Newsletter

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

May brought us lots of natural produce: the wild garlic, which grows in such abundance, was used to make wild green garlic soup, garlic mash and a variety of dressings and pestos; a superb crop of sorrel meant sorrel soup (a dish which has featured in a state banquet at Buckingham Palace) was on the menu too; and, of course, rhubarb made its first appearance of the year, first as our own forced rhubarb - sweet and pink - for making desserts and ice creams, and then the thicker stalks, which made sauces for mackerel and duck.

A first for us was the opportunity for Geoffrey to take some honey from his bees. They’ve been in the potager for a year or two now, but we’ve never felt we could take honey before. Despite getting several stings, he was thrilled with his first haul, but now guards it almost as jealously as the bees did themselves.

Because of the splendid weather we had this May - unlike most of the rest of Britain by all accounts – the garden looked wonderful, with the tree paeonies, Chilean firebush and crab apples particularly showy.

Our new Dalmatian (well, new to us, he’s actually a rescue dog) is settling in nicely and has us almost trained. That’s him sitting on our sofa in Vane Cottage. His name is Giuseppe, or Beppe for short, although ‘Oi you!’ gets employed just about as much.

We finally managed to get the second of our two new self-catering houses – “Bluebird Cottage” – completed and open for letting, almost eleven months after the initial estimate. It’s rumoured that Arran was originally a Caribbean island that drifted, and certainly the laid back attitude of its inhabitants would suggest there’s some truth in this. The end result is, however, well worth waiting for and the VisitScotland inspection this month placed both of the new cottages firmly in the Five Star category.

(Bluebird Cottage)

Another development has been the re-opening of “Grizel’s Room”, so named for the C17th declaration of love between Alexander Fullarton and Grizel Boyd carved into the wall. Originally a cosy double, it has now reopened as a smart single with mahogany sleigh bed and a very pleasant bathroom papered in a classic John Wilman design, with Farrow and Ball paintwork and Sanderson curtains in the bedroom.

And what does June hold in store? Certainly lots more delicious Arran produce, including our own “Arran Pilot” early potatoes and gooseberries. Kirkend Nurseries are already producing their wonderful strawberries and Antony is busy making special ice creams and desserts to accompany them. The garden should be bursting with some choice plants, including a host of different irises, geraniums and roses, and the waterlilies are already promising a grand display.

At the end of June we are looking forward to a personal treat. We have both been invited, along with Helen, our Duty Manager and her husband, to a Royal Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It’ll be half-a-crown to speak to us after that!

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