A Gardener's Guide to Skye

Gardening might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the Isle of Skye. With its wild winds, salty air and beautifully rugged open crofts, many of us assume the terrain is too hardy and weather too unpredictable.

But contrary to belief, it is possible to create a thriving oasis on the island, especially when you have the right advice to hand. Fortunately, the majority of the Òr team are keen gardeners and are more than happy to share their tried and tested tips with you!

Jane’s flourishing allotment

‘I’ve always enjoyed gardens. My mum was great at growing plants and my grandpa was actually an award-winning gardener. In fact, he was so good that he won the local competition five years in a row and had to ask for them to select another winner in future!

‘I recently managed to secure a couple of beds at the community allotment in Portree. In the polytunnel I’ve grown tomatoes, chives, nasturtium, mixed salad leaves and alpine strawberries so far. Eventually, I’d love to grow Japanese vegetables. I spent about a year in Japan some time ago and the food was delicious, so I’d love to bring a bit of this to Skye.

‘For getting the most out of your strawberries, I recommend waiting until you have a few runners — the tendril-like parts which grow horizontally along the ground — then use U-shaped metal pins to secure the runners to the soil. This will encourage new plants to grow and of course, mean more strawberries!'

Andy and Laurie’s flower patch 

‘My son Laurie and I love to get out in the garden as much as possible. He enjoys digging and moving things around in his wheelbarrow, but mainly just getting muddy (as four-year-olds tend to do). Thankfully, he's grown out of the “deadheading all the flowers before they bloom” stage!

‘I love to grow anything that survives, really! We’ve planted lots of predominantly native Scottish tree varieties in the garden, like alder, birch, oak, rowan and willow. I’d love to grow vegetables at some point, too.

‘When it comes to gardening, remember it doesn't have to be perfect. We didn’t do much in the first year and that allowed us to see what was already growing and how the weather affected the garden. We realised we’re lucky to have lots of self-seeding plants like daffodils, poppies, cornflowers and aquilegias. I think it’s good to embrace what you have, rather than try to make a show garden.

‘The best thing you can do when growing plants on Skye is to just give it a go; some things will work and others won’t, but don’t be put off! Plants growing in other gardens are a good clue as to what will work in yours, and we often wander around the gardens at Dunvegan Castle for inspiration.’

Anna’s windowsill herbs

‘My mum used to work in a florist shop, so she knows all about gardening. We don’t have any outdoor space, but we both love growing herbs. My mum uses lemongrass for infusing tea and dandelions for making vegan honey, while I like to grow things like mint, coriander and basil on my bedroom windowsill.

‘Something that’s great about Skye is that it’s surrounded by seaweed and it’s good for so many things, including plants. I often comb for seaweed along the shore then make a powder out of it for my plants – it's really easy to do! Just place the seaweed on a baking sheet in the oven for about 45 minutes at around 180°C, then when it's ready it will have a crunchy texture which you can crush and store for up to half a year. All you need is about half a teaspoon once a week for a couple of plants and it will make all the difference.

‘As we don’t have enough space for huge bags of soil, I buy small, round compost discs. I also don’t use tap water, instead I head down to the river and fill up four or five bottles each week for my plants.’

Rosemary’s fruit & veg

‘As a child I didn’t really like gardening. I’d try to help, but end up pulling everything up thinking they were weeds, so the garden was beautiful but bare! I began taking an interest in gardening once we moved into my husband Keith’s grandparents’ house. I’d enjoy my time in the garden, taking moments to sit, read my book and listen to the birds with my cup of tea.

‘Now we live in Skye, we love to grow vegetables in our polytunnel. We’ve got corn, salad leaves, tomatoes, cauliflowers, carrots, onions, rhubarb and more. It’s so satisfying when you put food in front of your guests and the only thing on the plate you haven’t grown yourself is the fish! I also love to make my own pickles and chutneys.

‘Like Anna, we use lots of seaweed on our plants that we collect from the shore. I use it in the initial stages when I’m planting out as it provides plenty of nutrients to the soil but also helps keep snails and slugs at bay. It’s worked really well with my cauliflowers this year!

‘Something else you can do, which might sound a bit funny, is tickle the flowers on tomato plants using an old paint or make up brush. I used to watch my grandfather do this when I was a child to promote pollination.'

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