....just beginning. Remember we are so far north.

 The way the fern unroll and come alive each spring is breathtaking.

 Foxglove.

 This is my first job.

Pruning the roses along the border just outside the wall.

Where there are no buds, new growth be gone. I was rather timid at first, cutting off such long stems. But Andy told me to be ruthless as it's not that easy to make a mistake.







This is the view to the East.

This is the view to the West and the stables and Castle beyond.

From the walled doorway looking south to the Firth of Forth beyond. Edinburgh is just across the water.




Kellie Castle Garden. Place of Magic.










http://www.nts.org.uk/Visit/Kellie-Castle