Here at Pentland Plants, we’re home to the largest bedding plant nursery in Scotland. In fact, we’ve built up quite a reputation for ourselves and we’re known across the UK for our extensive range of high-quality plants. But did you know we also travel throughout the UK and even further afield to bring you the very best trees, shrubs and perennials? For example, this week saw Carolyn and her father David take a trip to Holland to hand-select a range of plants and we’re excited to reveal what they’ve returned home with…

Carolyn and David have been visiting Boskoop – home to the largest green market in Europe – for many years, and have made the trip a across several times each year to stock up as the seasons change. For them, it’s a great way to see the latest range of plants from hundreds of European growers and it enables them to compare and choose the best quality and value.

Hand-selecting the very best

Commenting ahead of her latest trip, Carolyn explained, “It’s so important that we get to see the stock first-hand before we buy so we can be confident that every plant will be perfect when they arrive here at Pentland Plants later that week.”

“We love seeing well grown plants in great condition, well pruned, well fed and at the peak of perfection. Whether it’s flowers or foliage, we always find something new!” added David.

Highlights from Holland

Each of the following plants has been carefully chosen to flourish in our Scottish climate and there really is something to suit any garden. Take your pick from stunning flowering shrubs for spring and summer blooms, shrubs with fabulous foliage and texture, climbers and wall shrubs for all aspects, and perennials that will pop up and add an extra splash of colour to your outdoor space.

• Ceanothus
• Clematis
• Hydrangea
• Magnolia
• Paeonia
• Viburnum
• Honeysuckle
• Allium
• Rhododendron
• Deciduous Azalea
• Acer

Caring for your new additions to the garden

Each of the plants listed above can be planted now. Simply prepare the soil with compost or soil conditioner, plus a handful of bonemeal, and water in well.

Most of these plants will be available to purchase instore from Saturday 7^th March in the afternoon, ideal if you’re itching to get out into the garden this weekend.

The Rhododendron, Deciduous Azalea and Acer, however, will be available from Wednesday 11^th March but we promise they will be worth the wait!

Love the idea of growing your own produce but think you need acres of land and fancy equipment? Think again! Here at Pentland Plants, we believe anyone can have a go, no matter how limited their garden size, budget, or previous gardening experience.

That’s why our team has compiled a list of some of our favourite easy-to-grow options to suit everyone. The best thing about growing your own? It’s a fun, delicious and sustainable way to help the planet – no food miles, no plastic packaging, just wholesome, homegrown goodness.

So roll up your sleeves, get stuck in, and you’ll soon be enjoying the fruits of your labour!

Grow herbs on a window sill

No garden? No problem! If you’ve got a window sill, you can get growing. Early spring is a good time to consider growing herbs such as basil, coriander, chives and parsley from seeds. Simply fill pots with seed compost and sprinkle a few seeds into each one. Cover with a loose layer of compost, lightly water and after a few weeks you should see the first leaves developing. Once grown, you can snip off a few leaves as and when you’d like to add a little extra flavour to your favourite dishes.

Grow lettuce in a planter

Crisp, summer salads, right on your doorstep – it’s easier than you think. There are many leafy varieties that grow well in a planter and many ‘cut and come again’ lettuces that will allow you to just pick a few leaves as and when you need them without pulling up the whole plant so you can enjoy them throughout the whole summer. Start the seeds off indoors or sow direct outside later in the spring once the soil has warmed up. Remember, don’t plant them too close as you’ll need to give them adequate room to grow and flourish.

Grow tomatoes in a greenhouse

Homegrown tomatoes are packed full of flavour – you’ll notice the difference from the first bite. Tomato seeds can be sown from February onwards in 9-10cm pots of moist compost. Water well and cover with a sprinkling of compost, then store in a propagator until the seeds have germinated. (Alternatively, a warm windowsill will do the trick!) When the seedlings have grown to around 2-3cm in height, it’s time to transplant them very carefully, holding the seedlings only by the leaves, into their own 9-10cm pot filled with multi-purpose compost. Once the plants are about 15-20cm tall they can be transplanted into large pots or grow bags. Cordon varieties will need supported with canes or string and the side shoots removed as they grow tall. Bush and trailing varieties which need no supporting or side shoot removal. Don’t forget to feed with tomato fertiliser and water regularly to prevent splitting.

Grow potatoes in a vegetable patch

Potatoes have got to be one of the most versatile vegetables to cook, so do the groundwork and you’ll be enjoying them for many, many mealtimes. Start by selecting ‘seed potatoes’ and chit them to encourage shoots to grow. To do this, simply place them in an old egg carton with the end that has the most eyes facing up. Store them in a cool, light spot for about six weeks when shoots of about 1-2cm should be visible. Next, ensure your soil is rich by digging in plenty of garden compost and potato fertiliser, then plant the potatoes with the shoots facing upwards. Water them regularly and ‘earth up’ by adding soil to cover the shoots as they emerge. If you’re short on space, potatoes can also grow brilliantly in large containers where they’ll require no earthing up, making them a really easy and low maintenance option. If you’d like more information how to grow potatoes, pick up a leaflet in store.

Top three reasons to give it a go and grow your own

Need a little extra encouragement? We asked a few of our team members what they loved most about growing their own at home:

Susie, Garden Centre Supervisor: ‘Growing your own food, cooking it, and seeing your family and friends’ faces when they taste it – you just can’t beat it!’

Tiina, Garden Centre Manager: ‘It’s so important that children understand where their food comes from, and my kids love getting involved and getting muddy! They’re always so fascinated to see their little seedlings grow into something tasty.’

Alie, Plant Area Supervisor: ‘There’s no denying it, when you’ve grown something from seed and nurtured it right through to harvesting, it tastes 100% better than a shop-bought equivalent.’

Pop into Pentland Plants and chat to any of our team if you have questions about growing your own, or head over to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and join the conversation.

Happy customers are important to us and we are always looking for ways to improve. Equally, we are delighted to hear positive feedback - it's a real boost to all of the team here at Pentland Plants. If you have a moment, and could leave a review on our Trip Advisor page, we'd really appreciate it.

Will you be taking part in the Big Garden Bird Watch this month? Order your pack now from the RSPB website! We've just re-stocked our bird food area and have a fantastic range of goodies to help attract feathered friends to your garden! 
#BigGardenBirdWatch is a great way for the whole family to connect with nature; in today's #Blog, RSPB Scotland share their top tips for getting your kids involved! http://bit.ly/2tYppmc

We are delighted to now offer vegan afternoon tea at Cafe Panola.

This delicious freshly prepared homemade treat includes:
- 2 rounds of sandwiches with vegan cheese Carrot chutney and lemon & oregano humous with roasted vegetables
- Fruit scone served with jam and vegan cream
- Meringue and fresh fruit
- A selection vegan cakes, including 2 of the following:
Chocolate cake, lemon cake, ginger tiffin , oaty apple tray bake and banana and walnut cake

We have delicious vegan scones and cakes to add to our sweet treats and we always have homemade vegan soups available every day.

We are proud to source local Scottish produce for the food that we serve at our cafe. All of our dishes and home baking are freshly prepared on site in our cafe kitchen by our talented chefs. Afternoon tea is available every day from 2pm - 4pm and there's no need to book!

To keep up to date with our latest specials and cafe offering, please follow or Facebook and Instagram accounts: @pentlandplants