The Mountain Garden at CairnGorm in the Scottish Highlands

[Maggi Young]

All looking good, Jonny.... apart from the damage to the paths.  Expensive and time-consuming to fix, too. 

[Jonny Porteous]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd_jlA_aAgg&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

[Maggi Young]

Well, Jonny, that's impressive...... nine minutes well spent!
Jonny's "bit" comes at 2mins 11.... just before Ruari !

The video above was filmed & produced by Blue Stone Productions for the Action for Mountain Woodlands project of which CairnGorm Mountain has been a part.

Lots of videos from the  Cairn Gorm Mountain Team here....
http://www.youtube.com/user/CairnGormMountain

www.cairngormmountain.org

[Martinr]

That really is excellent but it did make me a bit homesick!

Also answered a question. Not the Jonny Porteous I knew from my University Climbing Club days...far too young!

[Jonny Porteous]

it was the windiest day when we did the filming gusts of 60mph, hence the windswept and interesting look we all have!!!
 the school kids were holding on for dear life.

definately not me martin! nice to know theres another Jonny Porteous out there though!

[Jonny Porteous]

the mountain garden from afar!

[Jonny Porteous]

A few little snaps from the hill....

[Jonny Porteous]

Winter is nearly here and we have had our first flurries of snow of the summits ... even though forecasters have predicted 16⁰c at 900m on Wednesday adn Thursday!!!
Here are a few of my favourite photos from this summer.

[Jonny Porteous]

A few more

[Maggi Young]

Jonny, it's a sobering thought that the snow is beginning already.

It is cold and wet here in Aberdeen today and it is hard to credit the forecast here too.... we'll see what actually turns up in the way of heat and sun!

[Hoy]

The forecast says 3 days sun and warmth here But now snow down here although we had a little in the mountains last week.

The flowera are very familiar and dear, thank you Jonny

[Jonny Porteous]

The forecasters were right it is like being in a hair dryer up here today!! The trees are showing signs of wind nip and are browning off in these unusual temperatures!!! 18c and 40 mph winds!

[Jonny Porteous]

Hello Everyone

We are nearly back in the garden here at CairnGorm after an unusual winter! High winds and warm temperatures mean that the snow hasn't lasted. It has been very mild so all good for the garden but not so great for the skiing. We may have more snow yet but at present we are closed for snow sports. The 9 day forecast is saying that this high pressure is set to continue so no snow on the horizon. Once again great for the garden but terrible for the skiing.

I hope everyone is well and I will continue to keep you updated as the season goes on.

Jonny

[Maggi Young]

Hello Jonny, good to hear from you and here's hoping the scoming season is a good one for you and for the garden. 

[Jonny Porteous]

Well after my last post things took a turn for the worse!

After a record breaking March with temperatures well into the 20's, the snow had all melted (apart from some very small patches on higher areas of the hill) and the garden had started to come away again BUT then in April we received a massive dump of snow. Covering the whole hillside and slowing everything down apart from the skiing! We finished skiing on Saturday there and my duties are now fully committed to the garden. With the wonderful weather we have been enjoying the garden has sprung back into life and is charging on at full speed.

So far we have flowering in the garden, Mossy Saxifrage, Marsh Marigolds, Starry Saxifrage, Butterwort and the Mountain Avens aren't far away. With everything looking healthy and in abundance after a bizarre winter I am looking forward to a bumper year in the garden.