Johnshaven Community Garden

Our walk today with Freya took us along the old railway line and through the community garden in the picturesque fishing village of Johnshaven. There are other walks here, notably along the seashore.

Small fishing villages are dotted along the east coast of Scotland. All have small sheltered harbours to protect the boats from the North Sea. Johnshaven is home to an annual fish festival which is a community event and takes place in August

Fishing now tends to be a minority occupation with small boats and a few creels for catching crab and lobster piled up along the harbour wall. Nowadays it's a minority industry and  people commute to work in the bigger towns and to the city of Aberdeen.

Many of the  fishermans cottages have been repaired and given a fresh coat of paint. Some of them are built with their gable end to the sea to give protection in bad weather and some also have shutters.

Washing is still dried on the greens in front of the cottages and small gardens with driftwood and  finds from the seashore are built just above the shore. Hardy geraniums, teasels, hebes and a sprinkling of annuals cope with the salt laden winds.

 Johnshaven is is built on a steep slope and has narrow streets. The shoreline is rocky. No sandy beach here.

 

This is the beginning of the walk and the entrance to the community garden which can be glimpsed beyond the bridge. The garden was built by the community a few years ago in conjunction with the Beechgrove Garden Team at Tern Television. The planting is simple and is mainly shrubs that can cope with the  salt and wind.

 Escallonia and spirea and a small hebe dominate in this part of the garden.

 More spirea and senecio sunshine ( now known as  brachyglottis)  and a tiny hebe covered in starry mauve flowers.

The hebe Red Edge

Looking back at the garden from the top of the steps you can appreciate the simplicity and the maturity of the planting. The strong verticals of the phormium tenax contrast well with the soft mounds of the shrubs.

The walk continues down the steps on the other sides and the cultivated garden gives way to a wilder  landscape.

There are some garden escapees such as this geranium which I think is "Johnson's Blue".

and the Himalayan honeysuckle Leycesteria formosa

 The grass path is kept cut by the Council. The spires of Rosebay Willow Herb Epilobium augustifolium on the left is about burst into flower. The trees are already brown and have lost leaves in the last high winds. It feels almost autumnal.

There is still an abundance of wildflowers to photograph. The common Daisy Bellis perenis is often overlooked but has delicate petals and an egg yolk coloured centre.

The white Briar rose Rosa canina

 

 And the pink briar rose.

 Lapsana communis commonly known as nipplewort.

 Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris

 

The seed head of the red campion Silene dioica.

And last but not least. People travel from miles around to view this plaque on a little building on the shore. Someone in Johnshaven has a sense of humour!