Jul 19
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July in the Garden

By | Garden
 
 
 
 
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July in the garden is always a busy time at Teasses not only are we maintaining the garden but we are also busy welcoming visitors to the garden. This July we have had several groups and a return visits from the Garden Society of America. The Walled Garden is looking fantastic and blooming bountifully. Our borders planted in the late winter have established particularly well with the red border looking full and vibrant. Monarda ‘Cambridge Scarlet’, Penstemon ‘Southgate Gem’, Sanguisorba officinalis all look fantastic in the border together. The hot box continues to provide organic vegetables; carrots, leeks and golden beetroot. Dahlias are just beginning to bloom in the walled garden, we are hopeful for a similar display as last year. The heavy scent of hundreds of sweet peas fill the summer air especially in the evening.

 
 
 
 
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The formal gardens around the house are stunning at this time of year with billowing clouds of Campanula ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ filling every space. Roses in the sundial garden smell heavily, the buds of Filipendula ‘Rubra’ are waiting to burst. Tropaeolum speciosum provides a vibrant back drop in the garden. The surviving Cardiocrinums are in full heavily scented bloom in Sir Fraser’s Garden. In the greenhouse the enormous trumpets of Brugmansia versicolor also fill the greenhouse with a perfume like no-other.

Jun 14
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Longest Day Night Walk

By | Garden

TEASSES GARDENS

LONGEST DAY

NIGHT WALK

 

Join the Head Gardener on a peaceful walk around the gardens at Teasses on the Summer Solstice followed by light refreshments in the Greenhouse. 

An opportunity to experience the Gardens “after hours” and the chance to spot some of our wild inhabitants on the longest day.

Walk starts at 8.30pm on Friday 21st June

£10 per person 

Contact [email protected] to reserve

Limited numbers available 

Jun 07
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June in the Garden

By | Garden

What a startling difference the beginning of June this year to that of 2018. The rain seems to be making up for lost droplets. In June 2018 we were facing the very real danger of a summer of drought. In 2019 we appear to be resorting back to old ways, the lawns could almost be cut twice a week at this rate. However, the cool evenings and high moisture has encouraged a great number of flowers to linger on. Our Rhododendrons continue to look fresh and have done for a month or so and we still have a few bluebells showing through the ever thickening wild grasses and flowers in Millennium Woods.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Walled Garden continues to develop and the newly planted borders are beginning to really show their true intentions. It is quite startling to see bright reds and oranges in the garden where before we limited plant choice to cool pastel blues and pinks. Lewis’ long border design sets out bold blocks of colour, six in total; Yellow, Orange and Red blocks on the western side of the garden and Purple, Pink and Blue on the eastern side. Iris ‘Feu du Ciel’ is a welcome newcomer; bright orange and voluptuous. I am a lover of Irises and this one really justifies that. In front of this we have Geum ‘Prinses Juliana’ again vibrantly orange.

What a contrast then to the purple block where the ever delightful Thalictrum delavayi and Salvia x superba are neighboured by Geranium x ‘Johnson’s Blue‘, Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ and Cirsium rivulare ‘Trevor’s Blue Wonder’.

The Paeonias are just about to open, holding onto their petals tightly awaiting sunnier weather no doubt, but Paeonia ‘Black Panther’ is a tree peony and has to have what I can only describe and the most indulgent dark – almost bloody – silky petals and has been in flower for around a week.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Throughout the garden many plants are in full bloom and none are more spectacular than the Meconopsis which grow incredibly well at Teasses. Meconopsis  betonicifolia are happiest when in cool, rich, deep woodland soils, happy roots lead to stunning azure blue flowers or in the case of M. paniculata primrose yellow. 

Davidia involucrata var. Vilmoriniana is a stunning tree, with branches covered in what looks like paper tissues. This tree has spectacular autumn foliage colour but every third year at Teasses we are treated to what appears like hundreds of white papery bracts hanging from the tree.  Ours is underplanted with Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’, what a combination.

In Sir Fraser’s garden, which occupies a hollow in a conifer plantation the clotted cream flower buds of Magnolia wilsonii are just beginning to burst open. They are ideally suited to this cool semi-shaded space in the garden and planted on a steep slope allowing visitors to gaze up from below at the interior of the flower which cannot be missed.

May 17
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May in the Garden

By | Garden
 
 
 
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The garden is always the best place to be in the month of May, the sun usually is beaming down and the vibrant fleshy shoots of new growth are glowing in the garden. So too are the birds abundant in May, with a veritable cacophony welcoming the dawn of a bright day.

Bulbs are just going over with the last few of our tulips bowing out. This year’s success has been Tulipa ‘World of Friendship’ not only remaining proud in the garden for weeks but also holding itself well in a vase. The flower is a joyful, cheery, primrose yellow single tulip standing around 50cm tall. We ordinarily try to avoid yellow coloured flowers which is almost unforgivable at this time of year but T. ‘World of Friendship’ is the perfect vehicle by which to extend the ‘primrose’ toned season. I should also mention at this stage the wonderful Tree Paeony, Paeonia ‘Anna Marie’ which is just cautiously unfurling her tender petals in the Walled Garden.

Tulipa ‘World of Friendship’

The gardens are beginning to brim with colour and just as we teeter on the edge of floral splendour in the form of Paeonia I am reminded that this season has really  gone to pot. We’ve had such an extended period of fine weather you forget that we are only into the fifth month and while I impatiently wait to put out our summer bedding plants I have to bear in mind that old phrase; ‘Ne’er cast a cloot, til the month of May is oot’.

 
 
 
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May 17
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Recipe: Wild Garlic Pesto

By | Teasses Recipes

The woods here at Teasses are abundant in Wild Garlic which rears its pungent head in March and continues to the end of the April. As the plant matures the strength of the flavour reduces so if you don’t want a fiery strong garlic taste then hold off until the second half of April. In this recipe I use the leaves of the plant but the flowers are edible too and can be used in salads or as. garnish on top of  soups such as Sorrel or Pea. Unlike its namesake Wild Garlic doesn’t produce a bulb so you need to use it when it’s available.

Note that if you intend to cook with the pesto – for example roasted Mediterranean vegetables coated in pesto – that the flavour becomes less powerful when cooked. I like to add another couple of tablespoons of the pesto once the vegetables come out of the oven, it also helps with the colour. Also, a delicious pairing with this is fresh lamb so try to keep some for when the Scottish lamb season abounds.

Recipe:

This will easily make one large jar.

You’ll need;

  • a bunch of fresh, washed and roughly torn wild garlic – enough to almost fill a mixing bowl.
  • 200g organic pine nuts – the more you add the thicker the pesto and less pungent the garlic.
  • 500 ml organic olive oil
  • 100g organic parmesan – or other hard cheese
  • 1 organic lemon
  • water
  • salt and pepper

Step One: Gently heat a dry shallow pan, when almost too hot to touch throw in your pine nuts and lightly toast.

Step Two: In a food processor put the roughly torn wild garlic leaves with the lightly toasted pine nuts, cheese, a pinch of salt and the juice from the lemon and a little oil.

Step Three: While blitzing the contents of the food processor drizzle in the remaining oil.

Step Four: Continue to blitz until you are happy with the consistency. If it is too thick add some water. The best pesto is slightly chunky. Add more salt and some pepper to taste.

If you want truly authentic pesto remove the food processor and pound the ingredients in a mortar and pestle.

Once sealed in a clean glass jar this pesto lasts approximately one month when refrigerated or three months if frozen.

Apr 11
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SGS Fife Trail 2019 – Visit Teasses

By | Garden

Scotland’s Garden Scheme Fife  Spring Trail 2019 kicks of next week, running from 16th April to the 3rd of May. The Trail is the prefect opportunity to visit seven privately owned gardens in the county, each abundant in spring blooms. Don’t miss the chance to visit Teasses on each Friday of the the Trail, that is 19th & 26th April and 3rd May. Entry to individual gardens is £5 or buy a Trail ticket from SGS.

We look forward to seeing you at Teasses, make sure to have plenty of spool left in your camera!

 
 
 
 
 
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Apr 02
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Spring Blooms in the Woodland Gardens

By | Garden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Spring is blooming in the gardens at Teasses and no where is more colourful than the Millennium Woodlands. The gardens are filling with the sweet scents of Primula vulgaris and Narcissus ‘Jack Snipe’.

Spring is a great time to visit the gardens at Teasses and with Scotland’s Garden Scheme Fife Spring Trail kicking off in two weeks, there is plenty to enjoy Teasses.

Mar 11
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First Spring Calves of the year at Teasses

By | Farm

At last winter seems to be coming to an end and although we’ve taken another dip into mini temperatures here at Teasses, you can’t disagree that spring is just around the corner. Nothing says that more loudly than the arrival of our new calves at the farm. First five down and another 135 expectant mothers to go.