Moosey News : August 2007

Dear Subscriber,

I've been busy pruning my three hundred existing roses, as well as cramming new ones into my car. The Moosey hands (and legs) are getting just a little scratched. Oops.

This month's features :

  1. Singapore's Botanic Gardens
  2. Abriachan Garden and Nursery
  3. Ginger Gardening Cats
  4. A Restored Victorian Arboretum
  5. Inverewe - The Most Famous Garden in Scotland

Regulars :

  1. Plant of the Month : Blue Himalayan Poppy
  2. Animals of the Month : My Three Foster Kittens
  3. Garden Quote : Foliage
  4. Garden Gallery : Bee on a Thistle
  5. Forum Focus : Bits and Pieces
  6. Gardening Advice : Fat and Thin, Up and Down.
  7. Searching for Moosey : 'castle cat'
  8. Coming up this month : Is it too early for spring?

This month's features

1. Singapore's Botanic Gardens

I've written four pages about my visits to the Singapore Botanical Gardens. You'll enjoy seeing the plants and trees, and the wonderful orchid collection. The pages are full of heart, enthusiasm, and photographs - if not information.

2. Abriachan Garden and Nursery

Abriachan was the very first garden I visited on my recent trip to see the wonderful gardens of Scotland. It's private, humble, and brochure-less, all of which make it rather special.

3. 3. Ginger Gardening Cats

I've written a short story about ginger gardening cats, to celebrate the anniversary of dear departed Smoocher.

4. A Restored Victorian Arboretum

Here is the first article I've ever written where I've really tried to use the proper names of plants - or, in this case, trees. It's about my visit to an Arboretum called Leckmelm, in Scotland.

5. Inverewe - The Most Famous Garden in Scotland

Still in Scotland, this is the story of my visit to the most famous Scottish garden, Inverewe. And before anyone asks - yes, it was well worth travelling thousands of miles to visit!

Regulars

6. Plant of the Month : Blue Himalayan Poppy

I love these flowers, but as yet I don't grow any. They were definitely the plant of the month in the Scottish gardens I visited!

7. Animals of the Month : My Three Foster Kittens

The three new kittens, Histeria, Percy, and Lilli-Puss have become super friendly, especially by the winter fireside when the log burner is going. Where's the 'wild' gone? And what about the word 'foster'? I'm afraid they're here to stay...

8. Garden Quote : Foliage

I had this revelation after visiting Arduaine, yet another of the famed West Coast gardens in Scotland. It concerns hostas.

9. Garden Gallery : Bee on a Thistle

Two gardens on the Isle of Skye grew these beautiful maroon thistles in their perennial gardens - the perfect opportunity for some colourful bee photography.

10. Forum Focus : Bits and Pieces, North and South

It's a 'bits and pieces' time for the forum. Northern friends are busy enjoying their summer flowers, while others are busy in their mid-winter clean-ups. When we have time, though, we all love writing about our gardening experiences.

11. Gardening Advice : Fat and Thin, Up and Down

My advice is to myself, and concerns planning the positions of plants according to their shape and growth style. Seems so simple - so why do so many gardeners (like me) think that they know better?

12. Searching for Moosey : castle cat

castle cat
Hee hee. I met a real, live, furry castle cat in Armadale, on the Isle of Skye.
my own garden castle
In my own garden I have a castle, and a cat, separately....

13. Coming up this month : Is it too early for spring?

Is it too early for spring? Hopefully it's too late for any nasty snow storms, like last year. I will start sowing my seeds in the glass-house this month. I will. I will. I promise I will.

Cheers,

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