Fyne Autumn Colours

Autumn is always a beautiful season in Argyll - even if the weather has been overwhelmingly damp! The rain or grey clouds don't dull the vibrancy and variety of colours on the hills and in the forests one iota.

Still stunning despite the rain - Glen Fyne from the Tree Shop

These vibrant colours are everywhere in the garden centre as well - we have an abundance of fruit trees displaying amazing leaves and tiny gem like fruits

Malus Golden Hornet - a type of crab apple tree

Malus Red Sentinel - pretty scarlet crab apples

Plus lots of other colorful, seasonal plants and trees:

Heathers in all sorts of rich shades

Stunning leaf shades on a Red Oak

and plants like the Penettya Mucronata - a type of broad leaf evergreen shrub - it flowers in May and June but it's stunning berries, which develop in summer persist, through autumn & winter & long into the following spring without any sign of wearing out!  They come in all sorts of amazing shades of pink, white, lilac and red and add a real splash of colour through the duller autumn and winter months

And the Tree Shop Cafe continues to excel in tempting us all with amazing cakes, delicious soups and, new for autumn, hot baked potatoes with scrumptious fillings. As always, all our food is sourced locally and cooked on site by our fantastic cafe team and we are very lucky to count Sheila Whyte amongst our number - not only does she bake like a dream her range of Fyne Preserves are set to go global! Try and buy the next time you pop in!  

Of course, Autumn is a mere fleeting presence as we gear up for (deep breath!) XMAS! So watch out for our next blog bringing you all sorts of great gift ideas for the gardener, walker, cook or just the one you love! And don't forget our feathered friends - we've got lots to keep them happy and well fed over the next few months!

Tweet!

Visit our website (which is going to have a fantastic makeover during November and December!) to find out more about stock, special offers, planting tips and what's for lunch! www.thetreeshop.net

Festival of Ales

In two days time it will be fun and frolics in the fields over by as Fyne Ales launches it's 2nd annual Beer Festival. 

Kicking off on Saturday 11th June and continuing on Sunday 12th, Achadunan, Cairndow will be the place to be - 30+ Cask Ales including the full spectrum of Fyne Ales, local food from Loch Fyne Oysters and Winston Churchill's sublime venison burgers, and live music with local favourites Dr Hip and the Blues Operation and the the Camans, amongst others.

A fine selection of some Fyne Ales!

And if you're hardy enough to camp (£10 per tent) or stay locally there is even a Sunday 'After Party' with bar and B-B-Q, and even better it's open and free to anyone who attended the Festival on Saturday - good food, good beer, music and chat, what a great way to finish a festival weekend! click the ink to get your tickets or buy them on the day!

Craft Fairs Galore!

There appear to be more craft fair's coming up than you can shake a stick at - all good, we say! Not only do we get to meet local crafts folk and maybe pick up some new lines for the shop we also get a chance to promote our own fabby plants and trees!! So, the next few months sees four (four!!) new Craft Fairs here at Cairndow:

• 4th June 
• 25th June
• 23rd July
• 27th August

All the events will be taking place in the 'Here We Are' building, which is just beside the shop, between 11am and 4pm - so you can pop in for tea and cake (one of our outstanding merangues, perhaps!) or some of our delicious soups, sandwiches or burgers (veggie options always available!) and even take a stroll over to Loch Fyne Oysters where there is a wicked shop full of all sorts of delicatessen and gourmand items.

Mmmm-meringues!!

And the Tree Shop will also be 'on Tour'! This Sunday, 5th June, we will be hanging out at The George Hotel in Inveraray at the Craft Fair organised by the lovely Marine and Karen. We will be selling:

Some of these delicious hanging baskets....

...and lots of these little pots of colour....

....and these fab bedding plants

Indeed, a whole host of lovely items will be on sale from gorgeous hand crafted jewellery to delicious edibles and fantastic plants - our speciality of the day being our gorgeous hanging baskets! 

Come and have a grand day out - the George does a great lunch!!

Bright and Beautiful

Well, the weather has thrown some stuff at us in the past week - big storms, hurricane force winds, torrential rain, thunderous showers, hailstones  and dark, brooding skies. However, there is still an amazing amount of colour around both in the garden and the shop, and we thought we'd share it with you!

Hydrangeas of many hues

Gorgeous azaleas - the bees seem to think so too!

Herbs - green, glossy and smelling wonderful

and finally, detail from Rag Rug, for sale in the shop

So, the sun may not be shining much, but the colours are still as vibrant and keeping our spirits lifted - that and the cakes!!

Busy as bees!

This is probably the busiest time of the year for us - non-stop plant action and cake eating galore! Pop in and see our fab new stock and look out for our SALE!! Yes, 25% off bedding and vegetable plants, herbs plus special offer on our compost - 50 litre bags at £3.99 each or 3 for £10! Bargain!! 


Meanwhile, feast your eyes on this lot:

Hanging Baskets

Beautiful Hydrangeas

I think we've mentioned our passion for Acers before - love 'em to bits!

And as for the cakes! Mmmm......

It's a bloomin' paradise for plant and tree lovers (geddit!!), as well as new season roses, bespoke hanging baskets, very pretty, potted shrubs and trees there are lots of special offers, as you can see, there is cake, cake and more cake! 

Fyne and Crafty Folks!!

Well, having posted this blog before and then having it 'lost' by Blogger (thanks for that, Blogger!!), I decided to re-post most of the content as the original blog was rather fine and dandy and although the event it was publicising is now long gone I really wanted you all to see some of the fine array of craft-y stuff going on in Argyll - so here goes:


Recently showing in the craft tent at the Loch Fyne Food Fair, the following talented folks from around the region:

Tom Butcher - contemporary, unique and beautiful ceramics 

Tom Butcher designs and hand-crafts both sculptural pieces and functional tableware from his studio on the shores of Loch Long, Scotland.

A Touch of Glass - Hand Crafted Luxurious Glass Jewellery and Glass Art Works

Kirsty Brady is an Argyll based glass artist working form her studio at home, since training in Glasgow in 2002. She works using mainly kiln worked glass art, using traditional techniques to produce a wide range of items. From small pieces of jewellery to large architectural installations.

Highland Bling - Unique and Individually crafted items of ‘everyday wearable’ jewellery 

Made right here in the Scottish Highlands by Samantha Macphee. In addition to Sams' unique and colourful bespoke designs, you can recycle and incorporate your unused or sentimental items of jewellery for a piece of "Highland Bling" with that personal touch!

Lomond Soap - Palm oil free soap, handmade in Scotland 

Lomond Soap is a small soap company based in Argyll, just a stones throw from Loch Lomond. Their soaps entirely handmade, cut and packaged by them. Using Shea Butter, Olive, Coconut & Castor oils along with essential oils, fragrance, herbs, flowers & natural clays, Lomond Soaps have a rich, creamy & luxurious lather that is suitable for even sensitive skin. Free from palm oil, they help to preserve the rainforests of Malaysia & it's inhabitants, particularly the Orangutan. Owner, Corrie Smith, also produces a range of hand creams, lotions & liquid soap.


We are really lucky that in this area we have a wealth of talented Artists, Crafters and Makers - look out for more Craft-y events coming your way soon at the Tree Shop! Plants, trees and a whole lot more!!

A Fyne Food Fair!

The countdown to the weekend has begun and we're very excited. Yes, it's only Tuesday but this weekend not only is the annual Loch Fyne Food Fair taking place in the field next door (see below) it's the 21st Birthday year of the fair!!

All quiet now - wait until the weekend, it'll be heaving!!

This veritable feast for the eyes, the mouth and the ears encompasses all that is great about this beautiful corner of Argyll - amazing food from all over the region featuring the Food From Argyll producers (as seen at all the best festivals, dontcha know!), contemporary and traditional crafts (this year hosted by in the Craft Tent by ArtMap Argyll and Cowal Open Studios, a Fyne Ales bar to wet your whistle at, live music on both days, childrens activities and a Ceilidh/Concert with Rusty Nail on Saturday night! And all within easy reach of Glasgow and Oban, with stunning views and right on our doorstep - lucky old us!!


Watch out for our blog later this week about some of the crafty folk that will be attending! Oh and if you fancy dropping by why not pop in and pay us a visit - we'd love to see you!

Loch Fyne Food Fair 14 & 15 May 2011 - 11am to 6pm.  Next to the Tree Shop, Cairndow, on the A83 (sat nav PA26 8BL)

Green!

Living and working in such a beautiful place makes us think about how we can treat our environment better and strive to be more careful with our wee spot on the planet.

Beautiful Glen Fyne

So, we buy as much of our stock from local nurseries such as the Ardkinglas Estate Nurseries. We 'shop local' for our cafe food - our famous Venison burgers come from Winston Churchill Venison (yes, seriously) at the Balagowan Deer Larder, our cakes, soups, quiches, sandwiches are all made in-house from local ingredients and by our wonderful cafe staff and other local cooks and bakers. This also gives us the opportunity to try out inspiring ideas on each other - usually a good thing!

Mmmm - gluten free Honey, Fruit & Nut slices

Even our plates, cutlery, napkins and cups are 'green' - they make look like ordinary disposable items to you, but these bad boys (see below) are 100% compostable! 

As green as it gets! Vegware plates & napkins

They come from a fantastic firm called Vegware and we were delighted to hear that they were named Best New Product in the Climate Week Awards - Vegware’s completely compostable packaging was the 'most inspiring and innovative entry with the greatest impact when it comes to tackling climate change'. In 2010 they helped their clients save over 110 tonnes of carbon, and are aiming to help save over 250 tonnes in 2011. Not bad, eh! And we are very proud to use them and do our bit at reducing our carbon footprint.

100% Compostable - Genius!!

Ace Acers!

Possibly one of the most beautiful of trees, this delicious deciduous comes in all shapes and sizes and they just gets more and more stunning the bigger they gets. Check out some of our new stock below:

Stunning colours

Green!

Beautiful shades

And wait until you see them in their startling and stunning autumn colours - truly sensational!

Easter Feaster!

The weather is blissful, the shop hums with activity and the area heaves with visitors - the Easter weekend is here!! In honour of this we have gone Cake Mad!!

Divine Cupcakes

Decorated Shortbread

The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake

Little Nests!

Could this simply a case of having ones cake and eating it, literally!! Drop in if your driving past and save us from all this temptation - please!!!!

Yo Mama!!

With Mother's Day fast approaching, boy, have we got some lovely gift ideas for you! Our speciality Camellias, Rhododendrons and Azaleas are looking fabulous and make a colourful gift for any gardening Mum.

Or how about a customised planted arrangement - you pick what you'd like us to plant and we will pot it up for you at no extra cost. A lovely idea if your Mum has a favourite plant or two. If you're not sure about plants then we have some cool miscellany of gardening goodies from Apples to Pears: 

and we love their bird scarers - they'd look very pretty in any garden:

If gardening is not her thing, the shop is bursting with colourful and lovely gifts -

Pretty embroidered purses from Ness.....

.....or a beautiful brooch 

Jewellery from Smashing Glass of Gigha is one of our favourites - beach glass and pottery shard jewellery from the beautiful isle of Gigha, each piece unique, washed up on a beach and made into something to treasure.

Or the very different, colourful beads and baubles of Highland Bling - unique and individually crafted jewellery made right here in beautiful Argyll by the very talented Samantha MacPhee!

All this plus special foodie treats in the cafe over the weekend - so, how about a stroll round the stunning Ardkinglas Woodland Garden then pop across the loch for a sumptious tea at the Tree Shop - meringue nests with fresh strawberries and cream, special cup cakes, savoury prawn, chicken or ham wraps, delicious salads and soups. 

Go on, spoil your Mum - you know she deserves it!

Spring Fare!

We love our food at the Tree Shop, we love cooking, we love experimenting and we love it when a good plan comes together. So very excited to unveil our new veggie pasties -

Going, going....

Homemade shortcrust pastry filled with sweet potato, kidney beans, peppers, courgette, red onion, carrot and celery! Delicious!!

Gone!!!

It went down an absolute treat with our tasters as you can see! Just a few crumbs left and some very satisfied grins!






And as we head into spring we continue to expand our range of vegetarian alternatives and offering healthy options. We already offer a mouthwatering array of soups and will be offering stuffed peppers, veggie spicy bean burgers, salad pots, vegetarian flans and bakes - we even do a gluten free toastie! Plus, we have lots more ideas we're bursting to share with you and wait to you see our cakes!!