Me

My main interests have always been growing plants, eating food, adventuring on beaches and I've a keen interest in the environment. I have been fortunate to live in a few of the remoter islands of Scotland (Colonsay, Islay and Orkney) farming and growing crops in very challenging maritime climates.

Primarily I'm a gardener, a mother, (now!) a wife and I teach, write and haiver about it all when I can. 

I started growing vegetables on a small island as the local shop offered a range of 'bendy veg', so I got inspired to try and grow some. Studied a correspondence course and that set me off. After land based SVQs at a local psychiatric hospital I moved on to study formally in Edinburgh. I studied plantsmanship/horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, 2000/1 specialising in edible and herbal plants suitable for the Scottish Climate. I moved to Orkney, growing herbal and edible plants for local farmers markets whilst studying and for a BSc in Sustainable Development and Environmental Management in Orkney in 2001.

After a while, needing more study, I moved back to mainland Scotland to further my botanical studies, gaining an MSc Plant Taxonomy and Biodiversity in 2006 from Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. Throw in a few thousand insect bites from a field trip to Belize and arctic wet wellie foot from dissertation study on Moneses uniflora in a remote woodland in the north of Scotland, in Golspie. That kinda sums up that time!

I have also worked in several nurseries in Scotland - from helping to renovate Johnny Walkers walled garden in Islay, to small specialist breeders of species of Primula and Meconopsis nurseries in Ardrishaig. For my shame I can't stand Rhododendrons - the west coast of Scotland sickened me of them and their blousy habits.

One of my favourite times was at a nursery in Fife propagating and growing hardy perennial plants for the Scottish climate. On a windy site a gnats throw from of the forth of firth, the nursery boasted a keen reputation for very hardy plants, grown in polytunnels and greenhouses cunningly named after prisons! I owe so much of my inspiration from the time I spent in the cold potting shed with my companion Alison - who kept me sane during the 400-5000 Tropeolum speciosa root cuttings (2 inches, a cross in the bottom of the pot, two per pot - repeat and repeat and repeat). No electricty - no tea breaks - just a lot of plants and humour!

I returned to Orkney in 2006 joining a local enviornmental company part time helping Highland Park with their peat extraction to avoid habitat degredation. I also worked at the Agronomy Institute team at Orkney College as a part-time technician, latterly my PhD research looked at the practicalities of Willow SRC as a biomass crop in the Orkney climate combining my two main interests of plants and the environment.

Nowadays - I gallivant about working in a few gardens - doing a bit of vegetable garden teaching and I work for a local recycling charity part time. I'm a keen gardener that hasn't changed. But, I love research and teaching too. 

We relocated to Fife in 2014 and have now a garden, with wind and lots of interesting challenges to boot. I'm working locally for a large estate, helping them with all sorts of plant related things including propagating perennials and with their snowdrop collection.

I share mostly nonsense (haivers) on here, its a space to reflect, connect and live. Enjoy living. 

If you think I might be able to help you with something plant related, please get in touch, we can chat about something I can do for you perhaps. To keep the wolf from the door.