Frances Lincoln Published May 2008  New Edition Spring 2015 New Printing 2022

From Lerwick to Logan and from Berwick to Kintyre, this is the book for all of Scotlands' gardeners. Covering trees, conifers, fruit, shrubs, perennials, bamboos, grasses, herbs and hedging, this book is a one-volume guide for Scottish gardeners, both experienced and beginners. Authors Kenneth Cox & Raoul Curtis Machin are not afraid to say what they think. With help from most of Scotland's leading horticultural gurus and gardeners, they have scoured the country evaluating what does well where and why. Introductory chapters cover hardiness, drainage, wind, soil types, where to buy plants and coping with common pests and diseases. The main section covers 1000s of plants including many new ones only just reaching the market. Specialist and mail order Scottish nurseries are mentioned within plant entries to aid the sourcing of Scottish-grown plants. 

There is no other book on how to garden in Scotland currently in print. Where is the book which does for Scottish Gardening what The Beechgrove Gardenhas done on television? Where does the gardener in Stranrar, Lerwick or Kingussie turn to for information in selecting plants? This book will address this omission. The standard gardening books, excellent though many of them are, have a major failing as far as gardening in Scotland is concerned. Almost without exception these books recommend plants which do not succeed in Scottish conditions. The Royal Horticultural Society use an inadequate hardiness rating system of little or no use in Scotland.This lack of reliable information for Scottish gardeners leads to confusion and disappointment. The Scottish Gardenplant award and the new extended hardiness ratings will help to address this issues. 

The reference for Scottish gardeners who wish to choose the best plants, hopefully for generations to come. 

Second Edition Price £24

300 pages, 800 pictures

by Kenneth Cox & Raoul Curtis Machin

 

Reviews of Garden Plants for Scotland

‘Contrary to what many Sassenachs might think, Scotland is one of the best places in the world for gardening, it ample rainfall and lack of severe droughts mean that many plants including raspberries and rhododendrons- thrive there. And yet there have been very few books devoted to Scottish gardening. This excellent volume aims to put that straight...' 
Elspeth Thompson, Sunday Telegraph 20th November 2008 

'WHEN ALL the gardening world is focused on plants for drought, it's good to find a book for those who garden in the cold and wetter parts of the north. Garden Plants for Scotland (Frances Lincoln £25) hits the spot nicely. Kenneth Cox and Raoul Curtis-Machin know that climate well enough (Cox is part of the Glendoick Cox family of nurserymen, who have been collecting and growing rhododendrons for three generations) and so if a plant figures here, even a variety of rose, then you can be pretty sure it's going to do well north of the border and in the soggy, blasted Pennines. So keen are they on reliability that they have set up their own national bone-hardiness rating in defiance of the Royal Horticultural Society's southern take on hardiness, and also their own Scottish Garden Award, similar to the RHS's Award of Garden Merit, for their best 500 plants, chosen after consultation with experts throughout Scotland. There are lists of plants "resistant" to deer and rabbits too - there's brave! 
The Times, Christmas Books 2008: Gardening Stephen Anderton 

'Garden Plants for Scotland by Kenneth Cox and Raoul Curtis-Machin (Frances Lincoln) is a new resource book for gardeners in exposed areas and is packed with advice on plants for Scottish conditions. The chapter on hedges, screens and shelterbelts is particularly helpful, giving details of spacing, growth rate and eventual height of many wind-resistant hedging plants. There is also a section on fruit and vegetables that suggests varieties of pears, blueberries and raspberries, that grow well north of the border. 
Sunday Telegraph, Elspeth Thompson 28 Jul 2008 

A must-have for keen gardeners from The Borders in the south to Shetland in the north. 
Scots Magazine 

A highly readable guide... Garden Plants for Scotland could be the potting shed companion you are looking for.
 Agnes Stevenson, Sunday Post 

Imagine if you were to head off on a tour of Scotland, stopping to chat with the country's garden experts at every town along the way.You could find out which trees stand up to the wind in Shetland, which climbers will survive on a north facing wall and even which plants are widely offered for sale in Scotland but should be left on the shelf. Sadly most of us don't have the time, resources or contacts to take such a trip, but the good news is that two men have done it for us. 
Scotsman 

An essential companion for any Scottish gardener, both experienced and beginner. 
Scotland Magazine.

While not a specialist book I can highly recommend it for any gardener in Scotland or one in a similar climate and it would be an extremely useful book to give to any one just starting out on the gardening journey. 
Ian Young, SRGC Bulblog 

ABRIACHAN GARDEN NURSERY 
Lochnessside, Inverness IV3 8LA 
Mr & Mrs D. Davidson 
T: 01463 861 232 
info@lochnessgarden.com 
www.lochnessgarden.com 


ARDFEARN NURSERY 
Bunchrew, by Inverness, Highland, IV3 6RH 
Jim & Alasdair Sutherland 
T: 01463 243250 or T: 01463 223607. 
E: ardfearn@ardfearn-nursery.co.uk 


ARGYLL TREE NURSERY
 
The Tree Shop, Cairndow, Argyll, PA26 8BH 
T: 01499 600263 
E: info@ardkinglas.com 
www.scottishtrees.co.uk 

BINNY PLANTS 
Binny Estate, Ecclesmachan, West Lothian, EH52 6NL 
Billy Carruthers 
Tel: 01506 858931 
Fax: 01506 858155 
info@binnyplants.co.uk 
www.binnyplants.co.uk 

CALLY GARDENS 
Gatehouse of Fleet, Castle Douglas, Scotland DG7 2DJ 
enquiries@callygardens.co.uk 
www.callygardens.co.uk 


EDROM NURSERIES 
Coldingham, Eyemouth, Berwickshire TD14 5TZ. 
Terry Hunt & Cath Davis 
018907 71386 
Fax 018907 71387 
info@edromnurseries.co.uk 
www.edromnurseries.co.uk 

ELIZABETH MACGREGOR'S NURSERY 
Ellenbank, Tongland Road, Kirkcudbright DG6 4UU 
Elizabeth and Alasdair MacGregor 
01557 33062 
elizabeth@violas.abel.co.uk 

GARDEN COTTAGE NURSERY 
Tournaig, Poolewe, Achnasheen, Wester Ross IV22 2LH 
Ben Rushbrook & family 
Tel 01445 781777 
info@gcnursery.co.uk 
www.gcnursery.co.uk 

JAMES MACINTYRE & SONS MOYNESS NURSERY 
Coupar Angus Road, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 6UT 
The MacIntyre family 
T: 01250 873135, 
F: 01250 875014 
www.james-mcintyre.co.uk 

KEVOCK PLANTS 
16 Kevock Road, Lasswade, Midlothian, EH18 1HT 
0131 454 0660131 454 
066info@kevockgarden.co.uk 
www.kevockgarden.co.uk 

MACPLANTS Berrybank, 5 Boggs, Pentcaitland, East Lothian EH34 5BA 
Gavin McNaughton 
01875 341179 
Fax: 01875 340842 
sales@macplants.co.uk 
www.macplants.co.uk 

POYNTZFIELD HERB NURSERY 
Nr Balbalir, Black Isle, Dingwall, Ross & Cromarty IV7 8LX 
Duncan Ross 
01381 610352 
info@poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk 
www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk 


 

 


 
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