Activities for all at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre this Autumn
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre Autumn Programme
Tag: gardening
Blackhall Library needs YOU!
Do you have any spare paint brushes, leftover paint, or anything else from your summer gardening ventures, for example flower bulbs, compost, etc?
You can drop any donations into our box at the main entrance of the library, or hand it to one of our staff members.
Thank you for helping us create our own little library oasis!
Blackhall Library 56 Hillhouse Rd Edinburgh EH4 5EG
Monday – 1-5pm
Tuesday – 10am-5pm
Wednesday – 1-5pm
Thursday – 10am-5pm
Friday – 10am-2pm
Saturday 10am-2pm
Plant Sale and Scrapstore Open Day at granton:hub this afternoon
granton:hub are having a Plant Sale and the Edinburgh Scrapstore Open Day today (Sunday 11th July) from 2.00 – 4.30pm.
Not heard of The Edinburgh Scrapstore? This is the repurposed blue shipping container in our community garden which is a unique resource where scrap materials can be donated, stored and collected by members to be re-used. Some of the materials include textiles, paper, paint and tiles. Come along and see what resources and gems you can find for your next project.
We will be running a plant sale which will feature young plants grown organically in our community garden by our volunteer garden group. We want our plants to be affordable for all, with most plants costing £2 from our nursery. Come see the selection of Scottish plants we have grown and ask our garden team advice for your gardening needs.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tips: Gardening for Good Health
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Gardening for Good Health
Gardens and greenspaces have been hugely important to many people during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many people finding their refuge through gardening.
Here we explore some of the health and mental wellbeing benefits of gardening:
Stress relief
Gardening is a fantastic stress reliever and can cultivate feelings of empowerment, connection, and calm. Being in touch with nature and the great outdoors can help you feel more removed from the daily stressors of life.
Work out
Gardening is exercise and working in a garden can use every major muscle group in the body. While activities such as raking and cutting the grass may be light exercise, shovelling and digging can be counted as vigorous exercise.
Grow your own
There is nothing quite like eating your own fresh home grown produce! Not only are many fruits and vegetables very easy to grow, but they are also more nutrient-dense, free of pesticides and tasty. By growing your own, you are also helping to preserve the environment.
Get the kids involved
It can sometimes be a challenge to get children to eat healthy foods and enjoy them. Growing vegetables not only teaches children valuable lessons about the work that it takes to grow them, but it can also help them to gain a keen interest in eating them too.
Work with what you have
Whether your patch is large or small, a raised bed, a community garden or window box – make the most of it by researching the best plants for your space and sunlight exposure. You can grow a range of things with very little space and maintenance, whilst still reaping the benefits.
Happy gardening! You can find lots more tips, recipes and health advice at https://heartresearch.org.uk/
Dobbies announces virtual events to elevate Edinburgh gardens
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has announced two virtual Expert Events to help Edinburgh gardeners elevate their green spaces this summer, no matter the size or style of their garden.
The latest in a series of popular virtual events, ‘Pollinators and Perennial Plants for Summer Colour’ and ‘Small Space Gardening’ will both be hosted by Dobbies’ Horticultural Director and gardening expert, Marcus Eyles, and will provide top tips and expert advice on making the most of your outdoor space, to ensure you can enjoy it all summer long.
‘Pollinators and Perennial Plants for Summer Colour’ will take place on Saturday 19th June at 10.30am, providing the perfect opportunity to learn more about the plants that can make a huge difference to your local environment.
Marcus will share the benefits of supporting wildlife and pollinators in your garden, including bees and butterflies, as well as advising on the top 10 plants that gardeners can grow to support pollinators and provide a healthy habitat for them to thrive. Marcus will also share his expert advice on the best perennials to plant now, to add instant summer colour that will return year after year.
For a gardener with limited outdoor space, ‘Small Space Gardening’ is a virtual event that’s packed with handy tips and tricks to make the most of your garden, taking place on Saturday 10th July at 10.30am.
Marcus will share his expert advice on creating an oasis in a small garden, including tips on clever design for maximum impact, and the best plants to grow in a limited space. Marcus will also advise on his top 10 edible plants to grow in smaller outdoor areas, including terraces and balconies, to help gardeners make the most of their available outdoor space and grow plants that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from cooking to supporting pollinators.
During both events, Marcus will provide live demonstrations of techniques to elevate your gardening skills, and attendees from Edinburgh are invited to submit their questions for Marcus too, to get expert answers to any horticultural dilemmas.
Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies, said: “Summer is a key time in the gardeners’ calendar, and there is so much that can be done to make the most of your outdoor space, no matter the size of your garden.
I am very much looking forward to sharing my knowledge and offering advice to Edinburgh gardeners old and new, to help them elevate even the smallest of gardens into an oasis to enjoy, and to help them choose plants that will not only brighten the space for years to come, but will also support the environment and local wildlife. Sustainability remains high on our agenda, and we offer more advice online with #sustainabledobbies.”
The summer gardening expert events are part of a series of free virtual events that Dobbies is hosting in 2021. Following a successful programme of Facebook Live sessions in 2020, they provide a virtual alternative to regular events usually hosted instore. Advance booking is essential for the virtual events, which are hosted on Microsoft Teams, making it quick and simple for viewers to log on and join in the event from the comfort of their homes.
The sessions are free of charge and exclusively available to Edinburgh Dobbies Club members. For those who aren’t yet members of Dobbies Club, membership is free and signing up is quick and simple, giving access to a variety of benefits, special offers and exclusive events.
To sign up, visit dobbies.com
To sign up for the Dobbies summer gardening virtual events, visit
For more information on Dobbies Sustainability Policy visit
Overseeding You Lawn: top tips from Johnson Lawn Seed
Every year up to a quarter of the average lawn may die. By sowing new lawn seed into an existing lawn, a technique used by professional groundsmen and known as overseeding, it is possible to rejuvenate your lawn and reduce weed invasion.
Lawn renovation should be done in Spring or late Summer to early Autumn depending upon the weather conditions. Here are some handy tips and tricks to help you revive your lawn!
1) Remove any debris from the surface of the lawn and when it is dry to mow it closely
2) Rake the lawn using a spring tine rake or a leaf rake to remove and breakup layers of dead matted grass or thatch. This process is known as scarifying and can be made easier with a powered scarifying machine if the thatch is thick or it is a large lawn.
Scarifying in Autumn has the additional benefit of stimulating the side shoots and runners of the grass which tend to develop at this time of year
3) Spike ground with a hollow tine fork, a normal fork can be used, up to a depth of 15cm(6in) to de compact the soil.
4) Top dress the lawn with a good quality topsoil, making sure the dressing fills the holes created when aerating. This allows water, air and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the soil and will result in deeper rooting, dense grass growth.
Minor hollows can be levelled out using this method too, apply the topsoil so the grass tips are just visible, allow the grass to grow back through and repeat the process until the hollow is filled in
5) It is a good idea to apply some lawn fertiliser when reviving your lawn, Johnsons Lawn Thickener and Johnsons Quick Fix already have fertiliser either coated on the seed or mixed with the seed making them ideal for this task.
If you are using a different mix you can apply fertiliser the same day as sowing grass seed or up to a few days later, poultry manure is ideal. Scatter fertiliser evenly over the lawn surface using the recommended rate on the pack and rake in to ensure even distribution, make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions. Ideally the fertiliser can be watered in at the same time as watering the lawn seed.
6) Using your chosen mix of lawn seed you should aim to apply it at the oversowing rate detailed on the pack, this is usually 25g per sq. metre (¾ oz per sq. yard) to 35g per sq. metre (1 ¼ oz per sq. yard). If you calculate the size of your lawn in square metres and then multiply this by the sowing rate you will have a good estimate of the quantity of seed required.
7) You can apply the seed directly from the pack or you can mix the seed in a bucket with some topsoil to make it easier to sow. It’s a good idea to have a trial run by measuring out, for example, 4 sq. metres, weigh out the correct amount of seed for the area, this would be 100g at a rate of 25g sq. metre, and then scatter evenly up and down, left to right.
You can use this method over the entire area. By doing this you will use the correct amount of seed and achieve a more even distribution.
8) After you have sown the lawn seed gently rake the area and then lightly roll or tread in to firm the seed in. This is a very important as it gives the seed good contact with the soil and will really help it to germinate and establish. Keep off the newly overseeded area if possible to allow tender young shoots to gain strength and help with establishment.
9) While it is good practice for the area to be moist when you sow do not water it until you have firmed the seed in otherwise it will stick to your roller and shoes! If dry weather follows overseeding, water copiously with a fine spray, preferably in the evening, keeping the seedbed constantly moist.
10)When grass is 5-8cms (2-3in) high cut for the first time. Trim lightly and very gradually lower blades to an ideal cutting height of between 50mm (2in) to 25mm (1in) for mixtures containing ryegrass and 25mm (1in) to 13mm (½in) for non ryegrass mixtures.
Mow regularly but try not to remove more than a third of the growth at any one time. What may happen is that the existing grass needs a cut before the new grass. To do this raise the cut to a height that just cuts the old grass and leaves the new intact, you can reduce the height of the cut over the subsequent weeks
To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed products please visit:
Dobbies announces ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards to find Edinburgh’s best gardeners
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has announced the launch of its first-ever ‘Not Your Average Gardener’ awards, to find the best and most dedicated gardeners from Edinburgh and beyond.
Dobbies is looking to reward gardeners from Edinburgh for their creativity and commitment to making the UK a brighter place through their gardens and is encouraging the public to get involved and nominate the talented people in their lives. Whether it’s a family member, friend, neighbour or even themselves, the competition is open to amateur gardeners across the country.
Categories include Best Community Gardener, Best Mini Garden Makeover and Most Instagrammable Garden. Young gardeners are also being encouraged to get involved and submit entries for Best Young Gardener, for under-16s, and Best Little Seedling for those aged 10 and under.
There’s also a category dedicated to finding Dobbies’ Best New Gardener 2021, with novice gardeners urged to enter and showcase their newly-honed skills.
The awards will be judged by gardener, journalist and Dobbies’ podcast host Louise Midgely, and Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles.
Entries can be submitted via the Dobbies’ website, with winners being awarded £250 to spend in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, plus a one-to-one gardening consultation with the judges to advise them on how to maximise their garden in 2021 and beyond.
According to research conducted by the Horticultural Trades Association, three million people took up gardening in 2020, and Dobbies wants to recognise and celebrate these new gardeners, while highlighting the many benefits that gardening can offer.
Marcus Eyles, Horticulture Director at Dobbies, said: “Gardening has proven benefits for our health and wellbeing and at Dobbies, we’re delighted to see so many more people getting involved with gardening over the past year.
“These awards will allow us to celebrate those who love gardening and those who show promise as potential gardening superstars. We look forward to seeing all of the wonderful gardens from entrants in Edinburgh.”
The competition is open until 28 May 2021.
To enter or make a nomination, visit the Dobbies’ website and complete a simple form. All nominations will be reviewed by the judges, with prizes being awarded for the winners in each category during a virtual awards ceremony in the summer.
For more information visit: https://www.dobbies.com/dobbies-in-the-community
Inch Nursery opens on Wednesday
The city council’s Inch Nursery is getting ready to welcome customers back to its base in Inch Park after a long winter closure.
The Nursery will reopen on Wednesday (7 April) with Covid safety measures in place and will be open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 2pm. To ensure safe shopping, customers will be required to book a time slot by email ahead of their visit.
Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson said: “Now that it’s spring and the weather (hopefully) warms, the re-opening of the Nursery is a great opportunity for Edinburgh’s green-fingered residents to stock up from our wide range of quality plants at sensible prices.
“If you have not visited the Inch Nursery you will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of horticultural delights on offer.
“The pandemic has given us all renewed gratitude for the great outdoors – and for many it’s unearthed an appreciation of gardening, discovering all the benefits, both mental and physical it can bring.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, said: “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Nursery next week.
“Gardening benefits the mental health and well-being of so many people isolating at home and I believe that whilst the ongoing lockdowns have put limitations on us, looking after and growing plants helps us to look forward with hope to better and brighter days to come.
“So, if you’re in the market for shrubs and herbaceous perennials, please get in touch with the team to book your spot!”
Janice Peter, Acting Inch Nursery Team Leader, said: “After a long cold winter we are looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming our customers back.
“The last year has allowed people to rediscover their gardens and develop a passion for plants and we are really pleased that we can once again supply quality locally grown plants to the people of Edinburgh.”
Existing customers will be contacted directly but for any queries or new customers who would like to book a shopping slot, please email the team.
Visitors can expect social distancing and hygiene measures to be in place, including two- metre queuing points at key areas, sanitising stations, cashless payments only, and additional cleaning measures.
Dobbies Edinburgh reopens tomorrow
Following updated guidance from the Scottish Government that garden centres may open, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies Garden Centres, will reopen both its Edinburgh store and little dobbies tomorrow (Monday 5 April).
The safety of team members and customers remains Dobbies’ number one priority and social distancing measures are already in place to allow the stores to operate safely. The restaurant and soft play will remain temporarily closed in the Edinburgh store.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “We welcome this updated guidance from the Scottish Government, enabling us to reopen our stores, including the Edinburgh store and little dobbies. The safety of our team members and customers remains Dobbies’ number one priority.
“Spring is the time when people want to get back out into their gardens, and with proven health and wellbeing benefits, reopening in Scotland is a positive development.”
As the Edinburgh store reopens, bedding plants are predicted to be popular with local customers, following their popularity in 2020. With houseplants, Orchids were the most popular in 2020 with the trend for foliage set to be big in 2021.
The store will be open 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Sunday.
For the full list of Dobbies stores visit dobbies.com
Getting the most of your garden space this Spring
If you’ve recently moved into a new-build home, you’ll have a garden that is a completely blank canvas for you to create your idyllic outdoor space. With spring finally here and with many people still based at home for the next little while, it’s the perfect time to start!
You may already have newly laid lawn or some paving and have started to think about the type of plants or trees you would like for your dream garden. But there’s also plenty of other issues to consider.
Giles Wilson, Standards and Policy Manager, at NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes explains: “We know that despite the continued impact of the pandemic, confidence in the housing market, particularly for newly-built homes, has remained strong.
“With many people deciding now is the time for a new home and in a lot of cases relocating to somewhere more rural, it’s wise to think about the small steps that could make a big difference to your outside area if you are planning on, or have just moved.”
Read on for some practical tips to help you make the most of your new garden at your new home:
- With remote working now more common-place, most of us are all looking for ways to get some much-needed peace and quiet – or a change of scene – when working from home. A garden office provides a dedicated space to concentrate on work in a productive and inspiring setting, while also providing outdoor space for family and friends, so take extra care examining garden / outdoor dimensions and sightlines.
- In clay soil, plant trees well away from your home. Find out how tall the mature tree will be and make sure it is positioned at least three quarters of this distance from the house.
- The level of soil around your home should be kept below the damp proof course (generally 150mm or two brick courses). Paths should also generally be kept around 150mm or two brick courses below the damp proof course, except where these have been designed to provide level access into the home. If you are not sure where the damp proof course is, ask your builder to show you. Where air bricks, permanent ventilators or perpend vents are provided, they should not be blocked or covered by soil or paving.
- If you’re planning to grow your own fruit – a favourite lockdown pastime of course, order your fruit trees as soon as you can to plant before summer, and continue planting trees and shrubs while they are still dormant.
- High water demand trees should be planted no closer to the home than one-and-a-quarter times the mature height. High water demand trees include elm, eucalyptus, oak, poplar, willow and some common cypress species.
- Avoid planting climbers such as Ivy and Virginia Creeper against house walls, as they hold on using suckers, twining tendrils or aerial roots which could damage mortar and may cause damp. Plant these at least three metres away from your home.
- Allow enough room for trunks and large roots to grow safely. Be particularly careful if planting near drains or lightweight structures.
- Although you do not need to, when planting new trees in your garden that will also be near you neighbour’s house, be considerate and ask your neighbour if this is ok. As you could be liable for the cost of repair if the trees you plant cause damage to their home.
- Regular pruning of fast growing, thirsty trees such as Cypress Leyland, will help to reduce the amount of water taken from the soil.
- Inspection chambers and rodding eyes are there to provide access the drainage system below ground so that blockages can be cleared. It’s important these are not covered by soil, turf or paving. Ask your builder for further information regarding this.
- And last of all, although the UK is fortunate to have plenty of rain, do ensure trees and shrubs are watered sufficiently to give them a good start in life especially those that maybe sheltered by other structures. If you haven’t got one already, consider purchasing a water butt ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants as opposed to tap water which is often slightly alkaline.
Further advice for homeowners on property maintenance and other issues can be found in NHBC’s useful publication, A Guide to your new home – a practical guide to looking after your new home, freely available at www.nhbc.co.uk/homeowners.