Kirklands House and Garden
Description
Peter and Gill welcome you to Kirklands B&B, Saline, Fife, Scotland
Our beautiful home, built in 1832, is set in 2 acres of stunning gardens and 20 acres of important naturally regenerating woodland. The bed and breakfast accommodation may particularly appeal to garden lovers but whatever reason for your visit, us you can be sure of a warm and friendly welcome.
The gardens are open from April to September and there is a wide variety of plants for sale all propagated from the garden. We run gardening course to help you grow vegetables and feed the family or to help you plan and build your dream garden. Come and share our corner of paradise.
The Garden
When we arrived at Kirklands in 1977 the garden had long since disappeared. The walled garden was home to two ponies and there was just a patch of grass to the front and rear of the house, the rest was rough ground and woodland. Over the years we have created the garden.
Initially, when the family was young, Peter and a retired miner, Benny, rebuilt the walls and removed overgrown or dead trees. As the children grew we all joined in, ably assisted by our German Shepherd, Bradie. Now Louisa and Mark have left home and we are helped in the garden by our ageing German Shepherd, Harley.
We have a wide variety of plants propagated from the garden for sale.
The garden is open:
April to September Friday, Saturday and Sunday 2:00pm to 5:30pm,
Other times are probably OK, but please give us a call first (01383 852737).
Entrance to the garden is £3.00
Access to the plant sales area is free of charge.
Gardening Courses
For 2009 we have 4 one day courses to choose from. Two courses focus on vegetable growing and healthy eating; one on plant propagation and one on the creation of a beautiful garden. Whichever you choose I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful day.
If you are looking for a gardening holiday in Scotland or a gardening weekend break, easily accessible from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling or Perth you can have fun, relax and learn new skills.
A welcome coffee, tea and homemade shortbread are served from 9:30 and you can wander around the garden or chat with your host before the start at 10 am. We provide a delicious lunch of home made soup, home grown salads and home baked bread supplemented by other local produce. The day finishes about 4pm with time for another wander around the garden or a walk in the woods before going home; or you may be staying at our B&B.
Our one day courses are practical and hands-on; time is spent out in the garden and in the polytunnel. If the sun is shining, most of the day will be outside; if it’s wet, more time will be spent inside but bring a coat anyway!
Our aim is to work with small groups and communicate our passion for plants and gardening and give you the knowledge to go home and get results. The maximum group size is 8 though it is likely to be smaller.
Vegetable Essentials – Book Online
What could be better than popping out of the backdoor and picking something for dinner? We will give you the basics to start growing your own delicious salads and vegetables.
What could be better than popping out of the backdoor and picking something for dinner? We will give you the basics to start growing your own delicious salads and vegetables.
Course cost £95
The course is intended for people new to vegetable growing or that have made a start but need some practical advice and by the end of the day you will be confident of creating your own small veg plot and eating home grown things as the year progresses.
The outline for the day is along the following lines though the exact contents will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group.
- History of Vegetable Growing
- Health eating, taste the difference
- Sowing seeds
- Water, heat, light, soil
- Pricking out seedlings
- Raised beds and container gardening
- Planting
- 10 things to get started
- lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes
- Carrots, onions, leeks
- Courgette, French beans,
- Strawberries
- The herb garden. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
- Care and harvest
If you would like a course tailored exactly to your experience and needs see the Special Days section.
Feed the Family – Book Online
From lettuce and carrots to strawberries and apples, we look at the kitchen garden and how to keep it productive year round. Planning, crop rotation, compost, varieties, salads, vegetables soft fruit and trees are all on the menu.
From lettuce and carrots to strawberries and apples, we look at the kitchen garden and how to keep it productive year round. Planning, crop rotation, compost, varieties, salads, vegetables soft fruit and trees are all on the menu.
Course cost £95
The course is intended for people who have probably sown seeds and grown a few things but would now like to join the healthy eating world and create a real fruit and vegetable garden. In a day we can give you the direction and help your enthusiasm; you may need 30 more years of practice to get it right and true dedication if your aim is to be self sufficient!
By the end of the day you will be confident of creating your own fruit and veg garden and have the foundations for feeding the family.
The outline for the day is along the following lines though the exact contents will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group.
- Importance of a Fruit and Vegetable garden
- The good life. Health eating, exercise, taste, connection
- From little acorns: Sowing seeds, Pricking out, planting
- Garden utilities: water, heat and light
- The answer lies in the soil. Composting & soil condition
- A gardener’s KISS. Keep it simple. Raised beds,
- Six honest serving men. What, where and when and why and how and who. Crop planning & rotation
- Eats shoots & leaves: baby leaves, salads,
- Know your onions spring onions, shallots, onions, leeks
- Full of beans broad beans, French beans, runner beans
- Back to your roots: Beetroot, parsnips
- Hot stuff: Peppers, chillies
- Really fruity. Strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants
If you would like a course tailored exactly to your experience and needs see the Special Days section.
Plants for Free – Book Online
Plant propagation has to be one of gardening’s great joys. Garden centre prices keep going up. We give you the knowledge to multiply your garden riches for pennies not £s by sowing seeds, taking cuttings and dividing.
Plant propagation has to be one of gardening’s great joys. Garden centre prices keep going up. We give you the knowledge to multiply your garden riches for pennies not £s by sowing seeds, taking cuttings and dividing.
Course cost £95
By the end of the day you will be confident of tackling propagation of most things in the garden and you’ll take away a good selection of things you’ve experimented with during the day.
The outline for the day is along the following lines though the exact contents will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group.
- Multiplication, division and garden mathematics
- Equipment and labelling
- Seeds. Vegetables, annuals, perennials, trees.
- Division
- Cuttings.
- The right environment
- Plant hunters
- Something special,
- Next steps
If you would like a course tailored exactly to your experience and needs see the Special Days section.
If you would like to create a personal piece of paradise in your own back yard, come and share our passion for plants and gardening and we will inspire you with ideas and practical tips to get a “wow factor” in your garden.
Course Cost £95
By the end of the day you will be inspired to create grand plans and have practical advice to start to bring them into reality. Villandry, Giverny and Tivoli watch out!
The outline for the day is along the following lines though the exact contents will be tailored to the needs of the individuals in the group.
- What drives people to build gardens
- Amazing gardens
- Trees & Shrubs
- Perennials
- Annuals
- Design
- Sometimes I sit and think…
- Atmosphere
- Make the most of the landscape
- Next steps
If you would like a course tailored exactly to your experience and needs see the Special Days section.
Bed & Breakfast
For our bed and breakfast visitors we think we have thought of every convenience (please tell us if you disagree). Electric sockets near mirrors for hair drying (hairdryers in rooms), Full length mirrors, Radio alarm clocks, plenty of surfaces in the bathroom for toiletries. Our comfortable double/family bedroom and twin/double bedroom have en-suite bathrooms. Cots and highchairs are available for smaller guests.
Well behaved pets are welcome by arrangement.
Where possible we have used local Scottish produce for your breakfast – Fifeshire bacon and sausages from Auchtertool, local free range eggs, freshly baked bread, homemade jams and marmalade and, in the season, homegrown tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Vegetarian options are available. Click here for a sample breakfast menu
