Please be aware that annual SRGC subscriptions for "postal" members are due for renewal on 1st October.

You can renew - or join - and read about the benefits of  SRGC membership, for "postal" membership - where you receive the Journal and Secretary's Pages etc by post - and other memberships, via this page.

 

Please note that there is a special category for postal Junior - for those below the age of 18 in the relevant subscription year: £3 per annum in the UK, £7 per annum overseas. (Please give date of birth)

 

For Students the SRGC offers  a free electronic subscription. Send your application toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Please give your place of study, the date of end of course of study.)

 

 

You can read about the new "online electronic" subscription - where you access Journals etc online: here.

Read more...

Scottish Rock Garden Club is a Charity registered with Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR):  SCO 00942

N.B. SRGC News can also be found HERE in the forum

and here.

 

The SRGC website contains many resources of to interest and inform  plant lovers. For instance.....

The Bulb Log

In 2003 Ian Young started the Bulb Log, as a one year project, with no idea of how popular it would become. It is now in its fifteenth year - faithfully published every week.
Bulb Log main page can be found via this link. 
The content  remains much as it always has been - a personal diary covering all aspects of the bulbs Ian grows both under glass and in the open garden as well as any other garden plants and  projects that he may be working on.

The  Bulb Log  for 12th July 2017 shows how everyone should have an island, or two ! Plus updates on the new beds @IanYoung is working on - see it via this link.    

The Bulb Log is  supplemented by a series of videos, listed in the SRGC Forum, here, of course, but also all available on YouTube  - over 100 so far - THIS LINK is  the main page for those videos.

 

The International Rock Gardener ( IRG )

Since January 2010 The Scottish Rock Garden Club has presented a monthly online magazine for Rock Gardeners which will be posted as a PDF on the SRGC site at the end of each month.
Every issue of the IRG can be downloaded from this page.
Each issue will have a mix of photo based items, our target being a minimum of pots and a maximum of plants in the wild and in gardens, from photographers in different countries.
This will be an international celebration, if you will, of mountain plants in habitat and our gardens.
Our aim is to showcase the beauty of the plants, where they are found in nature or as they are used in garden settings and give brief comments on cultivation.
This venture is coordinated and compiled by Margaret Young with  Zdenek Zvolanek and Ian Young.
The world of rock gardeners is just that: an international community of people with a deep interest in the flora of the mountains and wild places; we hope to provide a regular electronic glimpse of these plants.

YOUR contributions are not only most welcome; we are actively seeking your input which will be key to the vigour of this enterprise.
To submit material for inclusion in the International Rock Gardener This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line "E-Magazine". A full Index to International Rock Gardener, prepared by Glassford Sprunt, is updated each month and is available to download from HERE  

You are most welcome to read and, we hope, enjoy all the features provided by the SRGC. 

 

 

NEWS AND NOTICES

 

Death of Alastair D. McKelvie, SRGC Hon. Vice President

The Club is saddened to learn of the death, on Thursday 15^th June, of Alastair D. McKelvie, one of the SRGC’s most faithful and dedicated supporters.

Alastair is survived by his wife Frances, their sons and his loving family, to whom we extend our deepest sympathy.

 

Alastair trained as a botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. After working in West Africa and Cambridge he went to the North of Scotland College of Agriculture in Aberdeen. He retired from there in 1990, as Deputy Principal.

In the 1990s he led ten flower treks to India, Kashmir, Nepal and Sikkim, collecting seed as well as acting as a guide for participants. Many people now enjoy plants in their gardens which derive from Alastair’s seed collections. He worked on the seed trips with, variously, Chris Chadwell, Fred Carrie and Ian Christie.

The garden he and Frances made in Aberdeen was a joy to them and all who visited it. He also took time to exhibit plants at various shows and write many articles about both his travels and plants.

 

David and Carol Shaw with Alastair McKelvie (centre) at an Aberdeen SRGC Show

 

Although in recent years Alastair was not able to attend as many SRGC events as before, he remained interested and informed on the work of the Club.

Alastair was involved in every aspect of the SRGC life over many years - from participation I local group activities to those national and international events of the Club. He served as Subscription Secretary and for not one but two terms as Editor of “The Rock Garden”- from 1983-89 and 1995-2000.

Alastair was the co-author, with Forbes W. Robertson, of the wonderful book commissioned by the Club to celebrate the Millenium – “Scottish Rock Gardening in the 20^th Century.”

 

 

As a speaker, Alastair was very popular – he had a sharp mind and was able, as well as imparting tremendous knowledge to his audiences, to entertain them with a dry, intelligent wit.

In early 2011 Alastair and Frances were honoured by the award by Chris Chadwell of the Kohli Memorial Gold Medal, which is made to individuals and institutions who have made a significant contribution to the study, cultivation or conservation of Himalayan flora.

 

Frances and Alastair McKelvie  in 2011, after the award to Alastair of the Kohli Memorial Medal and a talk by Chris Chadwell on Alastair's work in the Himalayas.

 

The SRGC is truly blessed to have such wonderful members - now another of our local heroes and national Club stalwarts has gone. Alastair will be sorely missed.

 

 

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June 2017:

The award of MBE has been made in the Birthday Honours List of H. M. The Queen  to Robert John Mitchell, Emeritus Curator St. Andrews Botanic Garden, for his services to Horticulture and Horticultural Education in Scotland.

Bob Mitchell is a long time  Scottish Rock Garden Club​ & RHCS (Caley) member. 

Many congratulations to Bob  for his award.

 

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Next SRGC Event:

 

David Boyd Day – at Grant Arms Hotel,  The Square, Grantown on Spey PH26 3HF
‘Rock Gardening from the Ground Up’ -  8th July 2017

9:45am Registration, tea coffee
10:15am Growing Alpines in Inhospitable Places Neil Huntley
11:10am Basic Needs of Growing Alpine Plants Ian Christie
Noon Lunch, tea, coffee
1:00pm Designing a Rock Garden Carole Bainbridge
1.50pm Bulbs in the Rock Garden Susan Band
2.40pm Comfort break
2:50pm Growing Rock Garden Plants in Containers Ian Bainbridge
3.40pm Open Question Time
4:00pm Tea, coffee and depart

Thanks to the extremely generous bequest by David Boyd the SRGC is organizing a
series of out-reach events.
The first of these will take place on 8 July in Grantown-on-
Spey. The talks will be on a practical ‘club’ level and will be open to both local
gardeners and members of the SRGC with weighting given to those who live in areas
where there is no local group. There will be five speakers all talking on practical
elements of rock gardening.

The cost for the day is £12.50 to cover teas, coffees, soup and sandwiches. There is
plenty of accommodation in Grantown if you are coming from outside the area
including camp sites, B & B’s and the Grant Arms Hotel itself, where you will receive
a special rate of £75 for DB&B if you quote Grantown Event when you make your
booking.
The day will start at 9.45am with registration along with tea and coffee and will end at
4pm, again with tea and coffee.

Space in the Osprey Suite at the Grant Arms is limited to 70 people, plus the speakers,
so if you are interested in attending either phone  Carol on 01309 641405 or email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to reserve.
Carol Shaw

 

 

 

 

March 2017 : SRGC is grateful to "the Caley"  for sharing an article by  Watt Russell on his "very small garden" with this site.   We are delighted to share here an article written by respected SRGC member, Watt Russell, for the Caledonian Gardener, the publication of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (“The Caley”) about his small but  intensively planted and very successful  garden.
It is true that most people are not blessed with gardens of considerable acreage and Watt’s  article shows  just how  much is possible  in a restricted space in a residential setting. We hope this will be encouraging to anyone beginning a small garden.

To download the article, please click here.

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If you missed the SRGC Dunblane day - read Sandy Leven's report here.

Sandy's reports appear after each SRGC show.

 

30th January 

The latest issue of The Rock Garden  No. 138 has been posted to members.  E-subscription members may download the  journal from their personal online  pages.

 

16th January  2017 -

 

The 70th Seed Exchange of the SRGC is now closed:

 

The Seed Team  has begun work, in spite of nasty weather  to tackle the hundreds and hundreds of requests.

 

Seed requests are being processed and sent out now, please look out for your packets which should arrive during this month unless you are overseas and have customs barriers.    Good luck with your sowing!

 

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The SRGC Secretary is  Carolyn  McNab, Barmagachan House, Borgue, Kirkcudbright DG6 4SW   

who can be contacted by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">

 Latest SRGC Secretary's Pages are  HERE

 

We are all pleased to welcome Carolyn and send  sincere thanks to Carol Shaw for her years of service in this post.

 

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SRGC on Social Media

SRGC is now on Instagram
Instagram is an easy way to share images and short content. It will also have a link to the website.To get Instagram just simply download the app to your phone or view on a web page.               Our username is srg_club, so you can follow us at https://www.instagram.com/srg_club

SRGC has been on Twitter for some time : https://twitter.com/ScottishRockGC    @ScottishRockgc
 and  also on Facebook :  https://www.facebook.com/ScottishRockGC/   @ScottishRockGC
- and of course, as ever the  SRGC forum http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php  is open to all - it  is archived and searchable  and your contributions are always welcome.

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Volunteers needed for SRGC !!

 

Volunteer posts to fill:

A Minutes Secretary was needed for  SRGC Council Meetings

Ann Brown has given great service to the Club with her work as Minutes Secretary over some years - Ann was meant to stand down at the last AGM but the post is still waiting to be filled.

There are not a great  number of Council Meetings per year but it is, of course, important to have  a reliable record of proceedings of these meetings. 

Liz Cole has stepped forward to fill this role - thank you, Liz.

 

At the AGM  on 12th November 2016, our Secretary Carol Shaw retired after many years' service.  It was vital that a successor to Carol be found and in place as soon as possible.

The SRGC achieves  magnificent  work  for its members and local groups, as well as spreading information and knowledge freely throughout the world  but none of this is possible without our volunteers. the day to day business of keeping the Club in good heart  relies on the good offices of the likes of our Secretary. 

Carolyn McNab has offered to fill this role - thank you, Carolyn.

 

The posts of Convener of Show Secretaries and  Chair of Local Group Conveners are also vacant - An Advertising Manager will also soon be needed : please get involved - your Club needs YOUR help to continue its  great work.

 

If you feel you could help out the Club  by putting yourself forward for this position or any of the other vacant positions, please do This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank you!

 

 

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 Links from SRGC to other websites

 

On this page of the website  you can find links to many websites of interest to SRGC members: other plant organisations, nurseries, seed suppliers etc.

For a List of Specialist Plant Nurseries as a pdf, compiled by  David Nicholson, you may download that HERE.

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SPECIAL SALE OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK FROM ‘THE GENUS ANDROSACE’

Notice added 3rd April 2016 

 

We are pleased to announce the sale of the original pen and ink drawings by Duncan Lowe from the acclaimed book ‘The Genus Androsace’ by George Smith and Duncan Lowe.

At the request of the families of David Mowle and Duncan Lowe, we are able to offer for sale the original pen and ink illustrations by Duncan Lowe from the book ‘The Genus Androsace’, along with a few drawings from its predecessor ‘Androsaces’, a few habitat sketches from ‘Primulas of Europe and America’ by Smith, Lowe and Burrow, and a few technical sheets.

This is a unique chance to buy beautiful original artwork from the book recognised as the key volume on Androsaces.

Most drawings are approximately twice the size of the book reproduction, and are ink drawings on heavy paper or artists’ board.  Most are priced at only £25, plus post and packaging.

All proceeds from this sale will be divided equally between the Alpine Garden Society, Scottish Rock Garden Club, and charities chosen by the families of Duncan Lowe and David Mowle.

A catalogue of the drawings offered is available; or you can look at your copy of the books and enquire about the availability of particular drawings.  I can provide a scanned image for perusal before you buy.

For all enquiries please contact Ian Bainbridge

01557 814141    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." class="bbc_email">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We are grateful to the families for their generosity in this matter.

See the list of drawings available  HERE

 

      Androsace mathildae - drawing by Duncan Lowe

 

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SRGC Shows and Events 2017

 

 

Please consult the 2017 Show Schedule  for confirmed dates, venues and other details when it  becomes available.

 

For more details CLICK HERE for the SHOWS section of  the main  SRGC website or the SRGC Forum Section HERE which also shows which nurseries are expected to attend each show.

 

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More SRGC members honoured by 'The Caley'

 

Hot on the heels of the  Caley award to Cyril Lafong, another three respected members of the SRGC, at a recent  presentation in Edinburgh have been  honoured  by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society  (the Caley)

Wendy and John Mattingley, of Cluny House Gardens, Perthshire, have been awarded the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Medal in Horticulture  and the Dr Andrew Duncan Medal for distinguished service to horticulture  by an educationalist, advisor or administrator was presented to Lady Catherine Erskine of Cambo Estate.

 

Many congratulations to Wendy,John and  Catherine on this honour!

 

 You can read more HERE.

 

Cyril Lafong wins the first SRGC  Gold George Forrest Memorial Medal

 

Cyril  Lafong’s prowess as a rock gardener and exhibitor has been recognised by The Scottish Rock Garden Club and by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. At the SRGC Early Bulb Display held in Dunblane’s Victoria Hall on 20th February 2016 we had a double ceremony. First SRGC President David Rankin congratulated Cyril on exhibiting plants which on 50
occasions had won The George Forrest Memorial Medal for Best Plant in an SRGC show. A few years ago Cyril gained his Silver Forrest Medal for winning 10 Forrest medals.

Harold Esslemont paid for the first 6 silver Forrests.  At the time, the Club thought 6 would be plenty as so few people won more than a couple. Only seven silver Forrest
medals have been presented in the Club’s 83 year history and of these, four of the recipients have passed away. This emphasises just how magnificent is Cyril’s achievement.

Since  winning his 50th Forrest medal at the SRGC show in Kincardine last spring he has gathered another three. President David said in his tribute that by setting his own high
standards for his exhibits he had raised the quality of plants in all the SRGC shows.

 

Next, Pam Whittle, President of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, presented Cyril with the Dr Patrick Neill Medal.
After reading the citation President Pam gave Cyril his certificate, medal and a copy of the citation. You can read both and see photos by clicking HERE.

The  Early Bulb Display was chosen for the presentations as it is where the biggest number of SRGC members congregate to celebrate the end of winter. After Cyril thanked his wife Annielle for her patience and fellow members for their encouragement and support the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause, pleased that Cyril’s prowess had been recognised
by the Caley ( as the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society is affectionately known) as well as by the SRGC.

Congratulations  Cyril, you truly deserve these  awards!

 

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SRGC Year Book/January Secretary's Pages 2016 : click HERE 

SRGC July Secretary's Pages : click HERE

SRGC Show Schedules 2016:  click here

Please note that all times, venues of the Shows etc are included in the Show Schedules Booklet

 

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Venues and subjects for  the SRGC Travelling Speaker  - Ger van den Beuken, the Netherlands 

North Northumberland  Group
Meeting will be held at the Community Club West Street, Belford at 2.15 pm
Monday 28th March 2016   "Highlights of South America"

Borders Group
Tuesday 29th March     NB:  Venue change: In the Waverley Castle Hotel, Melrose   7.30 p.m.
“Kackar Mountains of NE Turkey”

 

South West Scotland Group
7.30pm at Threave Gardens Visitor Centre, Castle Douglas
 Mar 31 -  "Growing Alpines Below Sea level"

Stirling Group
 Dunblane Christian  Fellowship Hall,  Dunblane
Friday 1st April  "Growing Alpines Below Sea level"
Meeting : 2.00pm

Moray Group  -  Joint meeting with  Highland Group
Meetings at Nairn Community Centre at 19.30 Nairn Community Centre, King St, Nairn IV12 4BQ, United Kingdom
Monday 4th April   "Santa Cruz in Patagonia"         

Aberdeen  Group
Tuesday 5th April   "Highlights of South America"
This  meeting  will be in the Zoology Lecture Theatre, Biological and Environmental Sciences Building (previously Zoology Building), Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen  AB24 2TZ.  7.30pm.

Perth Group
 Meeting 7.30 pm at the North Inch Community Campus, Gowans Terrace, Perth PH15BF
Thursday 7th April 2016   "Santa Cruz in Patagonia "

 

January 24th 2016

69th SEED DISTRIBUTION 2015-16

This is now closed and all but a few seed requests needing paperwork have been posted.    Please allow for the postal system to deliver your order – no queries before 15 February.

A HUGE THANK YOU  to all of you who sent in seed; without your contributions there would be no seed to distribute to all our members at home and abroad.

THANK YOU too to:
Ian and Carole Bainbridge of the Seed Reception team and their postman for surviving the first year of receiving your many seed donations and producing the longlist that is the seed catalogue.

Ian Pryde and the Packeting Team, Ian’s last year in this role, for translating the thousands of little envelopes into numbered glassine seed packets.

Neil McNulty, Seed Treasurer, for offering again to be submerged beneath a sea of requests and who  puzzles over the payments and chases the permits.

SW Scotland RGG for providing the team who handle the final distribution, picking all the seed packets for each request, from routine main orders to those fiddly surplus blocks of numbers.

And last but not least the Web Team, promptly handling each enquiry.

 

Carolyn McNab (Seed Distribution Manager)

 

 

SRGC Electronic Membership

The SRGC Web Team has been working to improve the system for registration and renewal of the electronic subscription to the SRGC – which is for those who wish to access the Journals etc online only, with no postal communication from the club.

For those with current e-subscriptions you may log in on the new online subscriptions pages using your registered email address and current password to access the Members’ section and Journals. For those whose subscriptions have very recently expired - you too may log in on the new online subscriptions pages  using your registered email address and current password to renew your membership - after checking that all your address details are correctly entered.

Those people wishing to join the SRGC with an electronic-only subscription please complete a new registration on the new online subscriptions pages.

 

The new online subscriptions pages are here:http://www.srgc.net/membership/

 

Please also note  that registrations to take part in the SRGC Forum, which is a separate system, must be made from the Forum pages:    http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php

 

Access for all types of membership applications and renewals are available from here  or from the drop-down menu under "About Us" at the top of the main web page, where electronic members will also find the link to their special Section "SRGC Online Subscription Pages"

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For news from the SRGC AGM 2015  see here :

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13787.0

 

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NOTICE for all SRGC Members:

 

Nominations for the Award of the GOLDEN JUBILEE SALVER

 

Nominations for the 2016 recipient should be sent to the Secretary no later than 15 August 2016.

It would be helpful if a short account of the nominee’s services to the Club were to be included, and also the names of other supporters.

The Salver is presented annually to an individual member for outstanding service to the Club. All nominations are considered by the Awarding Committee which consists of previous winners of this prestigious award.

 

(You may submit your nomination again in subsequent years if initially unsuccessful.)

 

The names of all previous holders are recorded in the Golden Jubilee Salver Book which is available for inspection at the AGM. For those who cannot attend our AGM the Golden Jubilee Salver has been awarded to the following individuals.

1983 Alf Evans   1984 Joyce Halley   1985 Don Stead  1986 Harold Esslemont   1987 Lewis Bilton   1988 Isobel Simpson

1989 Kathleen Simpson-Hall   1990 Angus Small   1991 Jack Crosland  1992 Sheila Maule   1993 Sandy Leven  

1994 Bill Mackenzie   1995 Bette Ivey   1996 Harley Milne   1997 Ron McBeath   1998 Jean Wyllie   1999 Lyn Bezzant

2000 Alastair McKelvie  2001 Glassford Sprunt   2002 Morris Wilson   2003 Jim Christie  2004 Jackie Thomlinson

2005 Margaret Taylor   2006 Henry Taylor  2007 Jean Band   2008 Ian Young   2009 Anne Chambers  2010 Ian Bainbridge 2011 Ian Christie   2012 Jim Sutherlan   2013 Julia Corden    2014 Liz Mills 2015 Alan Newton

 

(Surviving recipients are: Mr A J Leven, Mrs E B Ivey, Mr J H A Milne, Mr R J D McBeath, Mrs

J Wyllie, Mr A D McKelvie, Mrs L Bezzant, Mr T G Sprunt, Mrs J Thomlinson, Mrs M Taylor,

Mr H Taylor, Mr I Young, Mrs A Chambers. Dr I Bainbridge, Mr I Christie, Mr J Sutherland, Ms J Corden, Mrs Liz Mills, Mr Alan Newton)

Send nominations to Carol Shaw SRGC Sec.,  Delft Cottage, Dyke, Forres, G.B  IV36 2TF

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Nominations  for members to serve on the SRGC Council

Carol Shaw, SRGC Secretary,  reminds members  that nominations  are requested for four "ordinary members" of Council - these must be received no later than 15 May.
Nominations should be in writing with a proposer and seconder and along with a short pen portrait of the nominee who must have agreed to becoming a member of Council.

Write to
Carol Shaw  (SRGC Sec.)
Delft Cottage
Dyke
Forres
IV36 2TF

A nomination  may be emailed -  but it needs to have been written or typed  and actually signed by the proposer and seconder, then scanned before sending by email.

 Send to     findhorncarolATicloud.com  replacing the AT with @

 

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Amazon Affiliate  Programme: started 1st November 2014

 

A way for anyone to contribute to the SRGC's funds

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January 2015 Year Book and Secretary's Pages - click HERE

July 2014 Secretary's Pages - click HERE

January 2014 SRGC Year Book/ Secretary's Pages   click here 

SRGC Show Schedules 2014  click here to download

Thank you for visiting the SRGC site, please email via the "Contact Us" button from

 

the menu at the top of this page if you would like to send us your comments. 

   

For postal contact with the SRGC : please write to

 

Scottsh Rock Garden Club, P.O. Box 14063  Edinurgh EH10 YE.

 

The SRGC is a registered charity: SCO 00942

 

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23/03/2015 Further additions to the Archibald Archive continue to be made.

 

See all sections of the Archibald Archive from THIS page
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SRGC GRANTS

 

Various Grants for Students and for Plant Exploration are available from the SRGC ........   see HERE

next deadline for Student Grants - 31st March 2016

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MARCH 4th 2014 : Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society honours SRGC stalwarts, Jim Jermyn, Ian Christie and Jim Colledge : see front page of this site for details.

 

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The Gardening Scotland  Show takes place at Ingliston, near Edinburgh from 31st May to 2nd June.

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