A sad and happy day

Today has been a good day, both weather-wise and social-wise. I went down to Cove on Long Long for the funeral of an old friend, Jim Taggart, who for years ran the garden at his house 'The Linn'. He called it the Linn Botanic Garden - sometimes people ask what a Botanic Garden is and it probably should have some scientific and educational purpose, but in this case it's just a wonderful collection of unusual plants. Jim was a real eccentric - I've put a picture on as an extra, taken last year in his kitchen; his house is literally falling down! He was a great botanist and plantsman too, but he was 83 and possibly never really got over the death of his son Jamie on a solo plant-hunting trip in Vietnam in 2013. There was a good turn-out at the church and it wasn't too sad an occasion.

Afterwards I popped along to Glenarn at Rhu, near Helensburgh, and had a wander round the garden with my friends Sue and Mike, both retired architects. Glenarn is amazing and nobody visiting the area should miss it. Eleven acres of wonderful woodland garden, saved by them when the previous owner died. How they manage it largely on their own is amazing!