Scottish Wildflowers

[ThistleDown]

With a smile, Mark One day we'll do a walk-about some gardens in the Highlands, what say? Attadale, Pitmuies, Dalcross (sneaking in).... Oh, and of course, the Moy herb garden.

Rex

[CopperNGold]

It's been so frustrating trying to find plants that will withstand the wind and salt air here. After a good storm, it's not unusual to see the locals rounding up their planting pots and lawn furniture that are strewn across the beach. That's morning recreation here. It does make for some nice, neighborly beach chats, though! I once found my big gas BBQ about a haf-mile down the beach, and it had been anchored (to the wall with a chain) for the winter! We get to know each other's posessions. Woosh! "Ah, there goes Bill's sawhorse again." Kind of fun, and nobody really wants to put these things away for the winter. What's the sport in that!

[ThistleDown]

Coastal living, its challenges and fascinations, CopperandGold. There are some wonderful books on gardening in that environment, aren't there?

[CopperNGold]

Yes, there are some great books. The other difficulty is the blazing heat in the summer in the afternoon from about 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. I'm working on an herb garden that will withstand all the above conditions. So far, rosemary works best, and I am going to try to do an indoor garden off the kitchen mudroom this spring, and a rockery herb garden in a shaded area at the back of the property that gets some shade and dappled sunlight.

[Bugbear]

Yes, there are some great books. The other difficulty is the blazing heat in the summer in the afternoon from about 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. I'm working on an herb garden that will withstand all the above conditions. So far, rosemary works best, and I am going to try to do an indoor garden off the kitchen mudroom this spring, and a rockery herb garden in a shaded area at the back of the property that gets some shade and dappled sunlight.

I was going to suggest rosemary, but I wasn't sure what your winters are like. Asparagus should do well, but there aren't flowers. You can let some of them fern out though. Like I said, it's your winters that I'm not sure about with the salt tolerant plants I know from down here.

[CopperNGold]

I'm going to try asparagus! Hmmm, rosemary and asparagus. Sound like a great lamb dinner coming up soon!

[Bugbear]

I'm going to try asparagus! Hmmm, rosemary and asparagus. Sound like a great lamb dinner coming up soon!

I suggest looking up instructions on line from your local university or county agriculture extension. There's a bit you would need to know about planting and cultivating asparagus, but it can be a very interesting garden plant that also provides dinner items. My grandmother had several in her flower bed.
Good luck.

[ThistleDown]

Quite remarkable what will grow where, isn't it? I have a cousin who, on the high south bank of the Tay in north Fife has a ten-foot high hedge of that Mediterranean herb, rosemary, and my wife's grandfather had a large plot devoted to aspargus -- in the Swiss Alps.

[ThistleDown]

Duplicate post

[CopperNGold]

Good idea about researching with the county extension office. All I know about growing asparagus it that it's grown standing up!