Winter Wonderland at Woodside

photo of woodside walled garden in the snow - a winter wonderland

It is an absolute winter wonderland here both inside and out. We are very much open for business – the snow is just adding a bit of seasonal magic!

Mistletoe and other Christmassy plants

We’ve just had a delivery of gorgeous Christmassy plants for your home and garden, including some mistletoe, as we welcome the return of Christmas kissing!

Highlights include hyacinths, potted amaryllis, Christmas cactus, indoor azaleas, mini orchids and lots of colourful indoor cyclamen. These are all perfect for Christmas gifts or for simply making your home look bright and Christmassy.

We are well stocked with gifts, decorations and Christmas lights, as well as groceries, Christmas food items (including delicious brandy snaps) , wild bird food, dog treats, garden tools and so much more.

I think you’ll be surprised at the range of our products, so do come in and have a look, particularly if you’ve still got some “hard to buy for” people to buy for.

Christmas Dining

Don’t forget we are still taking bookings for our Christmas Lunches every Monday and Tuesday, and Christmas Afternoon tea on 15th December, and our Christmas Evening Dinner on Friday 16th December. Please call us on 01835 830315 to book.

We are open every day right up to and including Christmas Eve 10am – 4pm.

Winter Fuel and Food at Woodside

Winter fuel - a log fire next to a Christmas Tree

Winter has truly arrived, with frosty nights and chilly days, so our thoughts have turned to keeping warm and well fed over the coming Festive Season.

Winter Fuel

To keep you cosy we have a choice of winter fuel for stoves and open fires. We stock locally sourced kindling, softwood and hardwood logs all sold by the bag, as well as Coffee Logs (for stoves only) which are made from recycled coffee grinds and give off a lovely intense heat.

I have found that the coffee logs work really well mixed with logs and give plenty of heat as well as a good slow burning flame. Coffee Logs benefit both people and planet. They’re a low moisture fuel, burn 20% hotter than kiln-dried wood logs, and they reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 130% compared to grounds sent to standard disposal method.  They are £11.99 a bag with a special offer of £20 for 2 bags.

We also stock the hugely popular Dr Heat Firelighters, which offer a carbon neutral way of reliably getting your fire or stove lit. Dr Heat eco-friendly firelighters are produced from miscanthus grass waste from biofuel production, and recycled scented candle wax, which would otherwise be sent to landfill.  The factory is run by solar panels and all packaging materials are 100% recyclable cardboard.

It’s always a good idea to make provision for winter power cuts here in the Scottish Borders, and we have plenty of plain candles in different shapes and sizes, as well as red Christmas pillar candles and vanilla scented candles for a romantic and cosy ambience.

Relaxed Food Shopping.

We love our food here at Woodside – who wouldn’t being surrounded with delicious home-made cakes and the daily aroma of freshly baked scone? We sell a good range of fruit and vegetables in the grocery section of the plant shop, as well as a selection of store cupboard items such as pasta, curry sauces, naan breads, olive oils, salad dressings and much more. We’re also pleased that we have a reliable and local source of organic eggs so we have these is stock (whilst the supermarkets are running out!)

Talking of supermarkets – they are all proving to be a bit of a nightmare just now as the hectic build up to Christmas begins, so if you’re looking for a calmer way to do your food shopping, please pop into Woodside to take a look and see what we can offer. In addition to fruit, vegetables, eggs and store cupboard items, we sell freshly baked sourdough bread on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and we now have oven ready pheasant and red-legged partidge in our frozen food section. Sue is also busy cooking more frozen ready meals today to top up any gaps in the freezer.

Our Christmas range of food is also now available – either to give as presents or to treat yourself. Look out for gift-packed chocolates, vegan truffles, Scottish fudge, gluten-free Amoretti biscuits, Christmas puddings and, everybody’s favourite – Brandy Snaps.

Christmas Decorations

To make your table look pretty this Christmas we have a range of luxury Christmas Crackers with matching napkins and candles, as well as a good selection of table decorations. Don’t forget that we stock a small but good quality range of Christmas lights for both indoors and outdoors, artificial wreaths (some of which are battery operated light-up ones) and artificial garlands that you can use year after year. And, of course we stock Scottish grown Nordmann Christmas Trees, pot grown Christmas Trees, and our beautiful home-made real foliage wreaths which are very well priced compared with other local outlets, and are made here at Woodside by myself, Joanne and Sarah using local conifer and holly.

To order or reserve any of the items we stock at Woodside, including Christmas Trees and Wreaths please call us on 01835 830315.

Christmas Lunch

Festive table setting for a Christmas lunch
Bookings are now open for your Christmas Lunch at the Birdhouse Tearoom at Woodside.
These are served on Mondays and Tuesdays in December at 1pm and are available by pre-booking only.
To book call 01835 830315 with your menu choices.

Birdhouse Tearoom Christmas Lunch Menu 2022

Smoked mackerel pate and homemade oatcakes
or
Breaded camembert with jalapeno jam
**********
Traditional Turkey lunch with roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets, braised red cabbage, seasonal vegetables and gravy
or
Cranberry, Mushroom and Brie Wellington with potatoes, seasonal vegetables and vegetable gravy
**********
Christmas Pudding and custard
or
Raspberry Cranachan
£25 per person
Available Mondays & Tuesdays in December at 1pm.
BOOKINGS ONLY

Pot Grown Christmas Trees

Pot grown Christmas tree

Our pot grown Christmas Trees have now arrived.

These are living trees which can be brought indoors for Christmas and then either planted out in the garden or re-potted for using again indoors next year. These living trees are a really good sustainable and affordable way of enjoying the benefits of a real Christmas tree as your festive centre piece, and you can choose from traditional Norway Spruce, Nordmann Fir or Blue Spruce. Sizes range from approx 2ft to 4-5ft, so they are also a perfect choice when space is limited.

As they are living trees they can be purchased well ahead of Christmas and kept outside until you’re ready to bring them in for Christmas, so buying now while we still have a good choice is advisable.

We are also still taking “Early Bird” orders for fresh wreaths and cut Christmas trees

Christmas Gifts and Decorations

Our shop is now brimming with gorgeous Christmas gifts and decorations – new in is a superb range of artificial (but very realistic) garlands and wreaths.

We have also been to another auction and have a stunning range of vintage wrought iron metal panels for you to browse. Most of these have been used as decorative window grilles, and come in a variety of styles and sizes, many of which would convert into gates or screens.

Raspberry Canes in Stock

raspberry canes

Our Scottish Grown Raspberry canes are now in stock, ready for planting. Choose from:

Early Varieties
Glen Clova – vigorous and disease resistant with small firm fruits that freeze well
Glen Lyon – compact growth, heavy cropper with tasty glossy fruit
Malling Promise – an early heritage variety with large rosy red fruits

Mid Season Varieties
Glen Ample – high yielding with very large fruit and a superb flavour
Glen Doll – spine free canes with good disease resistance and excellent flavour of fruit
Glen Ericht – Modern variety with good resistance to root rot, and firm tasty berries
Malling Jewel – compact growth with reliable crops of fruit with excellent flavour. An old favourite

Late Season Varieties
Malling Leo – a tall growing variety with abundant crops of large firm fruit
Tullameen – a Canadian variety and now one of the most popular ones available due to its abundance of sweet fruit. Suitable for growing in a large pot

Autumn Varieties
Allgold – very reliable cropper, easy to grow and establish, with attractive golden yellow tasty fruit
Autumn Bliss – large red berries with excellent flavour and good keeping qualities
Heritage – a primocane variety with sturdy canes that don’t need support, high quality juicy fruit

Raspberries can be tricky to establish – we recommend that you never plant on ground that has previously grown raspberries, and that you always plant with Rootgrow to give them some additional help. Read more in our How to Plant Raspberry Canes Guide.

Blueberries

We also have four different Blueberries to choose from:

  • Blue Crop – the most popular and reliable mid season season blueberry variety on the market
  • Darrow -a late season variety with large fruit for easy picking
  • Duke – a good early variety for colder gardens with light blue firm crunchy berries
  • Hortblue Petite – NEW to Woodside and an outstanding new variety producing two crops in one year – in July and again in September. Excellent for growing in containers. This is the World’s first twice fruiting variety.

All Blueberries require acidic growing conditions, so don’t forget to plant with Ericaceous compost and Ericoid Rootgrow.

As usual, for all reservations and queries it’s best to speak to us on the phone or leave an answer phone message by calling 01835 830315. Messages via email and by social media may go unanswered. Don’t forget we are now into our winter opening times of 10am – 4pm daily.

Ornamental Trees now in stock

Ornamental tree: witch hazel

Ornamental Trees

We’re  pleased to have what we believe is the best range of ornamental trees in the Scottish Borders, and this weeks new arrivals include four varieties of Amelanchiers. These are one of my “must have” plant varieties that I think all gardens should have, but we’ve been struggling to get them for the last couple of years.

This week’s batch is some of the best I’ve seen and the varieties are: canadensis Glenform Rainbow Pillar, Edelweiss, Snowflakes, and Ballerina. All varieties have an abundance of dainty white blossom in spring, and pretty mid-green leaves which turn lovely shades of gold and red in the autumn.

Look out too for some gorgeous Rowans (Sorbus) – Fingerprint, Autumn Spire, Ravensbill and Olympic Flame, as well as the beautiful variegated leaved Cherry Prunus Frilly Frock.
Also new in this week are Hamamelis  – stunning Witch Hazels which produce fragrant showy spidery flowers in winter in shades of red, bronze or yellow. Our current varieties are Arnold Promise, Diane, Jelena and Pallida.

Fruit Trees

More fruit trees are now available, including some Scottish Heritage Apple Varieties:

  • Bloody Ploughman,
  • Galloway Pippin,
  • Scotch Bridget,
  • Scotch Dumpling
  • Stirling Castle.

In addition we also have more Victoria Plums and Nut trees ready now – Walnut, Hazel Gunselbert, Filbert Cosford, Hazel Nottingham and Webbs Prize Cobnut.

We also have Raspberry Canes and Blueberry plants ready to plant now.

Some of our trees and shrubs are only available in limited numbers only, so if you can’t get to Woodside in the next few days I suggest you phone on 01835 830315 to reserve your choice. We have plenty of raspberry canes, so no need to worry about them selling out just yet!

As usual, for all reservations and queries it’s best to speak to us on the phone or leave an answer phone message. Messages via email and by social media may go unanswered.

Don’t forget we are now into our winter opening times of 10am – 4pm daily.

 

Plants for Autumn Colour

A selection of plants for autumn colour

We’ve just had a delivery come in of some really gorgeous plants for autumn colour. They will really brighten up your garden. We all love them, and I’m sure you will do too……

In the main image you can see two evergreens:

    •  Pieris japonica Little Frosty, which is a fairly new introduction. This is a compact and bushy form, suitable for planting in small spaces or in tubs and containers, and has silver and green evergreen foliage and white bell shaped flowers in spring.
    • Leucothoe Curly Red, another low growing evergreen shrub. This one has unique curly leaves which open as red on the new growth, turning to green in the summer, then back to red in the autumn right through winter, making it a lovely warm colour to enjoy in the very coldest of days.

We also have in stock autumn flowering Callunas (Heathers) which are full of buds and flowers and ready for planting outside now.

Sarcoccoca, also known as Winter Box is one of my favourite plants. It has lovely glossy green foliage all year round and masses of tiny white flowers in the winter, which smell strongly of honey. We have three varieties available – Winter Gem, Purple Stem and Dragon Gate. All of them are smothered in flower buds and looking really tempting!

We have a superb batch of Hardy Cyclamen available too. These are the truly hardy ones, which can be planted out in the garden under deciduous trees and shrubs and come back year after year. This winter mix we currently have in stock has unusual silver foliage topped with dainty flowers in shades of pink. We also have more Patio Cyclamen ready  – these can be grown either as bedding plants, or as house plants for a cool room, and come in shades of white, pink, and red.

Two new varieties of Daphne have also just arrived – Daphne Perfume Princess (pink) and Daphne Eternal Fragrance (white). These evergreens have stunning highly perfumed flowers in late winter into early spring, and we often have real trouble getting hold of them, so we’re especially pleased to be able to offer such strong looking plants.

We’ve lots more plants looking really good at this time of year, so if your garden is looking a bit drab and lacking in colour, perhaps it just needs a freshen up. Don’t forget that we also have an excellent range of bulbs to underplant your garden with, so you can also be sure of a bright and cheerful spring garden.

As usual, if you’d like any of these plants reserving, just call on 01835 830315.

hardy cyclamen

Hardy cyclamen for a display year after year.

winter heather

Brightly coloured callunas in deep pink or white with Sarcoccoco behind

Apple Festival Update

Apple festival poster

We’ve got a fabulous weekend lined up for you this coming weekend 15th and 16th October as we co-host the Borders Organic Gardeners (BOG) Apple Festival.

The event is open from 10am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, and features stalls, displays, apple themed food and drink, and so much more.

Here is what we are doing over the weekend:

Saturday 15th October:
BOG Display of 140 apple varieties
27 different varieties of apple tree for sale
BOG Bookshop and information
Apple pressing – bring your own apples for juicing
BOG Home baking stall
Woodside Apple themed food and drink
Visiting Nursery – Tinnisburn Plants
Half a Hedgerow garden ornaments
Northumbria Basketry display and products for sale
The Wildlife Information Centre
Lyne Organics
Greenknowe Honey

Sunday 16th October (Family Day):
Childrens Activities including sign painting and “William Tell” shooting
BOG Display of 140 apple varieties
27 different varieties of apple tree for sale
BOG Bookshop and information
BOG Homebaking stall
Apple pressing – bring your own apples for juicing
Woodside Apple themed food and drink
Crailing Community Orchard
Laprig Valley
The Scottish Wildlife Trust
Borders Forest Trust
Half a Hedgerow garden ornaments
Northumbria Basketry display and products for sale
The Wildlife Information Centre
Lyne Organics
Greenknowe Honey
Moving Images Mobile Cinema

Moving Images Mobile Cinema

We are very excited with our line up over the weekend, and are pleased to be able to bring you “Moving Images” a solar powered cinema within a caravan! Kerry will be presenting a series of 9 short films on the Sunday, lasting around 30 mins in total, being screened at 45min intervals. For more information on the films please click HERE

These are suitable for adults and children over 10 and cost £2.50 per ticket. Tickets can be purchased in advanced through Eventbrite by clicking here, and will also be available on the day, subject to availability.

Tinisburn Plants

We’re also pleased to welcome back Helen from Tinnisburn Plants on the Saturday. Helen has been visiting Woodside over the past couple of years as our “guest nursery”, but it has always been on a Wednesday, and I know a lot of you can’t make a mid-week day, so here’s the perfect chance to purchase some of her hardy grown plants for all of you. I’ll look forwards to seeing what she has available at this time of year.

Apple-themed Food

Our tearoom will be serving a variety of apple-themed recipes, including soups, scones, cakes, pork and apple sausages, pulled pork, stuffing and apple sauce in a stottie, BBQ jackfruit, mulled apple juice and more.

Our plant centre has 27 different varieties of apple tree available to purchase, and this weekend you’ll get a FREE sachet of Rootgrow with every apple tree purchased. Don’t forget we also have other fruit trees available too, including cherries, pears, damsons, gages, medlars, mirabelles, plums, and quinces.

The plant centre is also well stocked with bulbs, Halloween decorations, a brand-new range of garden tools, autumn bedding, compost and lots more.
We’ve also got some new vintage and salvage items available following another trip to an auction.

Car Parking

It promises to be a very busy weekend, with plenty going on throughout the two days. We have arranged with Lothian Estates to use the nearby carpark at Harestanes as our overflow carpark, so if you are fit and able to walk, please do use it and save the Woodside car park for those who can’t manage the walk. There will be a collection point at our gate for those who have purchased items and need to bring the car across from Harestanes.

The event runs from 10am to 3pm (although Woodside is open as usual until 5pm) on both days. We are hoping for good weather, and the tearoom has plenty of outdoor space, however if you wish to sit indoors I would suggest booking by phoning 01835 830315.

Apple Festival

apple festival

Don’t forget to put a date in your diary for our Apple Festival weekend on 15th and 16th October in partnership with Borders Organic Gardeners (BOG). There will be a range of attractions, including a display of apples and information about apple growing.

There will also be some gardening related stalls, including

  • Tinnisburn Plants (Saturday only),
  • Half A Hedgerow,
  • Northumbria Basketry Group,
  • Crailing Community Orchard (Sunday only)
  • The Wildlife Information Centre,
  • Lyne Organics.

Family Activites

On the Sunday we will have some family activities such as sign painting and a “William Tell” shooting stall!

We are also delighted to welcome Kerry Jones and her mobile cinema to Woodside on the Sunday – more information on Moving Images can be found here

Time for Tree Planting

apple trees for sale

Late September and into October is a perfect time for tree planting.  The soil is still warm and the ground is beginning to get a little damper in the cooler weather as autumn takes hold.

We have a huge range of fruit trees and ornamental trees available just now – it is probably the best selection in the Border area. To see our full list of varieties ready, just click on this link and it will take you to our list. The list also gives an indication of how many of each variety we have available (as of 20th September).

Please note that we are not a web shop, so this list is for guidance only! To purchase please either visit Woodside or phone us on 01835 830315.

Special highlights on our tree list include:

  • Beautiful Crab Apples (Malus)
  • A good range of Rowans (Sorbus)
  • Flagpole Cherry (Prunus Amanogowa) for small spaces
  • Amelanchier Robin Hill
  • Betula jaquemontii ( one of the best white stemmed birches)
  •  A large collection of different apple varieties
  •  Fan fruit trees for growing on walls or fences

Bulbs

Our full range of bulbs is now in stock as you look forward to next spring and summer. Highly recommended varieties include:

  • Cochicums – these are known as Autumn Flowering Crocus are produce showy flowers in September, followed by fleshy foliage in Spring
  • Fritillaria imperialis (Crown Imperial) – unusual spring flowering bulbs with spectacular blooms in orange, red or yellow. These flower well in the Woodside garden and are admired by customers visiting in spring
  • Snowdrops (Galanthus) – we have these as a collection pack, or as individual named varieties
  • Woodland Collection – a collection of bulbs prepared to enhance woodland and shrubby sections of the garden
  • Prepared hyacinths – these are for indoor plantings to flower in the winter. We either have them available as loose bulbs in a range of colours, or as kits complete with a glass jar for planting, which are perfect presents
  • Paperwhite Narcissus – these are members of the daffodil family and are for indoor planting in bowls and baskets, where they produce masses of sweetly scented flowers

Garlic and Onions

If vegetables are more your thing, autumn planting onions, shallots and garlic are all now available:

  • Onion Autumn Champion – one of the best over-wintering varieties for planting now
  • Shallot Jermor – a banana shallot with good flavour and stores well
  • Elephant Garlic – a giant garlic suitable for planting now for harvesting next year

We also still have a few packs of winter herb and vegetable plants left – Spring Onions, Chard, Coriander, Parsley, Spinach and Rocket.