We all have our little bit of earth to tend: a window box, a raised bed, a sliver of green at the front of our tenement. What is it about our gardens that nourishes the soul? With the help of the West End’s The Happy Gardener, Westender Magazine opens the shed doors.
By Tracy Mukherjee
Dear Green Place. That’s Glasgow. The translation of the Gaelic form Glaschu literally means ‘green hollow’ or ‘green glen’. And is it any wonder? With over 90 parks and gardens in the city, it’s a fitting, affectionate epiphet.
I also have a dear green place. My wee garden. My little place of solace to listen to the bees on my Japanese quince, watch the explosion of colours as rhododendrons and azaleas burst into bloom, to sit back and enjoy my little patch of solitude… one mile from Glasgow City Centre.
West End gardens come in every shape and size. And I’ve used that phrase to refer to a whole host of things over the years. But on this occasion, I really mean it. Terraced, rockeries, lawns, paved, raised beds… where do we even begin to know what to plant considering drainage, shade, size of garden?
I know a little. But thankfully, I know a man who knows more. Meet Danny, The Happy Gardener. If you are looking for gardeners in Glasgow West End, Danny’s your man.
The Happy Gardener
Danny hasn’t always been a professional gardener. But he has always been a gardener. Following a career in journalism, travelling the globe with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra managing its comms, a few years ago, Danny made the leap and followed his heart, made his passion his job and became a pro. Danny has worked with some of the best, including Rob Casement of West End Gardens. He has a growing client base as far afield as Bishopbriggs, Busby and Erskine. And it’s based on a very simple philosophy – trust and passion. Client’s trust Danny to do a good job and to understand their needs.
It runs in Danny’s family, growing up in Perth, both his grandfather and great grandfather were professional gardeners. For Danny ‘It’s the immediate gratification in transforming gardens. And everyone is different. Some people will really want a perfect lawn; other people want rambling gardens.’
And The Happy Gardener can, with his knowledge and experience, help create that dream outside space, though he maintains he’s always learning. In talking to Danny, it’s clear he gets it. He gets the emotional attachment we can have in our garden. That’s why he has a loyal client list.
‘There are those who love their garden but can no longer do everything. But they still want their garden to be lovely, because outdoor space is so important. You’ve got widows and widowers who used to work on their outdoor space together for years, often decades. There are elements of gardens – memorial roses, for example, you’re entrusted with more than just plants. Your entrusted with memories. Gardens can be so emotive.’
Keeping our West End in Bloom
A man we can trust to get our garden blooming. What does he recommend for getting the best out of our West End gardens? ‘It depends on what you want from the space. It’s a good idea to obtain structure with hedges. Pots are wonderful things, even if you don’t have the right soil; if it’s clay, if it’s rocky, you can design a little nursery of pots that’s created to the things you want. And you can move them around.’
And what about planting vegetables in a West End garden? ‘Start planting main crop potatoes in bags’ says Danny. Keep topping them up with fresh compost. The resulting potatoes last for months.
‘With raised beds, be careful of using used sleepers due to chemicals that were used on the railways – oil, metals, seeped into the sleepers. Fresh sleepers or using timber boxes is much better.’
And if you have no space at all, you can still benefit from home grown greens. ‘Microgreens are fantastically good for you,’ says Danny. ‘Get some clear plastic cartons (ones you might get an apple pie in from the supermarket). Poke some holes in and fill with soil. Soak the soil – don’t waterlog. Then sprinkle radish seeds, broccoli seeds, pea seeds onto the soil and sit on the windowsill in the sun. In seven to 10 days, you’ll have sprouts. Catch them when they have just a single leaf on each and cut with scissors. Sprinkle on your salads. These are like stem cells of veg. They have 20 times the nutrient value of fully grown veg. Plus, they taste so good.’
Garden Checklist
Some great tips from Danny. And here are some points to remember in the coming months, courtesy of my go-to gardening reference points, the National Allotment Association and of course, BBC Gardener’s World. I mean who doesn’t need a bit of Monty in their lives?
May Checklist
Planting: If you are lucky enough to have a green house, it’s time to get your plants outdoors and into the soil, being mindful of late frosts – bedding plants (if it’s mild enough), and maincrop potatoes.
Sowing: Let’s get that veg in. Directly sow carrots, beetroot, lettuce, spinach, salad onions, and hardy annuals like sunflowers. So, this is for those of us who have, like me, not been organised enough to bring seeds on indoors in the spring. By now it should be mild enough for direct sowing. Good luck.
Protection: Get some fleece ready in case of late frosts. If you’ve kept leaves you’ve been sweeping up, this mulch is always handy to protect the roots of plants.
Fruit: Start harvesting rhubarb for a yummy crumble. I put star anise and ginger in mine.
Maintenance: Weeding. A lot. Don’t forget outside your fence to keep our streets nice and tidy.
June Checklist
Planting: Plant out tender crops such as courgettes, pumpkins, squash, sweetcorn, and runner beans.
Flowers: Bedding plants can now go into pots for a welcome bit of colour in the garden. As Danny said, we can get our hanging baskets planted up and looking fab.
Maintenance: Stabilise tall perennials (delphiniums, lilies) with canes to stop them from snapping. Deadhead roses and they will keep blooming.
Watering: Get watering. Especially if it’s really dry and sunny. We can dream.
Harvesting: Begin harvesting early potatoes, radishes, salad leaves, and strawberries. Summer’s here!
Are we ready for a West End in bloom? And if you need more help, you know who to call. Danny, The Happy Gardener, offers a bespoke gardening service. Give him a call and together you’ll grow your garden.
For more information on Danny, the gardeners is Glasgow West End visit –
