The Caley at Scone Palace Garden Fair

2026 was the fifth year for the Garden Fair at Scone Palace and every year the show has grown.  The Caley has been there every year, the first with a simple information gazebo shared with Scottish Gardeners Forum.  The second year we had separate gazebos

Then in the third year we took over the plant creche.  WOW!  Even though we had a system there were so many plants it was a real challenge, as there is a limit to available floor space plus people kept asking for advice – it led to queues!  But we now had a better idea of what wee needed to do in 2025 , and were able to have a separate advice tent alongside the Plant Creche as well as doubling the number of helpers from Caley members.  But the biggest difference was what we call the introduction of the ‘Hinson’ method.  (Andrew Hinson is Head Gardener at NTS Greenbank Garden but is also a Caley Trustee.) Andrew introduced the use of a few danish trolleys, borrowed from The Plant Market, effectively increasing our floor space.   Roll forward to 2026 and the Plant Market lent us a few more trolleys and we were ready.

Ready for plants

Perhaps one of the most interesting features is the vast range of questions.  From how to cloud prune a plant in a container, tackling ground elder, protecting plants from rabbits, dead heading sweet peas, establishing a pond, a wide range of specific plant problems as well as questions like – what plants can I use to mask smells.

Thank you to all the Caley members – whatever role your were taking.  Including our President Lewis Normand, Hon President David Knott, past Presidents George Anderson and Colin Ainsworth, as well as Vice Presidents MT (Scotland Grows) and Kathryn Pitts (SGF with the pallets),  and Hon Vice President Jasmin Cann, who even did a quick sketch of a design for one couple.  I could go on and on as Caley members have many different hats!

See you next year

Pam