Welcome to Borders Organic Gardeners

Borders Organic Gardeners

We’re a group of enthusiastic friendly organic gardeners from The Scottish Borders and North Northumberland. We’re inevitably called BOG for short! We welcome all gardeners from beginners to experts.

We set out to share our knowledge about organic gardening principles. We tend to have strong views about the climate emergency, species extinction and sustainability in general.

We run an annual programme of workshops and visits. All our meetings, including business meetings, are social events open to all members.

We also run a number of major public events during the year including our famous Potato Day held every March. 2020 marked the 25th anniversary of this event.

Join us and, in addition to all that, you can get discounts on our annual seed order, enjoy the renowned BOG magazine three times a year as well as regular emailed newsletters throughout the year.

News

Apple Festival October 2024
Looking forward to Potato Day? Well, while you’re here, let’s get another date in your diary. The 2024 BOG Apple Festival will be on 5th and 6th October 2024.
READ MORE
Potato Day 2024 Green Fair stalls
We are delighted to announce that once again we have had a strong demand for stalls at BOG’s Potato Day Green Fair and with all the space taken, there will be the usual favourites and a few new faces. Here’s this years stallholders.
READ MORE
Tweed Meadows Project
Most of the UK’s upland hay meadows have disappeared since the late 1940’s. The Tweed Meadow Project, run by Merlindale Nature, seeks to reverse this loss.
READ MORE

Events

All BOG members are welcome to all our events. Please make sure you book your place on your chosen events – it really helps our event hosts prepare for their visitors.
You’ll find contact details with the details of each event.

Apr
1
Mon
Online event: A Gardeners’ Question Time
Apr 1 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
BOG members will form both panel and audience and we shall ask you to submit questions in advance, and we will ask you all for your contributions and ideas in responding to these questions. BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING NOW OPEN
Apr
14
Sun
Visit: BordersEcoFlowers @ Abbey St Bathans
Apr 14 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

An exposed garden developed over the last ten years, specifically to grow cut flowers in a sustainable manner.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 MARCH

 

May
4
Sat
Walk: Foraging walk near Traquair
May 4 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm

This will be a repeat of last year’s walk and an opportunity for BOG members who were unable to attend last time. After gathering in the garden, the walk will take place between 11:00 and 12:30 approximately, and we will return to the garden where we can have a shared lunch.

Numbers will be limited to 15.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 MARCH

May
12
Sun
BOG Business Meeting @ Thirlestane, near Yetholm
May 12 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

This is one of our regular meetings when we discuss BOG business. Papers, including notes from our last meeting, will be available nearer the time. All members are welcome to attend and the meeting will be followed by a shared lunch.

May
19
Sun
Visit: Whitmuir Organic Farm
May 19 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm

This will be a repeat of last year’s visit and an opportunity for BOG members who were unable to attend last time. Numbers will be limited to 15 to make it easier for our tour guide to speak to us as a group.

There will be a £10 charge on the day for refreshments provided by Whitmuir.  Allergies can be catered for if advised at the time of booking. Please note this is not a shared lunch event.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 APRIL

Jun
1
Sat
Garden visit: two gardens near Jedburgh
Jun 1 @ 10:00 am – 2:30 pm

We will visit two gardens near Jedburgh and also hold our annual plant swap.

The first garden is on an acre of land at the foot of an open moor, at 210 metres and exposed to a lot of weather, and is surprisingly rich in wildlife (curlew, lapwing, oystercatchers, frogs and toads, red squirrels, newts…). We have had to do quite a lot of work towards creating a more diverse, interesting, hospitable and productive space, and we still have a way to go! I would love advice on how to increase fertility and diversity, without making it more high maintenance. We have an enclosed no-dig vegetable garden in its 3rd year, a large productive polytunnel which also serves as a dining room, a young orchard, and a sometimes pond/bog garden.

The second garden is on about 7 acres of woodland and parkland. It is sheltered but holds the frost and loses the light fairly early of an evening. The veg garden was started in 2020, there is an infant orchard in the hen run and some young black currants coming away. There is also a large polytunnel. Looking for lots of advice about moving forward sustainably, planting for wildlife, leaving large areas fallow.

Bring food for a shared lunch.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 MAY

Jun
16
Sun
Garden visit: Fenham near Berwick-upon-Tweed
Jun 16 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

A half acre walled garden next to the sea. Started 35 years ago. Espalier fruit trees, apples, pears, plums and quinces. Formal layout. Raised vegetable beds and extensive decorative borders. Beyond the walled garden is a mature orchard. Please bring contributions for a shared tea.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 MAY

Jul
6
Sat
Garden visit: Kirkton, near Hawick
Jul 6 @ 11:00 am – 2:30 pm

The garden is about 0.9 of an acre. The ground is former riverbed and built-up ground with 40% stones, 60% clay. Soil ph is neutral to slightly alkaline. There are four major areas: back garden and entrance drive; house; front garden; and orchard. There’s a polytunnel in the back garden, and three big vegetable beds. Beds are mostly sunny, and the house sits in a hollow with trees to the east. There’s a bank to the west that gives shelter. The deck area and beds are sun-traps. Wind is light.

This visit will take a look at gardening approaches, techniques, and garden evolution. There are two main areas that are ‘evolutionary’ – the wildflower beds and the woodland. Any comments about those welcome. And we plan to re-develop the polytunnel in 2025 so are looking for ideas. Please bring contributions for a shared lunch.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL – BOOKING OPENS 01 MAY

Oct
5
Sat
Event: Apple Festival 2024 @ Woodside Plant Centre, near Ancrum
Oct 5 – Oct 6 all-day

Programme will be available nearer the time.

Organic Gardening

Just what is organic gardening? Quite simply, welcoming the natural world into your garden by

  • maintaining healthy soil
  • controlling pests and diseases without synthetic chemicals
  • making and using your own compost

Workshops

BOG’s workshops are mostly run by members who are glad to share their knowledge.
Recent workshops include:

  • Pruning workshops
  • Garden planning
  • Compost making and garden waste recycling
  • Propagation and grafting
  • Dead hedge creation and hedge laying

Get Involved

BOG is very much in favour of getting members to get involved in whatever is going on.

Whether it’s working in your own garden, arranging your own garden visit or hosting a workshop, you’ll find BOG will be with you all the way.

BOG doesn’t stand on ceremony and you’ll get loads of support from people who have already “done it”.

Climate Change

Borders Organic Gardeners aims to play a leadership role in discussions about Climate Change. We fight climate change and loss of species. We encourage the diversity of natural life in our gardens and communities.

Our long experience of working in a sustainable way upon the land provides useful insights into what individuals can achieve.