Seil hut plays major role in Peter's Garden new series
Having discovered his green fingers during lockdown former Oban man Peter MacQueen will return to our screens this month with the focus split between his urban garden in Glasgow and the family hut overlooking the north end of the Isle of Seil.
Now in its second series Gàrradh Phàdruig (Peter's Garden) follows the newbie gardener as he sets himself bigger challenges.
With a bit more knowledge under his belt, Peter is able to plant what works best and supply his kitchen with an abundance of fresh, homegrown produce.
Peter’s biggest project this year is at the family hut – a special hideaway nestled on the Argyll coast.
The hut was built by his dad, Graham, and serves as a peaceful getaway for the entire family.
Peter takes every opportunity he can to go out there and shake off the stresses of the city and connect with nature.
He plants a variety of things from fruit trees to borlotti beans, to make the experience at the hut as self-sufficient and eco-friendly as possible.
Hutting is a concept that isn’t new in Scotland but over the past few years has seen a resurgence. A 'hut' in this context is defined as a simple building used intermittently as recreational accommodation (i.e. not a principal residence); having an internal floor area of no more than 30m sq; constructed from low impact materials; and generally not connected to mains water, electricity or sewerage.
Peter is an advocate for hutting and this is a strong theme throughout the series. 'It really so amazing,' he said.
'It would be great if hutting became ‘normal’ again in Scotland - like cabins in North America, hytte in Scandinavia and dacha in Russia. All cultures across the world have their versions of this lifestyle.
'In our family, especially for my mum who has MS and spends long periods of time in a chair in the same room - it is lifechanging!'
Always keen to share advice, Peter meets up with a number of friends, family and neighbours to exchange gardening tips and lend a helping hand.
Dad Graham, mum Morven and uncle Stuart all make an appearance along with Peter's partner and main helper Coinneach MacLeod.
Known to many as the Hebridean Baker, Coinneach is a regular at the hut and loves using the freshly grown produce to make delicious baked goods. Peter’s faithful Westie Seòras also plays a starring role.
During his time in Argyll Peter pays a visit to Dunollie Museum Castle and Grounds where he gets inspiration for a gardening project.
He also stops by to pick up some willow at Barfad Willow (Ardfern) and meet owner Carol Graham to get some top tips on how he can create his own miniature willow dome.
Gàrradh Phàdruig (Peter's Garden) starts on BBC Alba on Thursday April 14 for six episodes.