Signs of spring

From my bothy office I can hear the conversation of the blackbirds, and the irregular piping of oystercatchers circling down the hill to the lochan.  It's very pleasant.  (Admittedly the photo of our orchard is last spring's.  We don't have apple trees in flower in March in Scotland.  But you catch my drift).

I'm busy with a very suitable project for spring in the form of 'Beyond the Garden Gate', a festival surely designed in heaven by Moffat Book Events.  It's Moffat, it's May-time and someone has invented the perfect blend of open books, open gardens and old-fashioned Teas.  Click here for more.

And enjoying managing the website of the World Peace Sanctuary at Allanton House, Auldgirth, where many warm and wonderful projects happen all year round.  Here they are.

Lots of other things too, life is filled with variety at the moment - interpretation panels for Loch Ken, and Criffel, work starting on that most fun of festivals - Dumfries and Galloway Wild Science - click here - and work with the National Scenic Areas on Viewpoint Voices.  Think mapping the Solway coast in local poems.

Moffat Book Events invites you to a new FB Page

Do come along and visit Moffat Book Events' new Facebook Page.  It currently features all our latest updates and spring-inducing photographs for this irresistible new spring festival, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May.  Share your pleasure in all things green and please click the Like button at the top our of our Page, it's terribly encouraging.

Craigieburn Gardens - open free 27 May!

 

Click here - Moffat Book Events New FB Page!

Think of books, and May, and gardens

I'm energised by thoughts of spring, brought on in part by working for Moffat Book Events, who have spent their winter planning a gem of a weekend event.  'Beyond the Garden Gate' will take place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May offering two glorious days of visiting gardens, meeting authors and participating in events and conversations. 

Beyond the Garden Gate

 

Moffat Town Hall will host a Gardening Symposium titled ‘What are gardens for?’ and conversations with well known gardening authors, including doyenne of gardening Anna Pavord .

Also confirmed to appear at the festival are international garden and landscape photographer and writer Jennifer Gough-Cooper who will be discussing her latest book Origins, and her long term working partnerships with Scottish artists Richard Demarco and Ian Hamilton Finlay; and Richard Wheeler, National Trust garden history specialist on 'genius loci', or the spirit of place. World famous Craigieburn Gardens, just outside the town, will be open free to the public all weekend, and will also host events. Tickets are available on The Booth http://www.thebooth.co.uk and from 1st February at www.moffatbookevents.co.uk

Curled into the bowl below its hills, Moffat is a town that oozes charm.  Add gardens, books, cream teas and the perambulation of hidden private gardens which will open on the Sunday, and thoughts of Maytime and sunlight do flood the imagination...