On the Way to Macduff

I took a lot of pictures while traveling by bus or train during my trip overseas. The following are pictures I took from the bus while on my way from Stirling, through Aberdeen, up to Macduff.
I'm not sure what they were growing in these tents, but there were fields of them. I thought maybe strawberries? I've actually had a similar idea for my own garden that I have yet to put into play: plastic rods and plastic to create a greenhouse like tunnel over my veggie beds.

Gardening is part of the culture in Scotland. They know how to use every square inch of their small yards. I would love to have a front yard or patio like this. I've got some work to do this year!

Even the public areas in cities are full of flowers. Our city has been creating more gardens around town, but they have a long way to go.
We will be having America in Bloom judges here this year, so I think we are making progress.

Stirling Gardens

Stirling Castle held its flower garden inside the castle walls. The close up of the current garden wasn't so impressive, but the added color of the flowers against the backdrop of the castle's stoney exterior was wonderful from afar.

The castle had many windows such as this one in its walls. I found it a nice frame for the soft, flower-covered cliffside they looked out over.

There are more elements than vegetation that can make up an interesting garden landscape. I love to have rustic hardscapes in my garden. I like the looks of these two outbuildings on the castle grounds. And you can even see that nature has started her own garden using this lovely backdrop.

Although this city street landscape is simple, imagine how wonderful your own city would look and feel if they would adopt such commitment to aesthetics?

I like to think that I inspire such upgrades in aesthetics to my own area. In fact, within two years of starting my own garden, at least five other people in a four block radius began their own ambitious gardens -- huge perennial gardens, some taking up their entire front yards!

Gardening is contagious!

The Orangery

I forgot a picture in that last post: The Orangery at Dalkeith House.

It has not been kept up over the years, but this building used to house the citrus fruit trees for the Dalkeith Palace. I was lucky enough to spend a summer at the Dalkeith House (Palace) a few years back, and this was definitely my favorite part of the estate - even in its current state. They are in the process of renovating it to, hopefully, its former glory. I would really enjoy seeing the finish product.

Foodies Rejoice

Usually during the winter, I turn this blog into a cooking blog. But I have been finding more and more that I like to talk about food. SO, I created a whole blog about food with all my own recipes and other people's recipes tested by moi.

So if you like food as much as I do, and those who liked my other food posts but wished I had a more "recipe" style format -- check out The Obsessive Chef.