Gifted garden sculptured seat

Ardentinny residents Irene and Stan Share recently enjoyed a small celebration beside the bespoke, carved, oak seat which they had generously commissioned and donated to Glenfinart walled garden.

Stan and Irene on the bespoke oak seat.
Stan and Irene on the bespoke oak seat.

The seat, which was designed and carved by local wood carver Guy Elder, is a work of art which slopes and weaves round the old beech tree at the entrance to the garden. Irene described how the design had evolved as she liaised closely with Guy on the project and both she and Stan very much like the end result, as will anyone who views and uses it.

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Ardentinny Community Trust toast Irene and Stan.

A detail of the unique sculptured seat.
A detail of the unique sculptured seat.

Walled Garden featured in Gardens Illustrated

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Glenfinart Walled Garden features in the current (August 2014) issue of Gardens Illustrated. The article entitled “The Fall & Rise of the Walled Kitchen Garden” focusses on how once magnificent walled gardens are now finding a new and productive lease of life.

The community enterprise aspect of the garden is highlighted in the the article. “..There is no more inspiring tale than Glenfinart, near loch Lomond, where a community has come together to secure a garden for its own use.

Abandoned in the 1920’s, and turned over to the Forestry Commission, a crumbling enclosure with a distinctive curved wall was more or less all that remained of the grand residence of the local Laird.

A band of volunteers is steadily creating a growing space, recreational garden and social hub for the folk of Ardentinny, who can also attend gardening classes”

Very well done to everyone involved in the project.

Walled Garden patron Sophie is Celebrity MasterChef

Finalists Charley Boorman & Jodie Kidd with Sophie Thompson
Finalists Charley Boorman & Jodie Kidd with Sophie Thompson

Beating 20 celebrity contestants for the Celebrity MasterChef trophy, Glenfinart Walled Garden patron, Sophie Thompson triumphed in the gruelling 6-week BBC contest.

Judge John Torode praised Sophie’s culinary creations for being “Original, exciting and daring”. Fellow judge Gregg Wallace said “Sophie’s food is very much like her, it’s original, it’s individual, it has a style, it’s different. She creates some absolute delights on a plate, they look like little stories to me; they just look amazing.”.

Sophie beat off other finalists Charley Boorman and Jodie Kidd.

"Original, individual and with style" - One of Sophie's MasterChef dishes
“Original, individual and with style” – One of Sophie’s MasterChef dishes

Celebrity MasterChef is available on the BBC iPlayer until 25 July.

Busy week for Walled Garden team

Glenfinart Walled Garden was host to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Community Partnership last Thursday when its new Directors and Staff enjoyed a familiarisation visit to this Ardentinny, community-based project. Their visit comprised a guided tour, some welcome tea and home baking and the all-important expansion of the garden’s & Partnership’s ‘network’.

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Walled Garden produce on sale at Blairmore market.
Lynn at the Burgh Hall event.
Lynn at the Burgh Hall event.

On Saturday members of the Trust manned the Glenfinart Walled Garden stall at neighbouring Blairmore Village’s Local Produce Market. Sale of the garden’s produce netted £115.50 in addition to much-appreciated donations. At the same time, Trust Secretary, Lynn Kerr represented the garden at Dunoon Burgh Hall’s Community Fair. Another excellent networking event!

Glenfinart Walled Garden is open daily from 12-4 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Volunteers triumph over midge invasion

It was a case of fighting off the midges at Saturday’s Volunteer Drop-in event at Glenfinart Walled Garden. Fortunately the volunteers from Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, as well as those from the community, came well prepared with midge nets, ample supplies of Skin So Soft and other magic potions to keep the midges at bay.

After making an excellent job of weeding the central ‘tump’ area, the group were able to pick the brains of resident green-fingered maestro Glyn Toplis during his monthly masterclass. This month’s topic was ‘Summer Flowering Plants’. To round off the day, Ardentinny Community Trust provided the usual excellent home baking and refreshments for the volunteers.

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Next month’s Volunteer and Training Day is on July 12. Glyn’s masterclass is on ‘Understanding Plant Names’ and begins at 2pm (garden open from 11am).

Glenfinart Walled Garden is open 7 days a week from 12.00 – 16.00hrs. Admission is free. The garden also now has plants and vegetables  for sale. For more information contact Jimmy Gordon on 01369 810170 or Lynn Kerr on 01369 810275 or email info@glenfinartgarden.org. 

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