Walk from Cambo to Crail

The seashore near Fife Ness
Crail Harbour

Dr Anne and Sandra were keen to build up their physical fitnes while visiting Cambo Castle at the weekend. They put on their walking boots and some warm clothes and walked through the estate down to the beach. They turned right and headed east along the Fife Coastal Route. They walked on the paths, they walked along the edge of the golf course, they walked on the beach. They walked around Fife Ness and eventually reached Crail three hours later having tackled an expedition rather than a light walk. Dr Anne was ready for a coffee and a 'fine piece' but Sandra saw a queue at the bus stop and persuaded Dr Anne to go for the bus it being Sunday when buses would not be regular. Both used their bus passes for the first time and reached the Cambo road end in 3 minutes. It took a further 15 minutes to walk the 0.8 mile to the Castle for a welcome plate of soup and feet up.

Tulip Festival at Cambo Castle

Dr Anne and her friend Sandra made their way to Cambo Castle, the seat of the Erskines for the first every tulip festival. Famed for their snowdrops this was their first tulip festival. Anna Pavord gardening correspondent for the Independent and the Telegraph gave a fascinating illustrated talk on 'the tulip'. This was followed by a signing of her books. Present were members of the Blom family (the fifth generation) famed for their tulip bulbs and Ken Cox of Glendoick. Lady Erskine introduced Anna and led the question session.

There was a display of 6000 tulips in the Potager Garden and a wonderful show of cut tulips from Bloms in the garage.

Dr Anne invested in the purchase of a variety of tulips for spring 2010. She intends putting them in pots initiallly. Tulips need good drainage and a baking hot sun. The do not bloom annually particularly the ones with the virus. They like a good compost and some grit. Where the soil is light the tulips can be planted deeper than in heavy soils.

Walks around the estate were greatly enjoyed. Spring had well and truly arrived. Trees were in bud and the undergrowth was very green.

To Dr Anne's delight there were sculptures both environmentally friendly like the pigs below and the ornamental in the walled garden.

The Rockery

The rockery was built in 1981. Dr Anne and her friend went to a quarry near Buckie for the stones and built in it a kidney shape. Flowers and low growing shrubs were planted and in the 20 years since then has needed very little up keep.

When Dr Anne had a look at it yesterday she decided that a revamp is necessary. The sad looking shrubs were pulled out and a rethink is taking place. Will it be alpines? Previous experience showed that alpines did not do well in seaside garden.

April in the Garden

After three days of really cold weather with temperatures at 3c the wind direction is due to turn so hopefully the next section of the garden work will be tackled. This section is on the shaded part of the garden.

The key features are a Himalayan Birch Tree with its amazing white bark, a Tibetan Cherry Tree with red bark and a Rowan Tree to ward off the witches. All were planted in 1984 when the garden was landscaped and are now well established.

Part of the section called 'the dell' has rhododendrons, azaleas both evergreen and deciduous. Most were purchased at the Glendoick Garden Centre between Dundee and Perth as the Glendoick Hybrids do particularly well in what is really a seaside garden. Underplanting has been successful here with crocuses in March, violets in May and lily of the valley in May/June and both winter and summer flowering heathers. Under the birch are snowdrops in February and bluebells in May.

Another part of the area called 'the mound' has heathers, conifers and ground cover shrubs. This extends into a fernery. Some underplanting is required here so consideration is being given to anemone enmorosa, colchicum autumnale and additional irises.

April in the Garden

Ballerina 2008

Bridal Blossom 2005

The Pilgrim Rose in 2008

James Galway 2007

Dr Anne is at home for three weeks prior to a visit to Cambo Estate in Fife. The main task for these weeks is to get the garden into order. The 15th and 16th April were sunny and warm enough to work. Dr Anne first of all set herself the task of feeding the roses and turning over the earth.

David Austin's James Galway roses on the arbour got the first feed - rose plus and bonemeal. They don't have great depth of earth so require some John Innes Number 3 and T.L.C.

The floribunda bed has eight roses, four long established including William Quarrier and Heartbeat and four new ones - News, Blue for You, Champagne Moment and Margaret Merril all from David Austin late 2008. Thistles are planted for contrast and required cutting back.

The well established patio rose bed was next. There are around 25 roses here, all from Cockers, Aberdeen and they usually produce an abundance of blooms throughout the summer months. The standard Ballerina from Cockers bought from Mrs McArthur's prize money for the best garden in Portsoy back in the 1990s is set in the middle of the patio roses.

Dr Anne's favourite bed - the fairy roses - provides joy throughout late July, August and September. These roses are mainly well over 20 years old yet produce an abundance of blooms. Replacements can now be purchased from David Austin.

The 18th April had promised snow but the sun shone so further beds were tackled. First of all the roses which date back to the 1960s, mainly hybrid teas were trimmed although they had been pruned in the autumn. Peace, Remember Me, Fragrant Cloud and Ena Harkness were the original four with all surviving except Ena Harkness. Some of the others are nameless but provide sentimental value when they burst into flower. Many of them need replacing but... not this year. There is a small section of David Austin roses in this bed - Graham Thomas, William Shakespeare, Gertrude Jekyll, James Gallway and in the middle is a new standard Bonica.

The top section of the garden has newly established roses all shades of yellow, some along the old dykes - Pilgrim bought in 2005, Teasing Georgia bought in 2008 and Mr McArthur's rose known as 'Dad's rose' which dates back to 1963.
In the pots there is Golden Celebration and Anne Boleyn. On the arches are James Galway, Passion, Atoile d'Holland and a few that the names are not know. One beauty was called Brides Blossom by Mrs McArthur.
Dr Anne almost forgot - there are a couple of rosas in the shrubbery.

The Golden Wedding

Dr Anne's family met at the weekend to celebrate Betty and Brian's Golden Wedding. Nearly 60 people met at the Miramar Hotel in Bournemouth for lunch. Much fun was had by all. The picture shows Dr Anne with Betty and her grandchildren.

Easter 2010

Happy Easter from East Neuk. The miniature daffodils are in bloom. The daffodils in the pots are about to burst into flower if only the sun would come out.

The hellebores have been amazingly beautiful when there is nothing else into give one pleasure. If only they would lift their heads. They are a bit lit like Dr Anne who goes around on a bad day with her head under her armpit.

The fleece came off the camellias this weekend. There are sure to be frosts again but they now need to take their chance.

The snowdrops finished blooming this week and the crocuses were truly blasted by the strong winds on Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st March. They have however given a wonderful show this March when all else has been dull and depressing.