Borebrae

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Gardeners based in Ayrshire, Scotland
Garden Design & Maintenance
RHS Level 2 Horticulture
Permaculture Design & Organic Horticulture
Naturalistic Planting Design

21/09/2026

Our remote garden design service is a great way to make the most of our skills and knowledge in an affordable way 🌿

29/05/2026

We're at Burnhouse in Galston today for some final prep before the weekend. The gates are opening this Sunday, May 31st, from 11am to 4pm as part of Scotland's Gardens Scheme. It is for a brilliant cause, with proceeds supporting Ayrshire Cancer Support and Guide Dogs. Admission is £6 (children go free), or you can enjoy a garden visit plus homemade teas and cake for £10.
https://scotlandsgardens.org/burnhouse/

"The garden surrounds the house, which dates from the 17th century. Mature beech and lime trees shelter an abundance of rhododendrons and azaleas. More recent plantings of trees and shrubs add year-round colour and interest with under-plantings of perennials and bulbs. Raised beds have been added for vegetables, fruit trees and herbs. Across the bridge over the burn, the long border has been extended to include more summer flowering plants and a mix of trees and shrubs for different seasons. A colourful maple grove, a den for youngsters and a rockery with alpines and small rhododendrons all add interest."

25/05/2026

Enjoying some quiet time this bank holiday Monday up in Deeside, finally getting to sit down with the new edition of The Dynamic Landscape.

There is an incredible amount of technical depth to take in. The book explores the mechanics of how designed plant communities function over time, going far beyond aesthetics to detail the species selection and management required to engineer habitats that actively support local ecology and build environmental resilience.

It is incredibly sad to think of the recent passing of Nigel Dunnett, but we are so thankful for the legacy he leaves behind. He has been a huge inspiration to us for a long time, and his approach will undoubtedly continue to shape the work of gardeners, designers, landscape architects, ecologists, and urban planners for years to come.

11/05/2026

The last couple of months have flown by, as Lauren and I have been head-down with various projects, and I have been busy with my ecology studies.

This past weekend, I was away on a field trip putting some of that theory into practice. It was a fascinating few days out in the wider landscape, carrying out surveys that look at the health and makeup of different habitats. We were assessing ponds for Great Crested Newts, tracking signs of badger activity, and sampling freshwater invertebrates. We also carried out detailed botanical mapping along the coast and in local woodlands, recording the specific plant communities that naturally thrive together in the wild.

Studying the landscape like this is a great reminder that our gardens do not exist in isolation. They are actually a crucial part of the wider ecosystem. Doing these surveys really highlights how the things we do in our own spaces can directly benefit wildlife. Simple additions like creating a small pond for amphibians and aquatic insects, planting shrubs that mimic a woodland edge, or just leaving a quiet, undisturbed corner for mammals to forage can act as vital stepping stones, connecting up those larger wild habitats.

It was an intense few days of fieldwork, but incredibly inspiring to bring those ecological ideas back home.

20/03/2026

Today marks the spring equinox, the point where day catches up with night. We have been treated to sunshine and blue skies over the last few days, and the plants are responding as they should.

What is fascinating about spring flowers is how they know when to appear. It is not just about the sudden warmth. Plants like primroses, magnolias and camellias rely on photoperiodism, meaning they actually track the gradually lengthening days - or, more accurately, the shrinking nights. They measure the duration of uninterrupted darkness, which is the biological cue they need to finally break bud.

It is a brilliant piece of ecological timing. By opening now, these early blooms ensure they are ready and waiting to provide vital nectar for the first emerging queen bumblebees and hoverflies. And a welcome splash of colour too.

28/02/2026

We have headed up to Deeside for the weekend to help our friends at Ballogie Estate plant up some new borders. We heard the sun has been hiding up here recently, so glad it made an appearance for us today 🌞

Everything is prepped and set out, ready to get planting tomorrow.

28/01/2026

These Witch Hazel were looking lovely today, on a much calmer day than yesterday! They are a familiar winter staple, but always valuable for bringing colour to bare stems in January.

The history of the name is generally accepted to be a case of mistaken identity. British settlers in North America confused the native shrub with English Hazel and used its pliant twigs for water divining. The name comes from the Old English 'wice', meaning bendable - referring to the flexibility of the wood rather than the casting of spells.

They are engineered for the Scottish winter, too. Those distinct, crumpled petals will curl up tight during a frost to protect the flower, unfurling again when the temperature rises. They are also a welcome source of nectar for some insects and moths at this time of year.

A bit of winter cheer 🙂🌸

23/01/2026

A brief, welcome break in the clouds this morning here in Ayrshire. ⛅️

It has been mostly cold and wet recently, so standing here with the sun on our backs and the birds singing was a brief reprieve.

If you look closely, the season is definitely shifting. The snowdrops are (mostly) out, and the first daffodil noses are starting to poke through the soil. A little bit of optimism that spring is just around the corner.

We hope the weather is kind where you are this weekend, and you manage to get out into the garden for a bit. 🌿

It’s the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend too, so a perfect excuse to sit still with a warm drink and see who is visiting your patch. 🐦

12/01/2026

Movement in the winter garden 🌬

Hakonechloa macra and Digitalis lutea providing structure and texture on site today. We helped plant this garden several years ago, and it is great to see how it has matured.

Aesthetically, the movement of the grass softens the rigid, dark skeletons of the Digitalis. It captures the wind and keeps the border dynamic when everything else is still.

Ecologically, leaving these stems standing is vital. The hollow, upright stalks of the Digitalis provide hibernation sites for stem-nesting insects, while the dense, papery mound of the Hakonechloa creates an insulating shelter for ground-dwelling invertebrates against the frost.

We will cut back before spring to make way for the new growth, but for now, it provides valuable shelter.

03/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🌱

We spent the afternoon wandering around Newmilns and the surrounding slopes of the Irvine Valley taking part in the New Year Plant Hunt, organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI).

The aim of the hunt is to build a picture of how our wildflowers are responding to changing weather patterns by recording what is blooming in the depths of winter.

To be honest, our list today was pretty short - some flowering Gorse and a Dandelion. Being on the valley floor, we are prone to cold air drainage - where heavy, freezing air rolls off the surrounding hills and pools at the bottom. That has kept overnight temperatures around -5°C recently with the ground barely thawing during the day, so most wildflowers are wisely keeping their heads down.

Despite the lack of blooms, it was a great excuse to get out in the fresh air. The views down the valley towards Arran were as good as they get today.

If you fancy a walk with a purpose tomorrow, the Plant Hunt is still on until the end of Sunday. You can find all the details on the BSBI website.

Address

Mauchline

Website

http://www.borebrae.com/

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