Thursday 8th November, 5pm – 8pm

It's that time of year again! Join us for our very special Christmas shopping event this November and enjoy a fantastic 20% OFF Christmas and gifts*! 

We’ll be serving our home made complimentary non-alcoholic mulled wine on the night, PLUS we’ll be opening Café Panola late for the occasion with a special BYOB evening menu. 

Click here to reserve a table: https://www.pentlandplantsgardencentre.co.uk/xmas-shopping-event.html

October, and the gardens are ablaze with autumnal colour and charm. Acers are putting on a spectacular show and Sorbus trees stand tall like a towering inferno.

Now we really need to get busy, pruning back the herbaceous borders and plants! But let us not forget that foliage provides an excellent shelter for overwintering mammals and insects. Indeed, some herbaceous plants actually benefit more from being cut back in spring as oppose to the autumn. Slightly less hardy perennials such as Penstemons are better left alone as the top growth provides winter protection.

Morning temperatures are noticeably dipping, especially around exposed areas, so bring under glass all half hardy plants, especially tender herbs and olive trees.

October is a good time to spread a top layer of mulch on herbaceous borders. This will provide a protective covering for more tender plants during the cold winter months.

Spring flowering bulbs can be planted. There are so many varieties available so be creative and ask in store for help and advice on planting schemes. Daffodils need to be planted first, and remember to plant tulips later in November. The planting depth is very important! Bulbs planted too shallow won’t flower after their first year. A good rule to remember… plant bulbs three times in depth of the bulb size in a free draining compost. By doing this you really can’t go wrong.

Our much-loved lawns have been part of our gardens for centuries, originally created behind castle walls and within cloisters of monasteries. Autumn and regular mowing comes to an end. Apply as autumn top dressing and keep the lawn free from fallen leaves where pest and disease may hibernate until the new season.

Autumn is the time to support visiting birds and wildlife to our gardens. Birds especially will need a helpful hand in building up their energy reserves to see them through the winter months. Bird feeds come in many shapes and sizes and filling them with high fat foods will help the bird population dramatically. Birds will soon use vital energy to visit your feeder so let’s keep them well stocked!

Want to find out more about autumn gardening? You’ll find Allie in the outdoor plant area, who will be very happy to help. We will also be running drop in sessions in the outdoor plant area over the coming weeks. Click here to find out more:

https://www.pentlandplantsgardencentre.co.uk/blog/new-mini-drop-in-sessions.html

New to Pentland Plants this Autumn are our FREE mini workshops. Join plant expert Alie in the outdoor plant area for informative workshop sessions held every fortnight. 

Here are the exciting sessions being held over the next few weeks. Come along and join us, there's no need to book!

Autumn Lawn Care, Sunday 30^th September: 3pm              

Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. Effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health through into next spring. Join us for a ‘How to guide’ on simple lawn care techniques and top tips.

Sunday 14^th October, Spring Bulb Planting: 3pm

Plant bulbs for a magnificent display of show stopping spring colour. Bulbs can be planted in pots or straight into the ground. Which way up? How deep? We answer all your questions and give advice on planting ideas and schemes.

Sunday 28^th October,  Winter Wildlife: 3pm

Prepare your garden for winter wildlife. The winter months are a tough time for birds and animals. Join us for ways on how to attract and support our native and visiting wildlife throughout the winter months. 

Sunday 11^th November, Blazing Autumn Colour: 3pm

Autumn and we are surrounded by the splendour of beautiful browns, fiery reds and vibrant orange. Our plant exerts will show you a selection of shrubs perfect for autumn foliage colour which add beauty and vibrancy to the autumnal garden. 

We're delighted to have a wonderful new collection of house plants available. We have a broad number of varieties to suit all homes, including  flowering, green and leafy plants, succulents, cacti and large floor standing ones. You'll also find the popular air plants in stock, which are so easy to care for!

Here's a sneak peak at some of the new plants you'll find in the annex at Pentland. We have lots of lovely pots and watering accessoies too! 

This week’s recipe is David’s Pork and Stornoway black pudding Scotch eggs! We'll be serving this dish from our specials menu on Saturday. Why not try making it at home. It's quick and simple and tastes delicious!

Ingredients

1 x lb pork sausage meat

2 x slices of Stornoway black pudding - finely diced

4 x soft-boiled eggs

Salt and pepper

Plain flour/ 1 egg and a little milk for egg wash

Breadcrumbs

Oil for deep frying 

Method

Mix the sausage meat and the black pudding together, then season

Split into 4 equal portions then flatten with your hands to form a saucer size pattie

Place the egg in the centre then gently wrap it round the egg until it is completely covered, then chill in the fridge

Once chilled, roll in the flour, egg wash and then the breadcrumbs 

Deep fry for 8 to 10 minutes ensuring the Scotch egg is cooked completely 

Serve with fries and a freshly prepared salad