Page 51 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2025

North of Scotland DA
As I am writing this update (January) , we in the North have just come out
of the grip of a very cold spell with members reporting temperatures down
to -15oC in some areas, that coupled with heavy falls of snow, it has proven
a challenging time for members. If that was not enough, we are about to
endure the wrath of Storm Éowyn which no doubt will result in glass out of
greenhouses and poly tunnel covers ripped to shreds.
By the time you are reading this, we will have held our D.A’s Annual General
Meeting which is scheduled for 25 February 2025 at the Chieftain Hotel, Inverness.
Where we also plan to run the slides of the 2024 Scottish Branch Championships
and National Championships and enjoy members discussion.
With the National Championships being held in Ayr this year it is hoped that
members of NoSDA will have several entries at the racecourse. Also, on the
back of members showing at the Scottish Branch Championships it is hoped
that members will again head South to Dunfermline on the weekend of 13/14
September. Our own DA show would normally be that weekend, however we
are hoping to rearrange it for Sunday 31 August if our sponsors Simpson Garden
Centre Inverness can accommodate us.
Our secretary, Peter Fitch, has continued with the production of our DA
“newsletter” which provides an update on our meetings and a collection of
useful (or otherwise) articles that he has come across during his meanderings
through various magazines and web sites. This always provides us with a chuckle
and helps stimulate conversation at our meeting and keeps our spread-out
membership informed.
Wishing you all a happy and successful 2025 season
John (Hoss) Martin, NoSDA Chair
Dundee & East of
Scotland DA
We are looking forward to our Annual
General Meeting on Sunday 30th March
at the Craigie Hall Allotments, Old
Craigie Road, Dundee DD4 7HX which
will commence at 2pm.
The AGM will be followed by a talk on
growing in a small garden by Bill Duff. We
hope this will inspire you when planning for
the rest of this year’s gardening. On Sunday
April 24th, we will hopefully be getting into
the warmer weather and we have a talk by
our Scottish Branch President, Jim Williams
FNVS on the subject of window boxes and
tubs. (start time 2pm). Anyone who has
ever visited Jim’s garden is always met by a
lovely display of flowers at the front door, so
this will be a treat of a talk.
Bill Duff, DA Chair
Scone Palace Garden Fair 2025
The Scottish Branch are looking forward
to having a marquee at the Scone Palace
Garden Fair again this year.
Dates for this event are Friday 30th to
Saturday 31st May in the fabulous grounds
of the Scone Palace estate, Perth, PH2
6BD. We are planning to have a wide
array of vegetable and herb plants for sale,
grown by our members, along with a few
thousand of our famous leek transplants.
There will plenty
of Branch members available to answer
and help with any gardening questions you
may have. It’s also the chance to
meet some of the presenters from the
Beechgrove Garden, including, of course,
Brian Cunningham, who’s the head
gardener at Scone Palace.
The organisers plan to celebrate the best
of Scottish gardening with the additional
focus on kids’ enjoyment and involvement
in gardening, where the country’s top plant
nurseries, garden centres and societies will
be on the main lawns under the backdrop
of the historic Scone Palace - the crowning
place of the Scottish Kings. Why not
also take the opportunity to explore their
woodland walk and enjoy their walled
garden. Please take a look at the event of
the NVS web site for more details.
The main aims of the Fair are to
1. Share our passion for plants
2. Inspire people through horticulture
3. Make gardening approachable and
accessible
4. Promote wellness through gardening
5. Create a home for the Scottish
gardening community, an event
which we can gather, compete, and
celebrate.
Fingers crossed for the weather, we hope
to see your there.
Simply Vegetables 51