The honeybees are busy in the Walled Garden at Crathes on these sunny February days. From the great diversity of plants they find a good selection of flowers to provide pollen and nectar. The bees belong to the Aberdeen and District Beekeepers’ Association who have an apiary beside the carpark. Soon the honeybees will beContinue reading “Good news for dragonflies”
Author Archives: smbenno2003
What’s in a name – Lamont and Menzies?
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’ is looking good in this mild weather. Although it doesn’t mind the snow the flowers can turn brown with a sharp frost. Charles Lamont was an assistant curator at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). In 1933 he was experimenting with crossing Viburnum grandiflorum with Viburnum farreri (previously V. fragrans).Continue reading “What’s in a name – Lamont and Menzies?”
Sycamores can be a nuisance
Routine work continues in the erratic weather with tidying of beds, regular pruning and pot washing. The bothy and glasshouse four are being painted. Goodness knows how long since the bothy was painted – it’s only for gardeners – but as a rule one glasshouse interior is painted each year. Contractors do the exterior paintingContinue reading “Sycamores can be a nuisance”
Hollies are not just for Christmas
Although the garden was ‘put to bed’ by November, there is a hive of activity during these winter days. Leaf clearing, compost spreading and pruning has begun and will carry on until spring arrives. Bulbs have been planted and plants and seeds have been ordered. Whilst the abundance of herbaceous flowers is gone for theContinue reading “Hollies are not just for Christmas”
Notes from Crathes 