Posts Tagged ‘gardening’
Gardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘The beauty of ragwort lies in what she gives to every other being’
Just the mere mention of Ragwort usually results in a mass frenzied response, with people grabbing their pitch forks, spray packs and any implement they can use to cut, pull or worse still, poison the plant. It seems to receive the automatic response, ‘it’s poisonous and will kill horses’. But let’s get a few facts…
Read MoreGardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘Mugwort was held sacred by many cultures and thought to be the oldest of plants’
Gardening columnist, Hamish Martin, on the ancient history of mugwort and how this plant can be used today. I feel a very strong association with this magnificent plant. I have never planted mugwort, but it has amazingly, always found me. Every house I have lived in this plant miraculously appears, from where I have no…
Read MoreGardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘Whenever I see Red Clover growing wild I can’t help but internally rejoice’
Let me introduce you to one of my favourite wild friends, Red Clover. Whenever I see it growing wild I can’t help but internally rejoice, it’s bright red flower acting like a beacon, pulling me in. I will always pick some and bring them home to make herbal health tea. It is so interwoven with…
Read MoreGardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘Mullein isn’t just amazing for us but it serves as a valuable resource for wildlife’
The sheer structure and standing of the truly beautiful Mullein flower means it stands head and shoulders above all the other plants – not unlike how The Eiffel tower must look surrounded by all the other buildings in Paris. It has a wide base, with large soft, velvety leaves, with a long spire growing up…
Read MoreGardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘St John’s Wort is magical in every sense’
There is no other plant that signifies the Summer Solstice like St John’s Wort. It is magical in every sense of the word, ancient, filled with tradition and healing. I always harvest the flowers on 21 June as its energies represent the sun in Celtic traditions. I harvest the flowers and fill a jar with…
Read MoreGardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘It is easy to see why gorse has always been so closely linked to the sun’s energy and light’
Gorse tends to start to flower early and can be seen even in March but it isn’t till May that it comes into full bloom when the hills look like a bright yellow explosion and the air is scented with its sweet subtle coconut aroma. There is a lovely saying that ‘when gorse is in…
Read MoreHamish Martin: ‘Nettle is fundamental to these lands’
This month gardening columnist Hamish Martin explains why nettle is so important to these lands. There is a visible excitement within me when the first nettles start to appear as they always fill my heart with joy, usually indicating that we have definitely arrived in Spring and that I can start to feed my body with the…
Read MoreHamish Martin: ‘Ground Elder is a staple food source in our family – and it has fabulous benefits for wildlife’
This month gardening columnist Hamish Martin explains why seeing the shoots of Ground Elder unfurl is a spring delight, as he explores the many uses of this versatile plant. The first signs of ground elder appearing in early March, may put a chill in some gardeners hearts but for this gardener, it’s a quiet internal rejoicing that…
Read MoreHamish Martin: ‘I have always been grateful for cleavers, it’s the best at getting rid of the nasties and supporting the immune system’
This month gardening columnist Hamish Martin explains the healing properties of cleavers, or sticky willie as most of us know them, and why we should recognise them as a friend. February seems like an odd month to look for cleavers, or sticky willie as commonly called due to the plant’s sticky tendencies, as it ‘cleaves’…
Read MoreMeet the couple leaving a lasting legacy for a rare tree species on Arran
A couple with a passion for the rare Arran Whitebeam has left a legacy for the island through their work to help save the native tree species from extinction. Henry Murdo who has lived on Arran since 1968 and Margo McLellan, a native Arranach, have been working with the National Trust for Scotland to share…
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