Helensburgh & Gareloch Horticultural Society

Days in June are very long and should be relatively warm so growth in the garden is exuberant especially in a wet area like Helensburgh. Tips for June - Towards the end of the month, first early potatoes may be ready. This should be when the flowers open, or scrap around the top to feel the size of tubers. They should be about the size of an egg. - Water your potatoes if the weather is dry. - Continue to hoe regularly around the garden and in between the crops already sown. G

Enjoy the garden and all the produce that is ripening. Late summer and the days are shortening. Plants will become less demanding in their need for water. Tips for August - Harvest crops as they become ready. First and second early tatties should be harvested and stored in a cool dark place. Main crop tatties can be left until September, unless they are being damaged by slugs or the like. - Peas and beans should be harvested in their prime and if they are not eaten, stored, p

Hopefully there are more days to sit out in the garden and enjoy the results of your labour. Also, vegetables and fruit should start cropping. Tips for July - Crops such as early tatties maybe ready. Start feeling down below the shaws and see if they are large enough to harvest. If they are too small leave them until they are about the size of an egg. Other crops that are ready are lettuce, courgettes, (pick small and often) soft fruit like the currents and gooseberries. Mayb

The final summer outing for this year was to Jupiter Artland. It is an amazing place with many fantastic sculptures. Our guide was excellent and explained that the owners Robert and Nicky Wilson encourage artists to choose where they want to position their sculptures in the woodland. As you arrive there is a Charles Jenks sculpture. We were lucky enough to see the International Exhibition by Joana Vasconcelos who had created a shoe from pots and pans and a sculpture from red

On a cloudy but dry August 21st, we set out on our penultimate garden visit of the year, stopping at Uplawmoor Hotel for coffee and scones, then on to our first visit of the day to High Fulwood garden near Stewarton in Ayrshire, owned by Mr & Mrs Illsley who welcomed us most warmly and after informing us of what we were about to see, left us to wander freely though always on hand to answer any questions High Fulwood consisted of four acres, two being of fairly young deciduous

Following on from an amazing June and July, August has seen a return to the changeable weather we are more accustomed to on the west coast of Scotland. We have seen rain and wind, and the air now has a real hint of Autumn and the next season to come. However it is mild, with long(ish) days, and with some sunshine we are very much still in the growing season, as all the plots on the allotment show. During the month of August, onions have been pulled and potatoes dug. Beans, co

We sallied forth on Wednesday, the 18th to see Wormistoune Garden and Kellie Castle; two gardens that have much in common: both built around historic and noble edifices, both with traditional elements, surprises and peaceful neuks. Wormistoune was a delightful surprise. The property is in private ownership, owned by James and Gemma McCallum, and lovingly restored. The garden also is very obviously a labour of love. Katherine Taylor, the head gardener exuded the joy she and he

July is often known as the month where gardeners can reap the awards of all the hard work earlier in the year, and I’m glad to say that this is true of our allotments this month! With most of the month spent in a heatwave, the few individual days of rain have been much welcomed and provided a growth spurt needed for plants. There have been huge crops of strawberries and blackcurrants, in addition to peas and courgettes. Broad beans are ready for the picking and tatties are be

Well, what a stunning month June has been on the west coast of Scotland, summer arrived with long days packed with sunshine. However it has brought its challenges down the allotment, with June arriving and departing with record high temperatures, sunshine and no rain, and during the middle of the month mother nature came back in avengence with Storm Hector. June saw a slow start for newly sowed seeds, with not enough rain to help germinate. But that changed with the rain that