ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

Both Abernethy and Aberargie have recently set up In Bloom Groups. Volunteers are coming together to improve the environment using gardening as a tool. Abernethy in Bloom launched at the Cree’s in mid January with lots of ideas on how to bring more colour to the village and encourage people to get involved.

You don’t have to be an expert or know anything at all about gardening just have an enthusiasm for and care passionately about your surroundings and where you live and work.

Thanks to all those who have already volunteered their time.

Abernethy Primary School is taking part and we are hoping to encourage all the various businesses in and around Abernethy to support us. As the weather warms up you will start to see more tubs and floral features around the village. We are going to hold a best summer tub and window box competition open to all - watch out for details. We will be helping the Horticultural Society re-development of Peattie’s Garden and continue the planting and tending of the Village Fruit Tree Trail. We will be planting lots of bulbs around the village in the Autumn. In December we want to hold a home-made produce and food fayre with lighting up and decoration of the village and a special Christmas tree in Nurse Peattie's Garden.

Next year we hope to develop an information map of all the green and beautiful places in the village to put in the Museum and other public locations and make Abernethy an even more attractive destination for visitors.

Hazel Gordon of Berryfields Tearoom has volunteered to be secretary of Abernethy in Bloom. If you would like to do something to help or have ideas on what features you would like to see in the village you can drop in and let her know or contact me carolinepboyle@hotmail.com 851190

For more details of both the Horticultural Society and Abernethy in Bloom please visit www.abernethyhorticultural.co.uk

JUNE 2015

Bloomin’ Marvellous

To celebrate the start-up of Abernethy in Bloom we want to encourage as many of the readers of the Crier as possible to help fill the village with flowers this summer. So, we are holding a competition to find the most beautiful planted container. Any container will do – tub, window box, hanging basket, trough, barrel, bowl, box – whatever you have that you can grow  something in. There are no formal requirements or strict rules as to size or what plants you can use and no particular theme. We just want you to create something colourful and eye-catching using whatever plants you like to brighten up your street or garden.

Containers should be visible from the road or pathway to make judging easy. Judging will take place in the last week of July and there will be prizes and a cup for the overall winner.

To enter, just complete the form printed below or download a form from

www.abernethyhorticultural.co.uk or collect one from Hazel at Berryfields Tearoom. Return it before the end of June indicating how many containers you are entering. All entrants will be notified in advance of precisely when judging will take place. Look out for our posters round the village too.

SEPTEMBER 2015

Bloomin’ Marvellous Container Competition

When we launched our Bloomin’ Marvellous competition in the last issue of the Crier we were not sure how many, if any, people would enter. We were really thrilled when we received forty-eight responses for our first (and hopefully annual) container competition entering either one or a whole gardenful of pots and hanging baskets. Despite the dismal summer to date there is a riot of colour in many gardens around the village to cheer up the grey days.

The judges had six main items on their check-list: choice and combination of plants, health and growth, use of colour and texture, the container itself, overall visual impact and how surroundings are enlivened. Many traditional bedding plants were at their peak of perfection. The begonia emerged as the star with some extraordinary displays in tubs and hanging baskets of glorious colour and phenomenal size. Fuchsias, petunias, violas, marigolds and lobelia looked pretty wherever they appeared. Traditional red geraniums stood out vibrantly against whitewashed walls. Lilies, dahlias, crocosmia, pinks, astilbe, agapanthus, roses, vinca and ivy varied and complemented displays. Doorways and windows were framed by colour and scent. The judging was very close with many half marks awarded and much discussion over endless cups of tea and coffee. There were so many lovely little details to note and definite personality and style emerged in what people had chosen to plant in their containers and how they presented them. In addition to private gardens, both Berryfields and the Inn entered and showed how small public spaces can be made to look attractive and inviting. Teacups amid the violas and lobelia at Berryfields and teapots filled with nasturtiums at the Inn. Certain streets deserve a special mention as they were transformed – Ballo Braes and Clunie Street both looked stunning. The judges remarked how many lovely gardens there are in Abernethy which should be celebrated and better known and enjoyed by more people. Suggestions for holding a Village Open Gardens event, and a best street/best garden competition in the future were made by several peo- ple. If you would be interested in taking part please get in touch.

The standard was high all round and decisions were difficult but taking very many factors into consideration, the winners are:

First prize: Margaret Cole, The Smiddy, 10 Main Street for a garden – front, back and side – full of gloriously healthy and colourful blooms in unusual containers.
Second: (joint) Elsa and Mike Thomson, East Bank Cottage, Perth Road. Both Elsa and Mike entered separately and both scored highly for quality, variety and overall impact.
Third: Chris Farmer, Gattaway. Although Chris entered only one item, his large tub at the bottom of the Gattaway Hill on the main road, this radiated a jewel-like brightness spilling over onto the surrounding grass with further plants amid the grass.
The winners will all receive vouchers and a cup will be presented to Margaret Cole.
Congratulations to them and to everyone who took the time to take part and who has made Abernethy a more beautiful place to live:
Fiona Duncan,
Liz Uttley,
Bill Christie,
Grace Thomson,
Pauline Jamieson,
Elizabeth Taylor,
Caroline Boyle,
Sheila Tuckett,
Vicky Kelly,
Lorraine Kinnear,
Maureen Corbishley,
Caroline Shedden-Brown,
Frank Cadger,
Carol Cadger,
John Hussen,
Linda Sinclair,
Tony Sargent,
Gill Boardman,
Dave & Celia King,
Norman Gordon,
Amanda Sutherland,
Christina Cleeton,
Susan McGhie,
Andrea Cardno,
Fiona Normand,
Sarah Normand,
Ali Ferguson,
Irene McLaren,
Jan Barrance,
Ian Bett,
Eve & Kevin,
R G MacDonald (Bob),
Chris Scott,
Keir Allen & Rachel Battilana,
William Sutherland,
Beth Gordon (at Berryfields),
Patricia Miller,
Caroline Haddow,
Susan Pettigrew,
Anne Brews,
Andy Duncan,
The Inn,
Iris Watson,
Louise Hetherington.

Many thanks must go to our guest judge and long-time Abernethy resident, Margaret Skinner.
Thanks too to Margaret Donaldson, In Bloom Treasurer, who twisted a few arms to persuade shy gardeners to enter.

Photos of the entries can be found at www.abernethyhorticultural.co.uk .

We hope you will also have noticed and are enjoying the Abernethy in Bloom containers around the village:
at the War Memorial,
at the bottom of School Wynd,
by the bus stop and
near the notice board by the Corn Kist.
These were made by Ian Lamond using old potato boxes generously donated by Branstons and the remains of an old IKEA bunk bed (101 things you can do with….) and filled with compost provided by Binn.

Our work in renovating Nurse Peattie’s garden continues. Thanks to everyone who is helping with watering, weeding and digging!

This is our first year as Abernethy in Bloom and we hope to develop our activities in years to come. We are intending to enter the national In Bloom competitions in 2016. If you would like to get involved with us please get in touch and we can tell you more - or let us have any ideas of what you would like to see Abernethy in Bloom do next.

Caroline Boyle (851190) Hazel Gordon (at Berryfields Tea Room) Margaret Donaldson (850881)

MARCH 2016

Abernethy in Bloom has just celebrated its first birthday and experienced a full year of what the weather can throw at us! The bulbs we planted in Nurse Peattie’s Garden last Autumn are beginning to make an appearance and offer hope that Spring is coming and this Winter’s driving wind and rain will not last forever. I am writing this at the end of January when we are all suffering a bit from cabin fever and wishing we had invested in sun lamps. However, we have also taken advantage of the dark days to plan for summer colour and look forward to getting outside again.

Dates for your diary

Saturday May 7 from 2-4 To mark the completion of phase one of our redevelopment of Nurse Peattie’s Garden, we shall be holding an event for all the family in the Garden. Please watch the village notice boards for more information. We would particularly like to invite and welcome anyone who was a patient of Nurse Peattie or knew her personally. We hope the event will have a few “medical” overtones.

Saturday July 30 Judging the second annual Abernethy Container competition and our new Best Street competition. After the success of last year’s Bloomin’ Marvellous event we are hoping for even more en- tries this year. We have also had a request for an award for the Best Bloomin’ Street. Further details and entry forms will appear in the next issue of the Crier.

Village planters We are aiming to have more of the green and cream planters this year – including at the two ends of the village. Following various comments and requests we are going to fill them with bolder and brighter colour. If any of the village businesses or associations would like to sponsor a planter, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Christmas tree and Christmas lights fund Some of you may have witnessed our valiant attempts at putting up and decorating our very large and beautiful Christmas tree which stood near the roundabout by the fence in Nurse Peattie’s Garden over the Festive season. We put it up not once but twice! The terrific gales in early December felled the tree when the base gave way. Thanks to Perth and Kinross Council’s rapid response team who arrived with 28 bags of concrete the base was restored. Joint efforts by the Community Council and Abernethy in Bloom with help from some hefty farm machinery from the Baird family and stout wire from Jimmy Swan saw the tree heaved back into place only hours before the Carol Service in the garden on 11 December. The storms abated just long enough for a good crowd to come along and for singing to take place. We were delighted to raise £130 – half for the Church and half for the Christmas lights fund.

Together with a range of other donations which came in following Les McIntosh’s article and appeal in the last Crier, the fund has now reached £525. This is a great start towards the £1800 we need and sincere thanks are due to everyone who has contributed to date. We will continue to raise funds and welcome further donations until early May.

If you have not already contributed and would like to, Les McIntosh has set up a JustGiving website (he gives full details about this elsewhere in this issue of the Crier). We will also keep our collection tin in the shop. You can see progress towards our target on the thermometer in Nurse Peattie’s Garden and on the village notice boards. Here you can also find details of all our activities.

If you would like to get involved with the work of Abernethy in Bloom and help make our village an even more beautiful place to live, work and visit, please get in touch. Caroline Boyle on behalf of Abernethy in Bloom carolinepboyle@hotmail.com

JUNE 2016

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

Nurse Peattie’s Garden - 50th Birthday

On 7 May we celebrated 50 years of Nurse Peattie’s with a party to mark the end of Phase 1 of renovations to the garden.  About 60 people came along on one of the first warm days of the gardening season and we were delighted to welcome three representatives of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland to unveil the new sign and begin a new era for the garden. We had a lovely feature article in the Courier which provided personal testimony of a much loved figure. If you haven’t visited Nurse Peattie’s recently please do go along and sit on one of the benches and relax in the sunshine.  We hope we have made a place people will enjoy and want to make greater use of.  There is a new fence, new gravel, new walling, replanted beds and various features designed to honour Nurse Peattie’s long career in the village.  Renovation work was a great team effort by all in Abernethy in Bloom with generous help and support from Abernethy Horticultural Society, Perth and Kinross Council, local firms Branston, Binn, FSEW Ltd, and Jamesfield Garden Centre.  Special thanks are due to Frank Cadger who did the wonderful joinery for the new sign at the entrance to the garden. The children in Mrs Hepburn’s class at the Primary School held a competition to make special welcome posters for the event and Lucy Jones aged 7 designed the winning poster. Due to a very generous donation from Branston we are now in a position to start Phase 2 of our works which will include new steps and handrail, the cleaning of the memorial stones and a new archway.

Christmas Lights Fund

Hot off the press news is that we have reached our target of £2,000 for the installation of electricity in the garden and purchase of Christmas lights.  Thanks to everyone in the village who donated to Abernethy in Bloom or via the Just Giving site.  The whip round we held on May 7 got us to the finishing post.  We hope to make Christmas in Abernethy even more special this year.

Bloomin’ Marvellous Container Competition

Last year we launched the Abernethy Container Competition and had a fantastic number of entrants from all parts of the village. We are running the competition again this year with a judging date of the last Saturday in July.  Like last year we are looking for the most beautiful planted container.  Any container will do – tub, window box, hanging basket, trough, barrel, whatever you have that you can grow something in.  There are no formal rules as to size or what plants to use and no particular theme.  The judges will be looking for something healthy, colourful and eye-catching which brightens up your street or garden.

Containers should be visible from the road or pathway to make judging easy.  Prizes for first, second and third places will be awarded.

We have also been asked to run a second competition for the best Bloomin’ street. So why not try and persuade your neighbours to enter and have a go at winning the best street, road, wynd prize.

To enter just complete the form below or download a form from:www.abernethyhorticultural.co.uk or pick one up from the following:

Maureen Corbishley 1 Ballo Braes
Bill Christie 31 Castlelaw Crescent
Margaret Donaldson Rowan Bank Back Dykes
Ian Lamond 12 The Glebe
or the front desk at the Museum.

Return it by the end of June indicating how many containers you are entering.  All entrants will be notified in advance of when judging will take place.

Look out for posters round the village too.

As summer fast approaches Abernethy in Bloom will be planting up our own containers throughout the village.  We are aiming to make a very colourful splash this year.

If you would like to get involved with the work of Abernethy in Bloom - and we always welcome new people - please get in touch.

Ian Lamond  Chairman  &  Caroline Boyle  Secretary  Abernethy in Bloom

SEPTEMBER 2016

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

Our second annual Bloomin’ Marvellous competition was judged on Saturday July 30.  We had 45 entries and the judges had some very difficult decisions to make.  They were really impressed by the imagination and quality of all the entries and the consistently high standards. There were so many delights for the eye. It was evident just how much people love their gardens and their pots.  Even the darkest and most unpromising corners were transformed.  The Begonia still rules as the most vibrant and popular bloom but coming up hard on its heels this year there was a sea of Nasturtiums, Alstromeria, Bacopa, Cosmos, Osteospermum and multi-coloured Pansies. A wide variety of containers were used.  Wishing wells were particularly in vogue for 2016 with tea pots, chamber pots and wellington boots all in service. Some people had even made their own containers. Exciting colour combinations including what one contestant called the Sweetie Shop look, different textures and gorgeous fragrances all enhanced the judging experience.

The winners of the Container competition for 2016 are:

First   Lorna Irving of Wallflower Cottage, Back Dykes

Second   Gill Boardman of 5 Sutherland Crescent

Third   Elsa & Mike Thompson of Eastbank Cottage, Perth Road

They all receive prizes of garden vouchers.

Congratulations to them and to everyone who took the time to take part and who has made Abernethy a more beautiful place to live: Fiona Duncan, Sheena McNaughton,  Bill Christie, Pauline Jamieson, Elizabeth Taylor, Karen Laing, Lorraine Kinnear, Judith Tait, Hilary Sharman, Donald Fairbairn, Hannah and Max Morrison,  Sheila Tuckett, Maureen Corbishley, Caroline Shedden-Brown, Frank & Carol Cadger, John Hussen, Linda Sinclair, Tony Sargeant,  Dave & Celia King,  Amanda Sutherland, Eileen Webster, Christina Cleeton, Andrea Cardno, Mitch Shaw,  Fiona Normand, Jan Barrance, Ian Bett, Chris Scott, Val Black, Keir Allen & Rachel Battilana, William Sutherland, Patricia Miller, Caroline Haddow, Anne Brews, Andy Duncan, Margaret Cole, Margaret Folan, Anne & Allistair Hollingsworth, Mr & Mrs Manos, Chris Farmer.

We also held our first Best Bloomin’ Street competition.  Only one mark separated first and second places and all six entries were highly commended.  It was particularly hard to judge these very varied locations – made even more difficult by Abernethy’s unique topography. How does the postman ever find his way!?  The winner was Ballo Braes and tied in joint second were Main Street and the Glebe. Station Road was given a special mention as having done great things to improve the area surrounding the horses’ field which is now neatly mown with its own special containers.  Clunie Street and the lower part of Kirk Wynd were also a pleasure to visit and see how something done for individual enjoyment can also result in something lovely for everyone to share.

Photos of the entries can be seen on the Abernethy in Bloom notice board outside the Corn Kist.  A slideshow of entries and photo album can be found on the blog page of  www.abernethyhorticultural.co.uk We hope even more people will consider entering the competition in 2017.

Caroline Boyle, Secretary,
Abernethy in Bloom

DECEMBER 2016

You may already have heard the good news that in early September Abernethy in Bloom received a Silver Gilt medal for our work around the village from the judges of Take a Pride in Perthshire. We were also thrilled to receive the Best Newcomer prize 2015-16. We were presented with our awards by the Provost of Perth at a ceremony in the Salutation Hotel. The judges made an inspection visit to Abernethy a few weeks earlier to look at projects such as Nurse Peattie’s Garden and to get a sense of how well the village is cared for and whether it is a good place to live. The days leading up to the visit were a frenzy of last minute weeding and watering, with a mass sweeping of roads and paths. Our small team was delighted to be joined on Main Street/School Wynd by several ladies who were watching our progress and decided to come out and help - with brooms! So many people have helped us in this first full year as Abernethy in Bloom whether on a weekly basis or lending a hand once in a while. We are very grateful to all of them for their commitment and gift of precious time. We are always looking for new volunteers who can offer individual skills for the good of the village as a whole whether it be gardening, painting, joinery , general D I Y, cleaning – you name it. If you would like to get involved in some way or would like to know more of our plans for 2017, please get in touch. The success of this year has inspired us to go for Gold!

In mid-October with Autumn on the way we emptied the village containers of their summer bedding and replanted with bulbs, wallflowers, pansies and violas. We put in about 1,000 bulbs so fingers crossed for a glorious show when Spring arrives.

Finally – a date for your diaries. Thanks to your generosity we raised all the funds needed for our electricity supply to Nurse Peattie’s Garden which will power a blaze of new Christmas lights for the village Christmas tree. The big festive Switch on will take place in the garden on Friday December 9 at 6pm. There will be posters around the village as reminders. You are all invited to come along and help light up the night sky in readiness for a wonderful Christmas 2016.

Caroline Boyle

Secretary, Abernethy in Bloom (tel: 851190)

MARCH 2017

First, a big thank you to everyone who took part in our Christmas lights switch-on in Nurse Peattie’s Garden on Friday 9 December.  The tree looked magical.  We were overwhelmed and wonderfully surprised by the numbers who came along and by everyone’s friendliness and their Festive goodwill.  We have a few innovations and improvements already planned for next Christmas and hope to see you all again -  a year older and wiser!

It is frosty and foggy outside today but we have the 2017 gardening season to look forward to.  Snowdrops and bulbs are peeping through the frozen soil ready for Spring. Our containers and baskets will be planted up in May for the summer.  We shall be adding more containers – particularly at the Newburgh end of the village and by popular demand would really like to have hanging baskets the length of Main Street.  This will mean regular watering and to do this properly we will need a few more volunteers.  If anyone on Main Street would be willing to adopt a basket – which would mean watering  every other day – please contact me or one of the other people named at the bottom of this article. Similarly, if you know a spot in the village which you think could benefit from some floral beautification, please let us know.  One suggestion is to paint and then place flower boxes on the metal railings on the main road at Back Dykes.

You may have noticed that Perth & Kinross Council has cleared away some of the trees by the burnside in Nurse Peattie’s garden and removed the twin conifers which used to stand by the gate.  This was done because some of the trees were diseased and unhealthy, others were blocking light and preventing growth of shrubs and plants beneath them.  This year we will be making a big effort to replant the burnside with lower growing plants which will show off the stone bridge and provide new and interesting vistas from the garden.  We have plans for a new entrance structure over the gate and the planting of fragrant roses and other climbers.

We shall also be taking care of the Fruit Tree Trail which is beginning to blossom in different parts of the village and surroundings.

In June we are taking part in the Abernethy Village Open Gardens day on Saturday 24 June from 10 – 6. This is being organised by the Horticultural Society. More information on this can be found at:

http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/gardens/garden/5a6ffc97-3c2f-4df9-8d61-a6d60100cf21

The last weekend in July will see our annual Bloomin’ Marvellous Village container and best Bloomin’ Street competitions.  If you haven’t taken part yet please think about doing it in 2017.

Abernethy in Bloom’s regular weekly evening planting, tidy-up and maintenance sessions will begin on the first Monday of April in Nurse Peattie’s.  If you would like to help, please come along -  no knowledge of gardening required - and you will be warmly welcomed.  For information on all our activities, plans, dates and times please look on the Green notice board outside the Cornkist or speak to one of the following:Caroline Boyle 851190,  Ian Lamond 850186 ,   Margaret Donaldson 850881 , Bill Christie 850495, Sonia Simmers 850705, John Hussen 850160, Maureen Corbishley 850118, Chris Farmer 851001, Barbara Baird 850116 .

JUNE 2017

By the time you read this we should have planted up our village containers and hanging baskets for the summer. You will see we have spruced up and painted the railings at Back Dykes. This will be our newest location for tubs. We are always seeking new areas in the village so if you have suggestions for places which need some colour, please let us know. Thanks very much to Jack at Branston for his dedicated paintwork. Work is also advanced on our new feature for Nurse Peattie’s Garden which is a specially commissioned rose arbour over the gate made for us by Chris K.

 
Last year saw the second annual Abernethy Container Competition. We had a fantastic number of entrants from all parts of the village. We are running the competition again this year with a judging date of the last Saturday in July. We are looking for the most beautiful planted container or containers which really help to enliven the garden or space they are in and bring a splash of colour to please the passer-by too. Any sort of container will do – tub, window box, hanging basket, trough, barrel, whatever you have that you can grow something in. We are keeping it informal with no hard and fast rules as to size or what plants to use and no particular theme. The judges will be looking for something healthy, colourful and eye-catching which brightens up your street or garden. There are no age limits for entrants and we would be delighted if children would like to have a go.

Containers should be visible from the road or pathway to make judging easy. Prizes for first, second and third places will be awarded.

We are again also holding our Best Bloomin’ Street competition. So why not try and persuade your neighbours to enter and have a go at winning the best street, road, wynd and beat last year’s blazing winners Ballo Braes.

Our Monday night weeding and maintenance sessions are in full swing so if you would like to get involved with the work of Abernethy in Bloom - and we always welcome new people - please come along to Nurse Peattie’s from 5 pm and join us.

Ian Lamond Chair & Caroline Boyle Secretary

Abernethy in Bloom

SEPTEMBER 2017

We held our third Bloomin’ Marvellous container and Best Bloomin’ Street competition on Saturday 29th July with a record 50 entries.  This year we also included a teen and young shoot section.  In spite of dodging showers, the three judges really enjoyed the experience of seeing how something completely original and individual can be created from fairly similar basic ingredients. The choice of plant, combination of colour and texture, use of different shape and scale, and where the container was sited made comparison difficult and a decision on an ultimate winner even harder.

There were so many outstanding entries adorning gardens large and small, brightening up alleyways and making steps and front doorways more welcoming.  You can see what the judges saw as there is a selection of photos taken on the day on the notice board outside the Cornkist and on the Abernethy Facebook page.

Unusual and imaginative containers this year included a pair of old work boots and a pair of terracotta pots in form of Classical faces at Ivy Cottage, a step ladder at Te Rehur in Clunie Street, an old wooden horse collar in Kirk Wynd, a painted dining table with drawer used for herbs at NaeView, brightly painted food tins in Main Street, plus a range of old industrial and farming implements, chimney pots and wicker baskets. One entrant had been inspired by finding wheat growing in her pots to create a special display relating to the history and former use of her house as a bakery.  The time. effort and thought which people had put in to make such excellent entries was truly appreciated. The most popular colour combinations this year were red, white and blue (can we read anything into this?) and shades in the pink to mauve and purple range.  Despite earlier generations feeling yellow to be an unlucky colour it is now gaining in popularity.  Top of  the Flower Charts - lobelia was everywhere in huge clouds, with nemesia in many shades, unusual frilly petunias, and lots of lilies.  The Begonia still rules though in yellow, white, red, apricot and orange. Striking butterfly and other wildlife ornaments also added to the interest and quirkiness of some of the entries.  It was the vibrant colours on a grey day which really stood out and the fragrance of honeysuckle and lavender in particular also made a strong impact on the judges.

For their total exuberance the 2017 winners are:

First  Tony Sargent 7 Ballo Braes

Second  Linda Sinclair 15 Ballo Braes

Third  Caroline Haddow corner of Main Street/Kirk Wynd.

Best teen      Jamie Reid   

Best young shoot   Bertie Farmer

They all receive prizes of vouchers.

Ballo Braes won the title Best Bloomin’ Street for the second year running.  Can anyone beat them?  Congratulations to all our winners.

It is a real privilege to be able to look into other people’s gardens and to step into their private worlds. So a big thankyou to everyone who put their pots on display and invited us round to have a look: Fiona Duncan, Pauline Jamieson, Elizabeth Taylor, Lorraine Kinnear, Judith Tait,  Donald Fairbairn, Sheila Tuckett, Maureen Corbishley, Barbara Baird, Caroline Shedden-Brown, Frank Cadger, John Hussen, Linda Sinclair, Tony Sargent, Gill Boardman, Dave and Celia King, Eileen Webster, Andrea Cardno, Mitch Shaw,  Fiona Normand, Ian Bett,  William Sutherland, Patricia Miller, Caroline Haddow, Anne Brews, Andy Duncan, Elsa & Mike Thompson, Margaret Cole, Margaret Folan, Lorna Irving, Anne and Allistair Hollingsworth, Chris Farmer,  Bertie Farmer, Dorothy Hosie, Sylvia Wallace, Heather Martin, Mrs Cameron, The Abernethy Museum, Jamie Reid, Wilma White, Susan Pettigrew, Jimmy Swan, Dr Booth and Alison Booth, Rosie MacDonald, Sonia Simmers, Margaret and George, and Leslie Bisset.

A final thank you must go to Margaret Donaldson who is the main organiser of this event and chief armtwister when it comes to persuading the unwilling to have a go. We hope even more of you will consider entering Bloomin’ Marvellous in 2018.  

                                           Caroline Boyle

                                                 Secretary

                                          Abernethy in Bloom

DECEMBER 2017

First of all please note a special date for your diary: The Annual Christmas Tree lighting at Nurse Peattie’s Garden will take place on Friday 8 December at 6.30pm kindly sponsored by Branston.  Come and meet your friends and neighbours - everyone is welcome to help celebrate the Festive Season with carols, mince pies, mulled wine and a few Winter surprises.  There will be posters around the village to remind you.

Now that Autumn is here and we have had the first frosts, we have been busy emptying the containers in the village of their summer bedding and planting tulips and daffodils for the Spring. We have cleared and planted up the burnside in the garden for the first time and are looking forward to glorious colour in 2018.

You may have noticed various innovations in Nurse Peattie’s this year.  Thanks to the generosity of Margaret Cole and family and friends at the Abernethy Bowling Club we were able to put up a special rose arbour over the gate. This was created in honour of her late husband David Cole and built for us by locally-based craftsman Chris K. We hope that in years to come it will be smothered in yellow roses. We held a small opening ceremony in September when Margaret planted the first rose bush.

We also have some new stone steps and a much sturdier handrail between the top and lower parts of the garden.  Thanks very much to Mitch Shaw, John Hussen and Bill Christie for all their work on this project.

We were thrilled in the summer by the thoughtful kindness of one Abernethy lady who to celebrate her own 90th birthday asked her friends and family not for something for herself but to donate to Abernethy in Bloom.  We have not spent the money yet but when we do we shall raise our trowels and salute  Beryl Lowe.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us in 2017 in so many ways.  If anyone would like to join us in our work in the New Year, please get in touch.  We look forward to 2018 and another twelve months of growth.

                       Caroline Boyle, Secretary 851190

MARCH 2018

Writing this on another cold, frosty night but thinking positively have just ordered lots of seeds to sow next month and am dreaming of masses of summer colour and scent.

Our group met in mid-January to discuss activities for the year ahead.  We’re hoping to add more In Bloom features around the village. So, if all goes to plan, look out for an old cart, a  boat or two, some extra planters and a new flower bed.  We are losing our current information board by the Cornkist but will have a new wooden waterproof leaflet holder in Nurse Peattie’s Garden.  We will be entering the countywide Take a Pride in Perthshire competition again this year which will be judged in July/August.  There are now 47 separate In Bloom groups within Perth and Kinross all vying for those prized Gold medals!  

Key Diary dates for 2018 are:

Monday 19 March  19.30 - AGM at the Session House

Saturday 5 May 10-5 -  Nurse Peattie’s takes part in the Abernethy Open Gardens event

From Saturday 26 May - Planting up summer bedding around the village

Saturday 28 July – Judging the 4th annual Village Container Competition – (entry forms available in June)

Saturday 13 October – Planting  Autumn Bulbs

Friday 7 December 18.30 – Annual Christmas tree lighting event

We begin our weekly weeding, planting, watering and tidying sessions at the beginning of April.

We have expanded our activities in the village in the three years since we established and are keen to do more but to be honest we are not getting any younger!!  If there are people out there of any age who would like to help make Abernethy an even lovelier place to live, work and visit – please get involved and get in touch.  No horticultural knowledge required and absolute beginners welcome.  At just an hour or so a week it is just what the doctor ordered for your health and wellbeing and a good way to meet people!

And finally … we are delighted to announce we have been awarded £1,000 from the Tesco Bags of Help fund to boost our work in 2018.  A big thankyou to everyone who took the time to put their tokens in the Abernethy in Bloom box at the supermarket.

Looking forward to a great gardening year.

Caroline Boyle, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom (tel:  851190)

JUNE 2018

What we had hoped was a start to the warmer weather has fallen back slightly to it being colder but never the less forecasted as normal for this time of year. Despite this change in the weather colour has once again returned to the village. Having seen the snowdrops and the crocuses we now have a wonderful splash of yellow from the multitude of daffodils in full bloom followed closely by the tulips. We have already ordered plants and hanging baskets for the summer planting which will take place around the end of May.  This will to add to another year of colour throughout the village in 2018.

Maintenance at Nurse Peattie’s by our small band of volunteers began again in March. If you have been to the garden lately I am sure you will agree that it is starting to look even better than last year. The ‘Bloomers’ are currently working hard to get the garden ready for the Abernethy Open gardens event on Saturday the 5th May.  We are hoping you will all come out to support Keir Allen and his band of volunteers who have organised the event. However, could we just mention that a number of the Slate Signs for the identification of the plants in Nurse Peattie’s garden have mysteriously disappeared not once but three times. You will appreciate the work that is required to provide these. If you can help solve this, we would appreciate any information to advise on where they may have been relocated.

Abernethy In Bloom (AIB) held its AGM on the 19th March. Unfortunately, Caroline (Boyle) due to personal commitments has had to stand down as Secretary. It is a sad loss as Caroline has held this position since the formation of AIB in 2015. A vote of thanks was given to Caroline for her leadership in directing the Group on the successful development of improvements to Nurse Peattie’s and her hard work as AIB secretary. Caroline will never the less remain a supportive influence within AIB.

At the AGM Ian (Lamond) stood down as Chair and was supported to take over the position as AIB Secretary. Sonia (Simmers) has taken the Chair of AIB and Margaret (Donaldson) remains as the AIB Treasurer.  As community members of AIB, when required, others will lead on the development of projects throughout the year.  

Once again, our Christmas Tree Lights Switch On was a huge success with what is thought to be the majority of the community attending to take part in the festive singing, refreshments and eats. It is anticipated we will continue to have these community gatherings in ever greater numbers in coming  years.

Since our last update for the Crier, refurbishment of the Horse Cart has been completed. The final painting and location at the entrance to Branston was carried out with the assistance of the Branston staff. The cart will now be included for Summer planting at the end of May.  Progress on the Boat and Plant bed projects will be taken in the latter half of 2018.

In 2016 AIB entered the Pride In Perthshire competition for the first time and were successful in attaining a Silver Gilt and Best New Entry award.  It was decided to have a break from competition in 2017 as we developed a number of projects in Nurse Peattie’s garden.  We feel we are now ready to enter for Pride In Perthshire 2018 and would like to do even better than 2016.However, as in 2016, success is very much dependent on the participation of the whole village. While Nurse Peattie’s garden will be a focal point, judging includes the overall floral and community spirit demonstrated. AIB, while representing the village, therefore ask for your support to help with the visual display of flowers and plants outside and or adjacent to your properties. Cleanliness and weed free appearance of the village will feature strongly in the marks we obtain from the judges. This year we are working closely with the School and Scout Group having taken over maintenance of the Powrie Park Sensory Garden from the Abernethy Environmental Association (AEA). AEA on closing their organisation have been generous and awarded AIB with a substantial sum of money which will go towards development of the sensory garden and future projects. The school had an Eco day when we assisted to give advice to the students, for the planting of a number of pots with violas and pansies. The Beavers were also active in 2017 and in 2018 with the planting and maintenance of their Planter opposite Nurse Peattie’s Garden. These activities greatly enhance the marking given by the Judges for our involvement to assist our younger residents.

More detail on our entry for Pride In Perthshire will be provided when the judging date is confirmed.

      

You will be aware of the ever increasing number of floral displays throughout the village. This is an appeal for your help with the watering of these. Without your help we will become limited as we are now, on how many more containers and hanging baskets we can provide for display, especially during the summer months. Therefore, if you live adjacent or near to any of these displays your help to keep them watered would be a huge help. If you can help with the watering, please let us know so that we can lighten the burden on the few who keep our village bright and colourful through Spring, Summer and Autumn. Also, if you would like to join us to help with the gardening, we would be pleased to welcome you, at any age, to join the Group. No horticultural knowledge required and absolute beginners welcome.  You will see us at Nurse Peattie’s garden every Monday afternoon. If keen to join us please let us know.

Key Diary dates for 2018 are:

Saturday 5 May 10-5 -  Nurse Peattie’s takes part in the Abernethy Open Gardens event

From Saturday 26 May - Planting up summer bedding around the village

Pride in Perthshire Judging – Date to be advised

Saturday 28 July – Judging the 4th annual Village Container Competition – (entry forms available in June)

Saturday 13 October – Planting  Autumn Bulbs

Friday 7 December 1830 – Annual Christmas tree lighting event

 

Ian Lamond, Secretary

Abernethy in Bloom
 (Tel:  850186)

SEPTEMBER 2018

Since our last update in May our dedicated band of volunteers have been working hard to plant all our containers for the summer. We have received such great feedback from the community about how good all the container, railing and hanging basket displays look this year. It makes it all worthwhile. However, it doesn’t end there. This very hot spell of weather has meant that the extra watering required has been an additional burden on what would normally be expected. We therefore thank all those who are helping with the watering to give the displays that extra TLC. Our new water pump rig, designed and built in house by Abernethy In Bloom has played a huge role in aiding the watering task. In the meantime, work continues to keep Nurse Peattie’s Garden a welcome place to share with allNurse Peattie’s Garden was looking especially colourful for the Open garden event on the 5th May. The spring flowering was admired by all who visited the garden from far and wide. The Burnside, a development project for this year, was looking especially colourful and was a hit with the visitors. Abernethy In Bloom received a welcome financial contribution by way of a percentage of the funds collected on the day.

To help with the identification of plants in Nurse Peattie’s garden, a task to number and list all the planting in the garden is appreciated by all visitors. Copies of the plant listing are available at the entrance to the garden.

Following successful completion of the horse cart, it has been planted for the summer and is now looking particularly colourful. To celebrate its completion, Douglas Sinclair of East Dron farm, who had made the cart available to us, was joined by Abernethy In Bloom and Branston staff for a photo shoot to record the return of the cart to its former glory. Many hours had been given to refurbishment of the cart before it was given its final coat of paint and a new location at the entry to the Branston potato packing site.. There may just have been a touch of magic with a few golden additions. The Branston staff have also helped with the restoration of the original Fruit Tree Trail including the Williamson Hall park fruit trees, the blueberry hedge, and the four fruit tree beds at Powrie Park. Wild flower seeds donated by the Kew gardens project will be added to the beds for display next year.  

The Beavers’ planter has been moved from opposite Nurse Peattie’s Garden to take pride of place in Powrie Park where it has been planted up and cared for by the Beavers. The Sensory Garden now has a well maintained look and with help from Abernethy In Bloom is being carefully looked after by the Cubs. These activities will play an important part in the forthcoming judging for ‘Pride In Perthshire’ and ‘Beautiful Scotland’ events.    

Abernethy ‘Pride In Perthshire’ judging will take place on Thursday 2nd August between 1200 and 1330. We were also encouraged to enter the judging for ‘Beautiful Scotland’ which will take place on the 8th August between 1600 and 1800. The proposed routes for both competitions are similar; starting at the Memorial on Main Street, School Wynd, Powrie Park via Station Road, returning along Back Dykes via the roundabout at Brandywell Road passing the school and ending at Nurse Peattie’s Garden.

This year we are hoping to improve on our success in 2016 when we were awarded a Silver Gilt and Best New Entry award. How successful we are being very much dependent on the participation of the whole village. It is therefore good to see the increase in additional floral displays being displayed by the community.

Judging for the fourth Village Container and Best Street competition took place on the 28th July and despite a change in the weather to a wet and windy day, the village community excelled with their beautiful floral displays with a bumper entry for this year’s competition. Support for this annual competition increases each year adding to the display of colour throughout the village. A sample of the pot displays will be located at the Museum to catch the ‘Pride In Perthshire’ and ‘Beautiful Scotland’ judges eye as an example of the Abernethy community’s involvement in all we do.

Ideas for development of the grass area at Hatton Road continue to be received which supports the initiative to develop this space into a community rest area. A review of the ideas submitted will be considered in the autumn before an application for funding is made.

Our project to refurbish two old sailing boats is on hold as we have been unable to locate a covered area where the work required could be progressed in the latter part of the year.  If anyone has or knows of a covered area that could be made available to Abernethy In Bloom over the autumn and winter months, we would appreciate your help to make it available for our use.

      

If you would like to join us to help keep Abernethy bright and cheerful, we would be pleased to welcome you, at any age, to join Abernethy In Bloom. No horticultural knowledge required and absolute beginners welcome.  You will see us at Nurse Peattie’s garden every Monday afternoon. If keen to join us please let us know or just come along.

Key Diary dates for 2018 are:

Saturday 28 July – Judging the fourth annual Village Container Competition

Thursday 2nd August – Pride In Perthshire judging 1200 to 1330

Wednesday 8th August – Beautiful Scotland judging 1600 to 1800

Saturday 13 October – Planting autumn bulbs

Friday 7 December 1830 – Annual Christmas tree lighting event

 Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom (Tel:  850186)

COMPLETION OF THE HORSE CART   REFURBISHMENT PROJECT

Abernethy In Bloom and Branston got together with farmer Douglas Sinclair of East Dron Farm to record completion of the Horse Cart refurbishment project.

Douglas Sinclair helped rescue the cart from a field at his farm and after many hours of hard work in all weathers, the cart was restored to its former glory by members of Abernethy In Bloom and Branston staff. Branston gave the cart it final coats of paint before helping to move the cart to its new location at the entrance to the Branston Potato Packing Site.

The cart was completed in time for summer planting by Abernethy In Bloom and maintained by Branston to provide a wonderful display of colour for all the community to admire.                    Ian Lamond

December 2018

DIDN’T WE DO WELL – A SILVER award from ‘Beautiful Scotland’ and our second ‘SILVER GILT’ from ‘Take A Pride In Perthshire’ since we got together as Abernethy In Bloom in 2015.

As a relatively new group taking part in the ‘Beautiful Scotland’ award scheme, it was particularly pleasing to attain a Silver Award as very few groups attain this level on their first entry. This year, the ‘Beautiful Scotland’ award ceremony was an afternoon and evening event, sponsored by East Lothian council at Haddington on  September 6th. The afternoon offered a choice of three tours of local interest prior to the evening award ceremony held at a beautiful setting in St Marys Collegiate Church.

The Take A Pride In Perthshire awards were given at a presentation at the Salutation Hotel, Perth on September 12th.

Karen and David at Berryfields have kindly offered to provide a home for both certificates where they can be seen in all their glory.

The community of Abernethy deserves a big thank you for all the help and support given to Abernethy In Bloom to achieve the above success for the village. A special thankyou is given to the Cubs and Beavers whose participation on the day played an important role for the judging of both competitions.  An extended thank you is also given to the Community Council for their letter of appreciation for all the hard work given by the Abernethy In Bloom volunteers. DIDN’T WE DO WELL – A SILVER award from ‘Beautiful Scotland’ and our second ‘SILVER GILT’ from ‘Take A Pride In Perthshire’ since we got together as Abernethy In Bloom in 2015.

As a relatively new group taking part in the ‘Beautiful Scotland’ award scheme, it was particularly pleasing to attain a Silver Award as very few groups attain this level on their first entry. This year, the ‘Beautiful Scotland’ award ceremony was an afternoon and evening event, sponsored by East Lothian council at Haddington on  September 6th. The afternoon offered a choice of three tours of local interest prior to the evening award ceremony held at a beautiful setting in St Marys Collegiate Church.

The Take A Pride In Perthshire awards were given at a presentation at the Salutation Hotel, Perth on September 12th.

Karen and David at Berryfields have kindly offered to provide a home for both certificates where they can be seen in all their glory.

The community of Abernethy deserves a big thank you for all the help and support given to Abernethy In Bloom to achieve the above success for the village. A special thankyou is given to the Cubs and Beavers whose participation on the day played an important role for the judging of both competitions.  An extended thank you is also given to the Community Council for their letter of appreciation for all the hard work given by the Abernethy In Bloom volunteers.

At the ’Beautiful Scotland’ appraisal, Adrian Miles, one of the Judges, offered to come to Abernethy and give a talk on the three principles of ‘Horticultural Achievement’, ‘Environmental Responsibility’ and ‘Community Participation’ on which the ‘Beautiful Scotland’ judging is based. Abernethy In Bloom is therefore sponsoring an evening with the Abernethy Horticultural Society when we hope to pick up a few tips from Adrian to help us achieve that elusive Gold award. All are welcome to attend on  January 9th at 19.30 in the Masonic Hall, Abernethy.

Sadly, we saw the last of the summer floral displays in October. However, all the village planters are now planted with daffodils, tulips and pansies which will give another wonderful display of colour in the spring.

The next key date for the community is the fourth ‘Christmas Tree Light Switch On’ to be held on Friday 7th December 2018 at 18.30 in Nurse Peattie’s Garden. Branston who continue to support the village with their help in many areas, are again sponsoring this year’s ‘Switch On’ event and are also providing this year’s Christmas Tree. As in previous years the event has to be an enjoyable evening for all the family. So please come along on December 7th at 18.30 and join in with a few Christmas songs and enjoy the festive refreshments and eats.  

Unfortunately, we have been unable to find a covered area where the two boats that have been donated can be refurbished with a little TLC over the winter months. The boat project is therefore on hold for the time being.

A number of farming artefacts have also been offered which are being considered, but may again need some TLC to bring them into use for display in the village.

Abernethy In Bloom is also looking for a site to place a polytunnel which could be used to bring on plants at an earlier stage of growth to reduce the cost of the summer planting. This year’s summer display was in the region of £1000 which was supported by PKC Greenspace and the generous help from previous donations from within and outside of the community.  Whether or not this can be sustained in the future within the current funds is of some concern. An initiative to utilise a polytunnel which would enable the wintering of some plants and substantially reduce the annual cost of planting is therefore being considered.

Following the community response to the survey for development of the grassed area adjacent to Hatton Road, an application was made to Take A Pride In Perthshire for help with funding and project management. Abernethy In Bloom have subsequently received initial support to develop this area, within a theme depicting the historical background of Abernethy.  An architectural plan for review and to determine the project cost is now being progressed. A percentage of the project cost will be required to be met by Abernethy In Bloom. Fundraising initiatives will therefore be required to engage support from the community to meet this part of the project cost.

      

If you would like to join us to help keep Abernethy bright and cheerful, we would be pleased to welcome you, at any age, to join Abernethy In Bloom. No horticultural knowledge required and absolute beginners welcome.  You will see us at Nurse Peattie’s garden every Monday. If keen to join us please let us know or just come along.

Key Diary dates for 2018/2019 are:

Friday 7 December at 18.30 – Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Switch On

Wednesday 9 January at 19.30 - An evening with Adrian Miles, Beautiful Scotland Judge

Ian Lamond,     Secretary Abernethy in Bloom (Tel: 850186)   

MARCH 2019

As we look back on a successful year for Abernethy we now look forward to seeing the spring and summer colours blooming again throughout the village in 2019.

Despite the wind and rain for the 2018 Christmas Tree Lights switch on, we were lucky to get a window when it was calmer which encouraged a large turnout for this year’s event. The Cubs and Beavers were in full song accompanied by the Dundee Instrumentalists Silver Band. The Christmas event was again sponsored with help from Branston and donations of £191 were kindly collected from those who attended. The only casualty was the gazebo which was badly damaged in a large gust of wind. The Christmas decorations stood up very well to the wind and rain with only a few exceptions to the colourful display they provided for the festive period.

Generous donations have also been received from Branston and the Abernethy Walking Group which will be used to support the summer planting and the various maintenance tasks needed throughout the year.  

 

Following a site meeting with the architect in December 2018, we have now received a draft design for the Hatton Road project. The plan reflects the results of the community survey carried out in August 2018, and where both residents and those who pass through can relax and learn about the rich historical past of Abernethy. The draft plan will be circulated throughout the community in February for discussion, comment and support. Take A Pride In Perthshire & Kinross are assisting us to obtain funding and this awaits final approval for the plan.   

We have yet to decide on whether to enter this year’s “Pride In Perthshire” and “Beautiful Scotland” competitions which we will advise on later.

To give encouragement, Adrian Miles from “Beautiful Scotland” came along to a well attended Horticultural Society evening on the 7th January. He gave a talk on what we can achieve as a community to brighten and improve our environment. It was well received by all who attended and showed us what can be achieved when working together.

Mrs Buchan at Drumhead has kindly offered a working space within her property to refurbish a hand cart and a number of other artefacts which she has donated to Abernethy In Bloom.

A final decision is being made on the feasibility of the boat project.

Jane Sanderson has very kindly given us access to the family polytunnel. This will allow us to purchase plug plants and therefore provide a greater number of summer plants at a reduced cost.

 Once again, we would like to see more volunteers joining us to help keep Abernethy bright and cheerful. We would be pleased to welcome you, at any age, to join Abernethy In Bloom. No horticultural knowledge required and absolute beginners welcome.  If you see us working at anytime at Nurse Peattie’s garden or in the village and are keen to join us, let us know. Or just come along, you will always be welcome.

Key Dates for 2019:

AGM – Monday 18th March 2019

Garden Maintenance Start – Monday 1st April 2019

Open Gardens – Saturday 15th June 2019

Container and Street Competition – TBD

Childrens Sun Flower competition - See below for details.

Xmas Tree Lights Event – Friday 6th December 2019

Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom (Tel:  850186)

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM JUNE 2019

The first of April was the start of another year for Abernethy In Bloom. Just in time to start clearing away all the old growth and getting ready to welcome in the Spring in all its glory.

Just a thought; if you have any spare bulbs, have a look at where you might plant them to add to even more spring colour throughout the village next year.

Unfortunately, the deer took a liking to the Tulips in and around Nurse Peattie’s garden, so they were rather depleted this year. Will have to think of something different to plant next time.

At our AGM in March the current management team were re-elected for another year; Sonia Simmers as Chair, Margaret Donaldson as Treasurer and Ian Lamond as Secretary.  Other members of the group were co-opted to help in a number of supporting roles.

As you go about the village you will notice us wearing our new Hi-Viz waistcoats. These were kindly sponsored by Jelf Clark Thomson, local insurance broker, based at Whitefriars Street in Perth. They will improve the safety of our group especially when working on the streets and roundabout.

The school had their Eco day on the 18th April. Abernethy In Bloom had a lovely time with the children helping to plant out their pots and containers. Will just have to remind them not to forget to water the plants.

June 15th is Open Gardens day in Abernethy. Keir Allen is organizing the day so get out with the family and see the gardens on display within the village. This includes Nurse Peattie’s garden which Abernethy In Bloom are now working hard for all to see it at its best.

We have received a kind donation of £100 from the Abernethy Community Council. This will be used towards the purchase of plants to keep Abernethy bright and cheerful.

We now have the final plan for the Hatton Road Project which we will display throughout the village. Timescales for a start to the project are now dependent upon raising the Funding which is being managed by ‘Take A Pride In Perth & Kinross’. However, we still need a name for the new garden. So please give it some thought and let us know your choice either through the Community Council or to the Abernethy In Bloom secretary.

The return of the warm weather has reminded us that we will need help again this year to water the floral displays around the village. If you have a planter near you, your help to keep it moist throughout the summer would be much appreciated. Thank you to all who assisted with the watering last year and hope that you will be able to volunteer again this year, especially for the summer planting.

Following our successes in 2018, we are taking a break from competitions this year. This will allow us to concentrate on our gardening projects so we are ready again for competition in 2020.  

‘Bloomin Marvellous Container Competition’:

This year’s Container and Street competition will be held on Saturday July 27th.  You can use the attached Entry Form or pick one up from the ‘Berryfields’ Tea Room.

This is the opportunity for all ages young and old, to take part and enter either a single container or a group of floral displays of any shape or size.

Last year we had some terrific displays, from a Marine scene, a Bathing Beauty displaying her floral attributes and a flowering replica of the Tower.

There will be a small prize for each category. So we hope you will let your imagination run wild and surpass last year’s entries with lots of original ideas on display.

In addition to the container competition there is the ‘Best Bloomin Street Competition’ This could be your street, road, cul-de-sac or Wynd no matter how large or small. So get together with your neighbours to take part. ‘Ballo Braes who have been winners for the previous years will not be entering this year. So get together with the neighbours, this could be your year.

‘Tallest Sunflower Competition’:

Don’t forget to enter the ‘Tallest Sunflower Competition’.  Pick up a potted sunflower seed from ‘Ivy Cottage’ on ‘Back Dykes’. You can grow it in a Pot or in the Ground. Judging will take place in August.

We really do appreciate all the positive comments from the community for all our efforts to make Abernethy a brighter and more colourful place to live.  So why not join us? No gardening skills required, all ages welcome. You will see us out and about every Monday.

Key dates for 2019:

Open Gardens – Saturday 15th June 2019

Sunflower Competition – Judging, August 2019

Container and Street Competition – Saturday 27th July 2019

Xmas Tree Lights Switch On – Friday 6th December 2019

Ian Lamond
Secretary, Abernethy In Bloom
E-mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com
Tel: 850186
Mob: 07703318488

SEPTEMBER 2019

The weather was not kind on 27 July but despite leaden skies and heavy downpours, the judges of this year’s Bloomin’ Marvellous competition had 53 eye-catching pots and containers to consider.

Some gardeners felt the torrential rain of the previous week had played havoc with their hanging baskets and their chances but nevertheless there was a fine show.

2019 was undoubtedly the year of the Petunia.  Jamesfield must have stocked every permutation – single, double, frilly, striped and multicoloured.  Every imaginable type blazed vibrantly throughout the village.  Snapdragons too in Day-Glo pinks, yellows and oranges were firm favourites.  Sweet peas,  Nemesia,  Cosmos, Nicotiana,  Bacopa, Mimulus, Lobelia,  Fuchsia, and not forgetting Begonias large and small were all on display in frothy abundance.

We were thrilled this year that various newcomers to the village took part.  Liz and Kathy at Twa Sisters at Berryfields were really keen to enter into the spirit as was our new Reverend, Stan Kennon. He and his wife transported their succulent collection all the way from Devon and it has settled in well and was enjoying its first Abernethy summer out of doors in blooming good health. We know there are lots more people in the village who have beautiful pots in their gardens or on their window sills.  It would be wonderful to have even more people taking part next year. It is also good to see streets or smaller areas working together to produce something lovely for a wider group to enjoy.

Congratulations to this year’s winners who all received prizes:

Best Single Container:

First – Lorna Irving for the majestic Monarch of the Den

Second – Jimmy Swan for the incomparable Donald, here’s ma’ troosers

Third – Heather Martin for her Red Poppy/Red Bizzy Lizzy Tea pot

Best Group of Containers

First – Hazel Lowe for Bath Thyme

Second – Jennie Marshall for her stunning green containers

Third – Rev and Mrs Kennon for their succulents

Best Street – The Glebe

Best Young Shoot – Bertie Farmer for his Sweet pea Wigwam

We would also like to nominate some notable runners up – both Eileen Webster and Norma Tyler in different parts of the village every year put on an amazing display of lots of pots in their gardens – like a flamenco show of colour to delight passers by with a glorious free performance.

Congratulations must also go to everyone who took part this year.  A display of photos of the entries was on show outside the museum in early August and we hope everyone who saw them will be encouraged to take part in 2020.  Thanks must go to my fellow judges this year – Margaret Donaldson and Isobel Buchan for spending a rather soggy day with clip board and pen.  I know they enjoyed as much as I did seeing just how Abernethy loves its plants and gardens and fills every small cranny with colour and life. Special thanks go to Margaret for the organisation of the competition.          

Caroline Boyle for Abernethy In Bloom

SEPTEMBER 2019 ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

As the Daffodils and Tulips faded Summer arrived and it was time to get on with the summer planting. This was completed in time for the Scottish Open Gardens event on the 15th June when Nurse Peattie’s Garden was looking spectacular for all our visitors.  It was a lovely warm and sunny day which helped bring a large number of visitors from far and wide to view all the gardens open for display. It was made all the more worthwhile for Abernethy In Bloom as we received a substantial donation from Scottish Open Gardens towards our work to keep the village bright and cheerful.

We did have to return some of our hanging baskets this year for replanting as they were not growing as would be expected. But overall we now have another colourful display for the summer throughout the village. We therefore thank all in the community who are helping to keep the floral displays well watered throughout the warmer months.

It was the Village Fete on the 1st June and in conjunction with the Abernethy Horticultural Society and Scottish Gardens, Abernethy In Bloom attended to provide an update on the Hatton Road Project and to give the community an opportunity to put a name forward for the new garden. Including the school and Museum we have received a large number of suggestions which we will now progress for final selection.

The Solheim Cup Women’s Golf Competition takes place at Gleneagles on September the 8th. In recognition of the event, PKC created a fund to support community improvement projects. We were fortunate to receive a generous donation from PKC Greenspace on our application for funds to replace some of our ageing wooden Planters. In August you will therefore see the replacement of our original two planters at School Wynd with commercial purchased items with in built water reservoirs. These will help reduce the watering requirements during hot spells of weather. We will never the less continue where appropriate to manufacture in house planters from recycled wood. In addition, we will place signs on our East and West End planters to welcome all Solheim Cup visitors to our beautiful historic village.We also take this opportunity to thank Anna Blackburn of Waggytails and Kitty Kats for her generous donation towards our summer planting displays.

Funding applications to support the Hatton Road Project are now being submitted by the Take A Pride In Perthshire Team including a Just Giving page (Hatton Road Project Abernethy). Should you wish to donate to this exciting project your financial support would be very welcome.

Myself and Sonia (as Secretary and Chair) were very honoured to attend the Queens Garden Party at Holyrood on the 3rd July. Unfortunately, we didn’t get too close to see the Queen but it was a beautiful day which we both enjoyed. Our thank you to the Abernethy Community Council for giving us this wonderful opportunity.

‘Bloomin Marvellous Container Competition’:

Thank you for all your entries. Judging took place on Saturday the 27th July on a day which started off rather wet but which didn’t distract the judges despite the weather, from experiencing a wonderful entry of colourful and original displays. We thank Isobel Buchan who helped us with the difficult decision to pick the winners.  The results of the entries for this years ‘Bloomin Marvellous’ competition are in this issue of the Crier.

Photographs of all the entries can also be seen outside the Abernethy Museum.

‘Sunflower Competition’:

Judging for the tallest sunflower competition is planned for August. So, we hope that all who entered are looking after their sunflower to encourage its growth before then. Good luck to all who entered.

Again, we give our grateful thanks to all who show their appreciation and support for all we do to keep Abernethy a bright and colourful place to live and welcoming to all who visit our historic village.  If you would like to join us please do not hesitate to get in touch or just come along. No gardening skills required and all ages will be welcome.

 Ian Lamond
Secretary, Abernethy In Bloom
 E-mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com   
Tel: 850186  Mob: 07703318488

DECEMBER 2019

As the last blooms of Summer faded throughout the village, Autumn arrived in all its golden splendour. It was also time for us to plant the Wallflowers, Pansies, Polyanthus, Daffodil and Tulip Bulbs to welcome in next year’s Spring.

Before we know it, Christmas will be with us. We are therefore pleased to let you know that Branstons will again be providing the village Christmas Tree.  As in previous years this will be located in Nurse Peattie’s Garden and decorated in time to have our annual village Christmas Tree Lights Switch On, planned for Friday the 6th December at 7pm. We hope you will come along with family and friends to join us in a few Christmas Songs, led by the local Cubs and Beavers, to music from the Dundee Silver Band. Seasonal refreshments and eats including mulled wine and mince pies with a few extras for the kids will also be available. While it is free for all, your donations to support next year’s planting in the village would be much appreciated.

Following the results from the community to suggest a name for the new garden at Hatton Road, the most popular choice was ‘The Heritage Garden’. An encouraging start has been made with the applications for funding from local businesses and organisations, but this will take longer than anticipated. In the meantime, you will have noticed that Abernethy In Bloom have begun to tidy the Hatton Road site with the removal of some old trees which were damaging the wall. It is also planned to add a Wildflower patch until work can start on development of the new garden. This will also help with our entries for ‘Take A Pride In Perthshire’ and possibly ‘Beautiful Scotland’ should we enter the competitions in 2020.

An ‘Abernethy Hatton Road’, JustGiving page has been created for the new garden project where your donations in support of the project can be made. Alternatively, please contact the Abernethy In Bloom secretary, details below.

In addition to providing storage space for Abernethy In Bloom, David Stalker has very kindly given us access to his Polytunnel. While this requires a new cover which we have now purchased and installed, it is anticipated this will give us the opportunity to raise our own plants, to reduce our seasonal plant costs and also for fund raising to maintain our plant funds. We are very grateful to David for giving us the opportunity to develop this facility.

We look forward to seeing you all for the ‘Switch On’ of the Christmas Tree Lights on the 6th December.

 Ian Lamond

Secretary, Abernethy In Bloom

E-mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com   Tel: 850186 Mob: 07703318488

 ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

Another year has arrived and we look forward to a new Spring. The bulbs are already showing so it won’t be long before the village springs into colour again.

It was a wonderful end to 2019 when the community got together to switch on the Christmas Tree Lights. The weather was kind to us this year so it was a large turn out who helped to celebrate the occasion with some festive refreshments and eats. Our minister Stan Kennon and his wife Aileen did the honours and switched on the lights. Our friends from PKC Greenspace also attended so we could thank them for all the help they give to Abernethy. We were also able to thank Kevin Imrie, General Manager at Branston, for all the help they give throughout the year and for again providing the lovely Christmas Tree. The Dundee Silver Band provided the music for the evening and our very own Beavers and Cubs led the singing with a few seasonal songs, which made it a very enjoyable evening. Not forgetting Paul who took all the great photos to record the event which were made available to view on Facebook. A big thank you to the community for the collection of £314.55 received from the evening. It is very much appreciated and will go towards the planting around the village for this year. We did run out of Mulled Wine so we are making plans for more at this year’s event!

Unfortunately twelfth night arrived too soon when the Christmas Tree had to come down and the decorations were packed away for another year.

AIB plans for this year include an application to enter the village for the Take a Pride In Perthshire and Kinross and possibly the Beautiful Scotland competitions. We were very successful in 2016 and 2018 receiving Silver Gilt awards which we hope to improve upon this year with a Gold award. The awards for these competitions are not only given for the horticultural achievements but include a measure of Community and Environmental participation. The help of the community to keep Abernethy clean and tidy and to make your local surroundings as colourful as you can, all go towards achieving that elusive Gold. We also hope to involve the participation of the younger generation in our community to show their potential to look after our environment.

While progress with the design and funding for the new ‘Heritage Garden’ project at Hatton Road continues, we have started to tidy the site and area around the Burn, with the addition of a compost area and the introduction of wildflowers. This will help with the competition judging in July/August, as at this stage of development, it is unlikely all the funding will be in place to enable a start to the new garden. You may have noticed the placement of a banner at the site to promote a ‘Just Giving’ page to help with the funding. Your donations whether large or small would be gratefully received and would help to progress this exciting new project for the village. It is also planned to display the final plan for the garden and to provide regular updates on progress.

The annual Container/Street competition will take place in July, when we are hoping for even more entries to add to the many excellent displays which get better with each competition and shows the horticultural excellence and talent that we have in the village. Any type of container can be used, so never too early to make a start with your ideas.

This year, we will also be giving Jimmy Swan some help with the ‘Tallest Sunflower’ competition. The competition will be extended this year to include children under 16 and an adult category. Free potted seeds will be available from Jimmy at Ivy Cottage on Back Dykes from the first week in April and judging will take place in August.

Look out for further details which will be posted throughout the village.

Maintenance activities will commence at Nurse Peattie’s Garden and around the village in March/April. If you would like to join us please get in touch. We would like to see more volunteers joining us to help keep Abernethy bright and cheerful. No horticultural knowledge is required and absolute beginners are welcome. Come along and join us if you see us working at Nurse Peattie’s Garden in the village or just give us a call. You will always be welcome and if you have any queries about the work we do and how we are funded please get in touch.

Key Dates for 2020:

Abernethy In Bloom AGM – March 2020
Garden Maintenance Start – March/April 2020
Tallest Sunflower Competition – April 2020
Open Gardens Event – TBC
Container and Street Competition – July 2020
TAPIPK & Beautiful Scotland Competitions – July/August 2020

Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom
Tel: 850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

It seems a while since we gave our last update, all due to the Coronavirus pandemic which brought a halt to our plans for 2020. Therefore, as directed for the lockdown our AGM in March was cancelled. We therefore decided to retain for another year, those who currently hold the primary functions of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, as required by PKC Greenspace in the constitution mandated for all Bloom Groups.  The Treasurers 2019-2020 Statement of account for Abernethy In Bloom is therefore available for anyone in Abernethy should you wish to receive a copy.

However, despite the uncertainty for what lay ahead, the containers around the village had sprung into life to bring some spring colour at this difficult time. Then due to the restrictions of social distancing our orders from the PKC nursery for the summer planting were cancelled.  Fortunately, by June the annual allowance given by PKC Greenspace to all Bloom Groups had been released which coincided with the opening of the local garden centre albeit with restrictions on access. This enabled us to have a limited planting for the summer as the spring colour faded away. Due to the restrictions on movement of the Bloom Group the summer planting was limited to the containers which could be supported with help from the community to meet the watering needs. We therefore thank Branston and all in the community who are helping us to support this essential task during the summer months.

Unfortunately, all competitions including ‘Beautiful Scotland’, ‘Take A Pride In Perthshire’, and our local ‘Best Bloomin’ Marvellous Container’ had to be cancelled due to COVID-19, not forgetting the Tallest Sunflower competition. So hopefully in 2021, we will have an even bigger entry for the local competitions and another opportunity for the village to attain a Gold award to add to our previous Silver Gilt awards.

Although delayed until June because of the need for us all to keep safe and at a social distance, we were able carry out some maintenance and repair of the village planters including painting Nurse Peattie’s fence. However, some of our planters being made from recycled wood will need to be replaced. Our two original planters at School Wynd were replaced last year with commercial items which have inbuilt reservoirs. This was helped by our successful application for funding from the PKC Solheim Cup event. However, due to the high cost of commercially sourced replacements, we will continue with our policy to uphold an environmental ethos and where possible use recycled wood for the in-house manufacture of the planters within the village.

Maintenance of Nurse Peattie’s Garden also began in June which has supplemented the wonderful display of decorated stones to form a ‘Caterpillar’ that is winding around the garden. Every day sees it grow a little more, helped by the highly decorated contributions from the younger residents of Abernethy, although we understand that if the stones are not to remain for display in Nurse Peattie’s garden, there is still a community decision on how best to use them.

For those who were concerned that the nurse’s bike had disappeared, it has been repainted and is now back in place.

Funding for the new ‘Heritage Garden’ project at Hatton Road, despite the current situation, is making good progress. In addition to the ‘Just Giving’ page developed by ‘Take A Pride In Perthshire’, who are managing the project on our behalf, we have received very generous donations from the Village Crier, Abernethy Masonic Lodge, National Lottery fund, Perth Gospel Trust and the community. Further donations can be made using the Hatton Road ‘Just Giving’ page or directly to Abernethy In Bloom which will help to boost the village’s contribution for this exciting new project.

We would also take this opportunity to thank the Hatton Road community who have been helping to keep the site tidy by cutting the grass until a start can be made to develop the new Heritage Garden. In the meantime, the wildflower patch has given a lovely display of colour and we plan to reuse this year’s Spring Bulbs for display at the site next year.  

It is worthwhile noting that all the community of Abernethy are part of Abernethy In Bloom, whether you take an active part in our activities or just look after your own patch to keep it tidy and attractive. Your help to keep the village a beautiful place to live and work is therefore much appreciated by us all, and especially those who give their time to pick up litter within the village and surroundings.

We would still like to see more volunteers joining us to help keep Abernethy bright and cheerful. No horticultural knowledge is required and absolute beginners are welcome.  Come along and join us if you see us working at Nurse Peattie’s garden, in the village or just give us a call. You will always be welcome.

Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom
Tel:  850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

DECEMBER 2020

As the colder weather and darkening nights approach and the summer blooms have faded, we have made a start to replanting the village containers with winter plants and bulbs for the spring. Therefore, although limited by the current situation, we again give a big thank you to all in the community who helped to water the summer displays that we were able to plant out this year.

Nurse Peattie’s garden has been given a good weed and trim and, with the addition of some new plants for 2021, will give another colourful display for all to share. So, despite the necessary restrictions that have been placed upon our movements at this time, it is hoped that COVID-19 will be behind us by then and life will have returned to the freedoms we all enjoy.

The good news is that the polytunnel is now in use bringing on three hundred and fifty plug plants for the autumn planting. This is our first venture into growing our own plant stock which we are hoping will develop for a variety of planting as our experience increases with this new venture. Again, thank you to David Stalker for giving us this opportunity.

A few maintenance tasks have also been done during the year. Nurse Peattie’s fence and all the village containers have been refreshed with a coat of paint. It was also necessary to replace and repair a couple of the original containers with wood donated by Branston.

Unfortunately, we are unlikely to have our annual get together in Nurse Peattie’s at Xmas to switch on the lights and have a sing song with a bit of Xmas cheer to help. However, we are very pleased to say that Branston will again be providing a Xmas tree for the village. So even if we can’t get together, we will do our best to decorate the Xmas tree and as many of the planters as we can to brighten up Xmas. We therefore take this opportunity to wish that everybody and, especially the children, will still have a very happy Christmas with those that they love all around them.

The ‘Caterpillar’ remains on display in the garden and may now become a permanent feature. If so, it may be worth considering moving it to the top path where it will be better displayed and can remain, unless there is a community decision for an alternative use. Please give us a call if you have an alternative idea for the stones.

I am sure many of you will have been stopping at ‘Jimmy’s Hoose’ to admire the many bird boxes and walking sticks etc. that are displayed for sale. Jimmy has very kindly donated the proceeds of your purchases to the Abernethy In Bloom funds for which we give him our grateful thanks. For those who haven’t got one yet, I am sure he still has some that will catch your eye. However, Jimmy has asked us to let you know that unfortunately the wood may have split on some of the bird boxes he has sold. If you have bought one and this has happened, please return it to Jimmy and he will replace it, in his words, with a superior model.

Funding for the new ‘Heritage Garden’ project at Hatton Road has made good progress but we have also received a few disappointments from the applications made on our behalf by Take A Pride In Perthshire and Kinross. This is due in part to the current situation which will potentially delay implementation of the plan for this project. A two-phase approach to enable a start to construction is therefore under consideration. We now await a revised plan from the architect with a timescale for the completion of the first phase. In the meantime, donations can continue to be made via the Hatton Road project Just Giving page or directly to Abernethy In Bloom to boost the village’s contribution for this exciting new project.

The continued help of the community to keep the village clean and tidy is much appreciated, with a special thank you to the litter pickers who give their time to keep the village and its surroundings free from litter.

While our activities will be less in the winter months, should you wish to help us to keep Abernethy a bright and cheerful place to live, come along and join us when you see us working at Nurse Peattie’s garden or in the village or just give us a call. No horticultural knowledge is required, just another pair of hands. You will always be welcome.

Please keep safe.

Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom Tel:  850186 E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

MARCH 2021

While the 2020 Take A Pride In Perthshire and Beautiful Scotland competitions were cancelled due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we were very pleased to receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Royal Horticultural Society and one from Beautiful Scotland as an acknowledgement of all the hard work carried out during the summer months to maintain a colourful environment throughout the village. So thank you to all in the community who have also helped to keep our village clean, tidy and litter free.

Christmas was a little different this year as we weren’t able to get together to switch on the Christmas Tree lights nor enjoy our usual sing song and festive eats and refreshments. Never the less after a bit of a hiccup with the electricity supply, power was restored and the Christmas Tree was again a beacon of light for all to enjoy. Also, to enhance the Christmas decorations around the village, the community got together to assemble a Nativity Scene in Nurse Peattie’s garden which was a very welcome festive addition to the village. All has now been packed away for another year but it is anticipated that this will now become a regular feature at Christmas.

The spring planting of all our containers was completed in October with various spring bulbs for the first time supplemented by the plants brought on with tender loving care from plugs in our polytunnel. We therefore look forward to a colourful spring in the village when the snow and ice will be behind us and we are hopefully less restricted in our movements. On a trial basis we have retained a number of the summer plants which we hope to over-winter in the polytunnel for this year’s summer planting and we are also looking at other ways to make use of our newly acquired asset.

Abernethy In Bloom thanks Jimmy (Swan) who has donated a total of £200 to the Abernethy In Bloom funds from the sale of his many and varied designs of bird feeders and walking sticks etc. Thank you to those who have stopped off at ‘Jimmy’s Hoose’ to make a purchase. I am sure he still has a few left after the Christmas rush. Grateful thanks also go to Paul (Simmers) who has given a very generous donation of £200 for the Christmas decorations fund (especially as we missed out on our fundraising at the Christmas tree lights switch on). This will help to replace the older decorations for Christmas 2021. Paul has also been adopted as the Abernethy In Bloom photographer and Abernethy In Bloom thanks him for the Christmas photos that were made available on the Abernethy Facebook page.

We still need to resolve what to do about retaining the ‘Caterpillar’ stones as there are concerns that the stones are starting to scatter. One or two suggestions have been received about what to do with them but these may not be practical in the long term. Perhaps the person who initiated this brilliant idea can get in touch so we can decide on a long term solution.

Due to the current situation, we have recently had a few disappointments with our funding applications for the new ‘Heritage Garden’ project at Hatton Road. However, we have also had successes, which has allowed Abernethy In Bloom with Take A Pride In Perthshire, who are managing this project, to agree a plan to carry out the project in two phases. There are still a few Phase 1 planning issues to resolve but we anticipate we will get approval to proceed in 2021.

Phase 1 will require a greater input from Abernethy In Bloom than was originally planned for the planting, but we anticipate that with help from within the community we will be able to provide the range of plants, trees and shrubs that were originally outlined.

In the meantime, donations can continue to be made via the Hatton Road project ‘Just Giving’ page or directly to Abernethy In Bloom which will help to boost the village’s contribution for this exciting new project.

While we are having a rest from our activities during the winter months, within any contact restrictions that may still apply, should you wish to join us when spring arrives, to help keep Abernethy a bright and cheerful place to live, just come along when you see us working at Nurse Peattie’s garden, in the village or just give us a call. No horticultural knowledge is required, just another pair of hands. You will always be welcome.
Please keep safe.

Ian Lamond, Secretary Abernethy in Bloom Tel: 850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

JUNE 2021

Spring arrived at last but not without a few cold mornings which held us up getting back into Nurse Peattie’s Garden. However, all our efforts last October are bearing fruit and the village is once again blooming with all the colours of spring. The changeable weather has also brought some very dry weather which has meant that we have had to get the watering cans out earlier than usual. However, as we leave the winter behind for another year we can once again start to think about what needs done in Nurse Peattie’s and around the village. Unfortunately, the COVID 19 restrictions are still with us, but being out and about gives us a little more freedom to work within a social distance.

This year again we will not be taking part in the Beautiful Scotland or Take A Pride in Perthshire & Kinross Garden Competitions, but we are never the less starting to plan for the summer planting. Unfortunately, again due to the current circumstances we will not manage to have our full range of planters and hanging baskets on display but will use our polytunnel to bring on as many extra plants as we can for the summer.

The SWI seat in Nurse Peattie’s suffered a major collapse, probably due to the extreme weather during the winter. However, a member of our community has kindly donated a replacement. The SWI requested that their new seat be relocated adjacent to the Nurse’s bike. The seat has now been been given a sound weather treatment and secured in its new position by a friend of the SWI.

In the meantime, Abernethy In Bloom were offered a garden seat from Bill and Linda Hughes. After a bit of TLC, it has filled the vacant space left by the SWI seat under the tree. Also you may have noticed that we have utilised the space under the seat to locate and save the stones from the caterpillar trail. A few stones have lost their colour, but we hope all will agree this is an ideal position to save the artistic display from (mainly) our younger members of the community. Therefore, if you wish to replace or add to what is a colourful addition to Nurse Peattie’s Garden, creating a permanent location for the stones, please do so.

In addition to the many generous donations we have received towards the new ‘Heritage Garden’, the proceeds from Jimmy Swan’s ‘Garden Products Store” also adds to the contribution from the village for the new garden. Abernethy in Bloom therefore gives its thanks to Jimmy Swan and the community for their continuing support.

The current situation has also delayed a number of the funding applications for the ‘Heritage Garden’. It was therefore decided to proceed with the project in two phases. We are pleased to say that the planning for Phase One has been completed and Take A Pride In Perthshire & Kinross, who are managing the project, are now going out to tender for the initial work required. This will involve completion of the infrastructure with the exception of the mini-Tower, which is planned for phase 2. As previously advised, phase 1 will require a greater input from Abernethy In Bloom than was originally planned for the planting, but we anticipate that with help from within the community we will be able to provide the range of plants, trees and shrubs that were originally outlined. In the meantime, donations can continue to be made via the Hatton Road project ‘Just Giving’ page or directly to Abernethy In Bloom, which will help to boost the village’s contribution for this exciting new project.

Although we are still working under current restrictions, now that we have begun our activities for another year, if you would like to help, please come and join us on a Monday for either our morning or afternoon sessions at Nurse Peattie’s or wherever you see us around the village. We will also be looking for volunteers to look after the new ‘Heritage’ garden when it is completed. So please let us know if you are interested on taking on this new addition in the village. No horticultural knowledge is required, just a willing pair of hands. You will always be welcome.

Please keep safe.

Ian Lamond,
Secretary Abernethy in Bloom
Tel:  850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

DECEMBER 2021

All too soon the summer was over again as the bedding plants were removed to make way for the Autumn planting which will again burst into colour come next Spring.

For all the hard work given by the Abernethy In Bloom volunteers, we were pleased to receive a Certificate of Recognition from Beautiful Scotland to acknowledge the seasonal activities that had continued during the uncertain and difficult times presented by the Covid 19 Pandemic.

In September we said a warm goodbye to one of our volunteers when we met in Nurse Peattie’s garden to wish Tony and Val (Sargeant) a long and happy future as they departed the village to move closer to their family. Tony was a keen gardener, so we will miss his horticultural knowledge and his great sense of humour which made him a pleasure to work with.

On behalf of us all, we express our appreciation to the Given family who have replaced the damaged seat in Nurse Peattie’s that had been placed there in honour of their father Bill. It is anticipated that the new seat will give pleasure to all who visit and bide a while to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in the garden.

A recent colourful and welcome addition to Nurse Peattie’s garden has been a display of painted stones placed in strategic locations around the garden. We have some thoughts on who this was but we would like to know for certain so we can give our thanks for this lovely addition to the floral displays in the garden.

As we bed down Nurse Peattie’s garden for the winter months, we look forward once again to installing and decorating the Xmas tree, which has again been kindly donated by Branston. Our grateful thanks to Kevin Imrie, the GM at the Abernethy plant who supports much of what we do in the village. Unfortunately once again, because of the ongoing Covid 19 uncertainties, we will not be able to organise our community get-together for the Xmas tree lights switch-on which we held prior to these current circumstances. However, we have planned to switch on the Xmas tree lights at 7pm on Friday the 3rd December 2021 to give the community the option to watch the switch-on should they wish to do so.

The community will again be installing a Nativity scene in Nurse Peattie’s Garden, which is a lovely addition for Xmas in the garden.

As we now approach the winter months the maintenance activities in Nurse Peattie’s garden and the village will reduce until the arrival of Spring in 2022. However, if you would like to join us for the arrival of Spring and help to keep the village bright and cheerful throughout the seasons, please get in touch as we are now very short handed. No horticultural knowledge is needed, just a will to help with another pair of hands.

Hatton Road ‘Heritage Garden’ Update

A start to the Phase 1 construction of the ‘Heritage Garden’ was being planned for November this year. However, due to the Covid19 delays experienced by the contractor Thomson Landscapes, the start date has been rescheduled to March 2022.

Therefore, although all the funding required has still to be achieved to complete the project in Phase 2, this is an opportunity to reflect on how the project has progressed and show the support received from when it was first submitted to Take A Pride In Perthshire and Kinross (TAPIPK) in November 2018.

The TAPIPK group was set up 23 years ago, as a charity, with the express aims of enhancing the environment, fostering community spirit and encouraging public participation. It has a unique format in Scotland in that the Board of Trustees, who are all unpaid volunteers, receive proposals each month from In Bloom groups across Perth and Kinross which meet the aforementioned aims of enhancing the local environment. The Trustees will approve, or not, their going forward for the funding stage. Once approved, a funding officer works with the successful proposals to raise funds from a wide variety of sources which are mainly other charitable organisations.

Since the formation of TAPIPK, £2 million has been raised for improvement projects in Perth and Kinross. The Abernethy Heritage Garden is one of these proposals approved by the Trustees and where the funding officer has been busy raising funds on our behalf. To date, funding for the project has been secured from the following:

Scottish Landfill Communities Fund,
National Lottery Awards for all,
Gannochy Trust,
Community Environmental Challenge Fund,
William Mann Foundation,
Abernethy Hatton Road ‘Just Giving’,
Abernethy Community groups.
Individual donations.

Our grateful thanks go to Jimmy Swan, who has to date donated £500 towards the Heritage Garden plant fund from the profits gained from the sale of his garden and variety of custom-made products on sale in the Emporium. This opportunity is also taken to give our warm thanks to Waggytails and Kitty Kats who have recently donated a further £100 towards the plant fund for the Heritage Garden.

Other TAPIPK projects which have been successful in the recent past include work at the Birks in Aberfeldy, the new Heritage Garden at Bridge of Earn, walling in Glenfarg, renovation of the Burnside in Alyth, Garry’s Corner in Auchterarder, renovation of the Wash House and Well in Scotlandwell and many more.

At the Abernethy & District Community Council on the 25th January 2019, Abernethy In Bloom presented the proposal to develop the grassed area at Hatton Road as a garden. A letter of support for the project was received in March 2019. Letters of support were also received from local councillors Kathleen Baird and David Illingworth.

Details of the new garden proposal were published in the Crier (Issue 42, March 2019) and on the Abernethy Facebook Page. A community survey was carried out at the village fete in 2019 to collate the community’s support for the project and to get suggestions for a name for the garden. Abernethy Primary School pupils were also invited to suggest a name for the new garden. The most popular one subsequently decided upon from the surveys was the ‘Heritage Garden’.

The architect’s final design for the garden was placed on display at the Hatton Road site where it can still be seen.

The above demonstrates the hard work that has been done by many to support the planning and funding for this exciting project and we look forward to seeing construction start early next year.

On behalf of Abernethy In Bloom, a big thank you to the community of Abernethy for all your support.

Ian Lamond,
Secretary Abernethy in Bloom
Tel: 850186 E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM - MARCH 2022    

With the darker days upon us it was soon Xmas and time to add a bit of cheer in the village. So with a little more freedom than the previous year we got the Xmas tree installed in Nurse Peattie’s Garden and the village planters decorated. On the 3rd December we switched on the Xmas Tree lights with a little help from the village who gathered in their social groups to join us to celebrate the occasion with some Xmas refreshment and eats, with a few chocolates for the younger generation.  We also received some very generous donations from those attending.

In the following days the Nativity Display was installed in Nurse Peattie’s Garden and we welcomed the Xmas Lights for the first time in Abernethy following some hard work from the Community Council. We therefore look forward to this addition to our Xmas celebration in the following years.

In November last year, Abernethy In Bloom were very pleased to have been judged winners of the Royal Horticultural Society ‘Parks and Green Spaces’ award given out at their 2021 Annual Seminar to our Chair, Sonia Simmers, who attended the online ceremony.

Our application including photographs of Nurse Peattie’s Garden was deemed to be the best. As a group, we are therefore all very proud to receive this accolade forf our hard work to keep Nurse Peattie’s Garden looking its very best.

                            

We are pleased to let you know that Phase 1 construction for the ‘Heritage Garden’ at Hatton Road is programmed to start by Thomson Landscapes in February (weather permitting). The outstanding funding to complete Phase 2 continues to be progressed with Take A Pride In Perthshire & Kinross. This opportunity is therefore taken to thank the community for all the help that they have given directly to Abernethy In Bloom and via the Hatton Road Project JustGiving page to contribute towards completion of the Hatton Road Heritage garden project in Phase 2.

Phase 1 construction will take approximately six to eight weeks after which Abernethy In Bloom will carry out the planting and take over maintenance of this new garden.

In addition to Nurse Peattie’s Garden, this will add to the Abernethy In Bloom workload and so we are desperately hoping to attract help from the community to support an ever decreasing group of active volunteers. So, if you are looking for something worthwhile to do in your spare time please get in touch with us to help keep our beautiful village bright and cheerful throughout the year. As we have said many times, although it would be very helpful, no horticultural experience is required, just a willing pair of hands to keep the gardens looking tidy and well kept. Maintenance in Nurse Peattie’s Garden will start again in March when we look forward to seeing spring starting to bloom again throughout the village and hopefully aided with a few more helping hands. On behalf of Abernethy In Bloom, a big thank you to the community of Abernethy for all your support.

Ian Lamond,
Secretary Abernethy in Bloom
Tel:  850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM JUNE 2022

As I write this article at the end of April, the spring bulbs are still giving us a welcome splash of colour in the garden and throughout the village.   The cheery daffodils were followed by the tulips and pansies and have put on a lovely show for us all.

It is another busy time for us in the polytunnel looking after our plug plants for the summer planting (300+) and, of course, work is progressing well in the new Heritage Garden across from Nurse Peattie’s.   Once again, I’d like to remind everyone that all the funding for this exciting new project has come from external parties - Scottish Landfill Community Fund, lottery money, grants from various organisations and bodies, and donations from charities and individuals. Our contractor, Stewart Thomson Landscapes is making an excellent job of all the hard landscaping (walling, paths etc) in Phase 1 before Abernethy In Bloom take over the planting.   There is an opportunity here for the locals to sponsor a plant and quite a few of the villagers have said they’d like to do this which is most appreciated. Our plant expert Caroline (Boyle) will be taking the lead on the planting and so please see the separate article below for further details.

Once all of the funding is in place for Phase 2, the construction of the replica Abernethy Tower will start, together with the interpretation boards, audio post and lighting. The Museum is helping us with the historical information for the boards and we hope to enlist the primary school to record the text for the audio post. We are all looking forward to seeing the finished garden which will celebrate the Heritage of our village and also complement nearby Nurse Peattie’s.

We held our AGM in March and, as there were no other nominations, the same office bearers were re-elected.   Myself as Chair, Ian Lamond as Secretary and Margaret Donaldson as Treasurer.

We have increased our activities in the village over the past few years and we would love to have some more volunteers to help us. There is no commitment to coming along every Monday, and even if you can only manage now and then, every little helps. Catch us on a Monday morning at Nurse Peattie’s or throughout the village on any other day!

Now that restrictions are behind us, we will restart the “Bloomin’ Marvellous Container” competition this year, see details below.  Judging will be end of July and we’ll be hoping for a bumper entry after a couple of years absence.

We’ve decided not to run the “Best Street” competition, largely due to the same street winning every time (well done Ballo Braes!).

On behalf of Abernethy In Bloom, we look forward to your continuing support throughout the year - but for now, Happy Gardening!

Sonia Simmers
Chair Abernethy In Bloom (s.simmers@hotmail.com)

HERITAGE GARDEN PLANTING – DONATIONS WELCOME

Once the works in the new garden are finished we shall begin planting in keeping with Abernethy’s rich history from medieval to present times, using plants from monastic and agricultural sources in particular.  This will feature a range of fruit trees, specimen native trees and hedging and appropriate herbs and flowers. If you would like to donate a plant from the list below (also to be seen at Abernethy In Bloom Emporium in Back Dykes) or make a financial donation to help purchase trees then that would really help make the garden look its best. Individual plants and herbs are being grown in the village and donations received so far include raspberries, roses and lilies.

We are looking for:  two plants of Yellow Broom (Cytisus praecox), two plants of Guelder Rose  (Viburnum Opulus), as many Snowdrops as possible , four plants of red “apothecaries” peony  - Paeonia officinalis, ten plants of Hollyhock, five plants of the Blue Flag Iris - hardy bearded intermediate blue, ten old-fashioned scented pinks, as many lily of the valley as possible and herbs – ten of each of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

For further information or to make a donation please contact either Jimmy Swan at the Emporium or Caroline Boyle (tel: 851190).

With many thanks.

2022 BLOOMIN’ MARVELLOUS CONTAINER COMPETITION,  SATURDAY 30 JULY

It’s back!  After a gap of two long years you are invited to enter this year’s competition to find the most beautifully planted container in Abernethy. As usual you can fill whatever container you have - pot, trough, hanging basket, wheelbarrow - whatever.  Let your imaginations flow. Judges will be looking for healthy blooms, explosive colour and texture and general loveliness.

There are two categories open to everyone of every age:

1. Bloomin’ Marvellous - freestyle

2. Container and planting on the theme of Heritage - to celebrate both the new Heritage garden and the history of Abernethy parish and/or to remember the Jubilee.

Entry Forms will be available in the Village Shop and from Margaret Donaldson (tel: 850881) who will also be reminding you personally nearer the time.  Posters will feature around the village and on Facebook just to give some added encouragement.

Happy Planting!

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM

“Bloomin’ Marvellous” Sixth Annual Container Competition 2022

The weather could not have been kinder. Saturday 30th July dawned bright and blue.  Despite the wild mixture of weather in the previous weeks from very dry and ultra hot to sudden monsoon downpours there was a great response from Abernethy and one contestant from Aberargie to this year’s contest: the first since lockdown.   The themes were “Just Beautiful ” and “Heritage”.  Gazanias, Isotoma and Nemesia joined old favourites Lobelia, Geraniums, Bizzie Lizzies, Petunias and Fuchsias to create clouds of loveliness. Colours were particularly jewel-like this year and despite some people feeling Begonias in particular had not grown as well as usual, the quality and health of the plants on display was very good.

As always it is a difficult decision to pick the winners but the following stood out and received prizes of gardening vouchers:

Just Beautiful category – first – Ian Bett for picture perfect rainbow coloured blooms.  Joint second – Pat Miller for flamboyant billowing window-sills and Joyce White for achieving a wonderland of dazzling Petunias.

Heritage – first – Theresa Hughes for Bathtime  using an old zinc bath to create that feeling of Friday night in the old tub and Penny Fenwick for her fantasy in red, white and blue.

Special prizes go to Susan Swan for best concept with her clever use of individual plants to recreate the look of  flames in a fire pit and Elsa and Mike Thompson for the visual impact of their Begonias which despite wind, drought and heat had grown superbly  and to Carol and Frank Cadger for their beautiful “Grandad’s Workshop” creation!.

Honourable mentions for interesting containers go to Sonia Simmers for her friendly Daschund, Caroline Sheddon-Brown’s big blue boot, overflowing old sink at Irene Napier’s and perfectly shaped trough at Christina Cleeton’s.  Mentions too for all our newcomers this year:  Robert and Lesley Watson, Irene Napier, Anna Blackburn and Linda Brown and congratulations to everyone who produces lovely containers each year and provides pleasure to all who see them.

Photos of this year’s entries appear on Instagram at the address @abernethyinbloom6 and on display outside the museum.

Thanks go  to all our winners and competitors and to Margaret Donaldson in particular for her enthusiastic organisation of the event.  Here’s to next year when we hope even more of the readers of the Crier will consider braving the elements and planting something Bloomin’ Marvellous.

 

Caroline Boyle

ABERNETHY IN BLOOM With the summer planting completed and the return of the hanging baskets after an absence due to Covid, the village was again looking splendid in all its colours. Those who have worked so hard in the polytunnel to get the plants ready can now take a little break. Having said that, the plants still need continual watering, feeding and attention throughout the Summer. So we give a big thank you to all in the community and at Branston’s who help us to keep the floral displays looking so good.

Nurse Peattie’s Garden is also back to looking its best for all in the community and our visitors to share and bide a while.

We are pleased to welcome Julia Banks and David Illingworth who have joined us to look after Nurse Peattie’s and all we do throughout the village. We also thank David Stalker who is not only our landlord for the polytunnel but who makes sure all is well when we are not there. I also believe that he has been out planting snowdrops in Powrie Park for next year. We also plan to continue with the planting of our old daffodil and tulip bulbs from our displays to add to the spring colour throughout the village. All of our activities depend on the financial and maintenance support we continue to get from Branston and Jimmy’s Emporium. Our grateful thanks therefore go to them and to the community for their support.

After a gap of two years, the ‘Bloomin Marvellous’ competition is welcomed back. At the time of writing this is being well supported with a large number of entries which will have been judged on the 30th July. As in previous years, the wonderful variety and the ingenious displays on show will be recorded and the results published on our Facebook page and in the next issue of the Village Crier.

Following in August, the tallest sunflower competition will be judged. We therefore look forward to seeing the results of the tender loving care that has been given to get the tallest.

In our association with the community’s younger generation, we are very pleased that the Scouts have taken on the maintenance of the Sensory Garden In Powrie Park. They can therefore look forward to receiving a big bag of left over bulbs to plant there!

The Heritage Garden Phase 1 is substantially complete although there is still some work required to get the plant beds in a condition for planting. Planting is planned to begin September/October for completion before the wintry weather arrives. Work is therefore ongoing to progress additional weed control on the grass and plant beds which will be supplemented with top soil and a suitable nutrient for plant growth.

As listed in the previous issue of the Crier, thank you to all within the community who are planning to donate the plants planned for the Heritage Garden. This can be done by purchasing a plant and looking after it until planting begins or purchasing a plant and giving it to Jimmy at the Emporium for onward care until planting begins or donating towards the purchase of a plant.

Phase 2 which includes the Mini Tower, Interpretation Boards and Lighting will start once all the funding is in place.

In the meantime, it is pleasing to see the seating area being well used by many to rest awhile.

Should you wish to lend a hand please give us a call. Your help would be very much appreciated by our small band of dedicated volunteers.

Abernethy in Bloom Tel: 850186
E-Mail: lamond0583@hotmail.com