1.
Theme and use.
The Shetland Croft House garden C1940 demonstrates
what can be grown despite the inhospitable climate and where local sustainability
is essential.
The landscape is bleak and treeless but the tough, colourful
croft style planting within the shelter of dry stone 'dykes' allows the garden
to be a practical oasis amid the austere surroundings.
A Shetlander is 'a
fisherman with a croft' and the garden emulates this as a place where the tools
of self sufficiency feature amongst the unique horticulture.
2.
Aspect, soil and conditions.
The garden is at a latitude of 60oN and is
facing south. It is set in a sheltered valley but endures strong, salty winds.
The dry stone dyke and planting of strong growing shrubs offer shelter. The oceanic
climate of the north Atlantic drift means relatively mild but wet winters and
cool dry summers. Severe frosts are rare.
The soil is poor, thin, acidic and
peaty. (Dark acidic loam will be used as a peat substitute). Seaweed is often
added as fertiliser. Coarse sand is added to soil to help drainage.
Indigenous
pioneer plants many with Arctic-alpine characteristics sit alongside incongruous
non-native stunted herbaceous plants within the garden, that have taken to the
harsh conditions
3.
Structures, boundaries and surroundings.
The structures will be made from
materials either found or recycled from Shetland. The original Croft House is
built from a selection of any indigenous stone that would have been available.
As trees are rare the gate and fence are of driftwood collected from the beaches.
The dry stone dykes (walls) form protection from strong winds and roaming sheep.
They are topped with turf,this augments the stone shortage and adds a natural
protective coping forming a habitat for wild plants, insects and small mammals.
The burn ensures drainage of high rainfall. The garden borders the open flat countryside
that encroaches the boundaries.
4.
Hard materials and features.
The garden is a capsule archive of Shetland
culture displaying artefacts relating to the local trades that form the sustainability
of the island.
Fishing - the ropes and float hanging out to dry. Herring drying
on a line.
Grain- the knocking stone by the gate used for crushing grain in
now holds water for the animals.
Peat for fuel piled up by the door along with
a tushkar for cutting and a kishie for carrying the peat.
A famously traditional
jumper made from local fine wool is set onto a jumper board, drying against the
wall.
The paths are of briggistanes- a layer of shingle and flat stones collected
from the beach.
The low wooden alpine table displays rare specimen plants
such as Edmonston's chickweed.
5.
Plants.
The garden is a mixture of practical horticulture with planting
for pleasure.
Rare and indigenous vegetable species include: Shetland tatties:
Shetland Black and Foula Red, Shetland kale and neeps (turnips) and Shetland rhubarb.
Also
included are traditional old varieties of common vegetables. Supplied by the Heritage
Seed Library in order to preserve the species.
Shrubs are planted to replace
shelter lost by the lack of trees.
Traditional non-native croft house garden
flowers are grown for their tolerance and colour.
The burn has native wild
flowers growing along its banks.
The very rare Edmondston's Chickweed (cerastium
nigrescens) grows only on a few hundred square yards on one Shetland Island (Unst)
-seen nowhere else in the world it has been grown from seed kindly supplied by
Scottish Natural Heritage.
Click
here for a full plant list
**Important
Notice**
We intend to
sell the croft facade after the show has finished.
We are inviting interested
parties to make us offers for the croft stone - the stipulation being that the
buyer must arrange collection from the site at the end of the show.
Please
contact Martin on 07900 443879 or e-mail: martintanderson@hotmail.co.uk or sue@suehayward.co.uk.
Serious offers only please!
Come
and visit us at the Chelsea Flower Show between the 20th -24th of May 2008.
RHS
Chelsea Flower Show 2008 Info and tickets
Motor
Neurone Disease Association
www.visitshetland.com
The
official site for tourism in Shetland
Sue
Hayward Garden Designs
**NEW**
Latest News Blog
Research
trip to Shetland - Jan 08.
BBC
East Midlands filming at Nottingham Trent University
Plant
list and photos of Nottingham Trent University Students preparing show plants
All
photos, plans, drawings, text and illustrations © Sue Hayward Garden Design.
Additional publicity photographs © Katie Bailey Photography
www.katiebailey.co.uk
01332 231840
Garden
Name: The
Motor Neurone Disease Association - Shetland Croft House Garden
On
one of his many walking trips to Shetland he hit on a theme for the garden. Martin
saw how the plants on the islands tolerated the harsh conditions so long as they
were given shelter by the dry stone walls or 'dykes'.