Posts by Kenny Smith
Huge bonfires let us make our perfect garden
When artist Val Leckie and her husband, violin maker Paul Bowers, moved into their flat on Edinburgh’s Eglinton Crescent in 1997 they set about creating their perfect garden. It was completely derelict,’ says Val. ‘We had to have several huge bonfires.’ As the walls of the garden emerged, the couple discovered an extra ten feet…
Read MoreMake the most of your garden – by starting work now
March is truly the start of the new season for gardeners. The weather improves, soil warms and drifts of bright yellow daffodils proclaim that spring is here. Dobbies resident gardening expert, Louise Golden, explains how to get your garden into shape for the months ahead: Whatever the size of your outside space, there are plenty…
Read MoreLizzie’s retiral is marked with a special dram
Scotland’s first female operator in malt distilling celebrated her retirement last week and Diageo marked the occasion in a rather ‘neat’ way. After 31 years’ service at Dalwhinnie Distillery, working in the warehouse, mash house and the still house Liz Stewart – or ‘Lizzie’ as she’s known – is hanging up her distillery operator’s overalls…
Read MoreNew whisky fusion set to be big down under
The team behind a series of innovative whisky blends have unveiled their latest creation – a pioneering fusion of Scotch and Australian whisky. And they say that the unique whisky will be the first whisky to use new Blockchain technology to demonstrate its provenance and authenticity. Called The Brisbane, in honour of the Scot who…
Read MoreJenny’s studio is a haven of beautiful paintings
Buildings hold a fascination for artist Jenny Hunter. From a tumble-down bothy in Aberdeenshire to the golden elegance of a Venetian palace, she is drawn to structures, and intrigued by their history. When she is out and about, Jenny’s love of old buildings can take her scrambling over obstacles or hiking through the undergrowth to…
Read MoreArtist Gordon has enjoyed his brushes with success
During his tenure as principal teacher of the art department at Moray’s Buckie High School, Gordon Mackie turned to painting as therapy. ‘I was one of those 24-hour teachers and someone said to me, “for God’s sake, Gordon, you’re a good painter, get back into it!” so I set up in the classroom and started…
Read MoreLooking at the sad decline of Scottish kestrels
I have long had a soft spot for a creature that was once our most common bird of prey. And I came across one again recently, shut in a boiler room at the Aberfeldy Distillery – a dapper little male kestrel. As thin as a wraith, it weighed less than four ounces, when normally it should…
Read MoreTales of the riverbank as beavers pose a problem
As beavers continue their rapid colonisation of Tayside, Strathearn and Strathmore, seeping their way effortlessly into river systems, there is growing disenchantment amongst the farming fraternity, and mounting worries about how to deal with the issues arising daily. Whilst on the one hand, conservationists and many members of the public are ecstatic about the beaver’s…
Read MoreConservation and hunters co-exist at the Caerlaverock estate
Ancient woodland, mud flats and mashes, swirling sands and salty sands – just part of what make the Caerlaverock Estate in Dumfries and Galloway so special. Home to an unusually harmonious mix of man, beast and fowl, is living proof that hunters and conservationists can co-exist. With tensions between the often conflicting pursuits widespread, the…
Read MoreAn exhilarating stalk on Uist still needs traditional skills
Alistair Matheson, the Gaelic bard, once wrote in praise of Uist and its wildlife. ‘Thugaibh leam le uaill gu fonnmhor, Oran,s fonn do thir mo ghraidh, Uibhist riomhach nan damh donn’ ‘Come with me with pride and cheer, With music and song to the land of my heart, Bonnie Uist of the red deer’ Considering…
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