Emma Cameron's Blog

by Emma Cameron (published in Scotland on Sunday 09/08/09)

Peter Wright's hungry caterpillar in Edinburgh's Grange

It is a horticultural art form that has graced the gardens of stately homes for centuries. Now topiary – the art of clipping trees and shrubs into ornamental sculptures- is spreading from the great houses of the nation into the urban streets of Scotland.

Caterpillars, bears, dogs, handbags and trains have all been spotted taking shape outside the nation’s homes as gardeners take up the challenge.

Sales of traditional topiary shrubs are also soaring, according to garden centres as are purchases of special topiary shears used to fashion the eye-catching shrubbery.

Gardening experts said the rise in popularity was due to more people spending longer periods at home because of the credit crunch and a change in garden fashion.

Jim McColl, star of the BBC’s ‘Beechgrove Garden’ said: “Topiary is certainly becoming more fashionable and popular. The beauty is you don’t need a private gardener or a huge landscape to enjoy topiary and it’s a lot easier than people would think.”

Wire frames are now available to allow first-time topiarists to follow simple designs, McColl said. “The wire nets are available from garden centres for people to give it a try- whether it be a rabbit or a swan. It’s all rather amusing and a lot of it is tongue-in-cheek.”

Neil Fishlock, head of horticulture at Dobbies Garden Centres, said ornamental topiary shrubs were now a big seller. “We have had a sales increase of 129 percent on topiary balls and pyramids this year. Sales of topiary shears have also risen by 14 percent, compared with a year ago.”

One gardener at the forefront of the topiary craze is Leonora Williamson, who has a bear, dog, pig and a small car decorating her front garden in Inveresk, East Lothian. She saw a picture of a topiary horse and jockey in a magazine and decided to experiment herself. “I was cutting the hedge and just left some lumps which eventually started to take shape,” she said. “The bear was intended to be a Buddha but I found it impossible to get the shape right.”

Peter Wright, who lives in Edinburgh’s Grange district, is also a keen topiarist and has carved a caterpillar in his front garden.

“Boring hedges are for boring people,” he said. “My caterpillar really brings a smile to people’s faces and the kids, especially, love it.”

Most clipped structures are made from common box, although other suitable species include holly, bay laurel, myrtle, privet and yew. Major garden shows, such as Chelsea Flower Show, have highlighted the growth of topiary over the last two years as gardeners reject the “wild” look in favour of more formal arrangements. Last year, leading garden designer Diarmuid Gavin’s garden at Chelsea was dominated by vast balls of box hedge.

McColl’s fellow ‘Beechgrove’ presenter Lesley Watson, who works at Dougal Phillip’s New Hopetoun Gardens in West Lothian, believes topiary appeals to those who want to create a shape out of a living structure.

She said: “I’m not surprised it’s on the increase. I think it’s a really easy thing to do. People are worried about pruning something, but you’re only keeping it to a ball or pyramid.”

Hens and rabbits are proving very popular, Watson added. “It’s great fun and the more experienced gardener can handle a bicycle or a peacock.

“I was at Tatton Park in Cheshire where they had a footballer kicking his ball in topiary, so the humour and the fun side of it are definitely there for all to see. It gives admirers something to look at all year round.”

Not just a pretty space

The ancient art of topiary, which means “ornamental gardening” in Latin, is recognised as first becoming popular in Roman gardens.

But it may date back to the time of the ancient Egyptians and the Persians. In both cultures an appreciation of form and function gave rise to a desire to see that widely represented within architecture. From this developed the formalised garden.

Further east from the valleys of the Nile, the creation of formal gardens reached magnificent proportions, and no greater than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

With the decline and fall of the Roman Empire the art did not die out completely, but for almost a thousand years, the art of topiary remained hidden behind the monastery wall. It wasn’t until the coming of the Renaissance and the flowering of all forms of art that it spread again to the gardens of the wealthy.

The fashion revived again in the 19^th century and the Victorian’s ingenuity for gadgets and tools made it widely accessible.

by Emma Cameron

As the firework season gets underway and the showery weather continues across the country, the Scottish SPCA is urging worried pet owners to contact their local MSP and back the Society’s proposals for a change to the laws on the sale of fireworks and their unlicensed use in public.

At present, fireworks can be used in public on any day of the year between the hours of 07.00 and 23.00 GMT, with the laws further relaxed around major occasions such as 5 November and New Year’s Eve.

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn explained that it’s not a total ban on fireworks that the charity wants to see, but a restriction on the days it’s legal to use fireworks and they are calling out for tighter laws on the sale of rockets and catherine wheels.

He said to Edinburgh Napier that: “Because the current legislation is so relaxed, fireworks can and are being set off on any given day and for weeks and months on end rather than being limited to the major festival periods. This leaves pet owners unable to make adequate safety provisions for their animals.”

Scotland’s animal welfare charity is being inundated with reports of animals being seriously injured as a result of the terrifying sounds of fireworks. This week, a cat in Ayrshire had to be put down after a group of youths strapped a firework to its back and set it alight.

In addition to changing the law on when fireworks can be used, which is devolved to the Scottish Government, the SSPCA is pushing for changes on when they can be sold, legislation which is reserved to Westminster. At present, fireworks can be sold from 15 October to 10 November, from 26 to 31 December and on the days of Chinese New Year and Diwali and the three preceding days.

Chief Superintendant Flynn added: “Clearly our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of domestic and wild animals, but we believe these proposals, if successful, would also have a real human benefit and assist the emergency services, particularly around the ever challenging month of November.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is also reminding people to take care with bonfires and fireworks. Nicola Butters, RoSPA’s home safety development officer in Scotland, said: “Whether you’ll be setting off fireworks in the run up to November 5, on Thursday itself or at the weekend, it’s important that you think in advance about how you’re going to keep everyone safe.”

The SSPCA is encouraging MSPs to take action on the responsibility of the use of fireworks, to safeguard both animals and people. An SNP spokesperson said to Edinburgh Napier News that: “We will continue to act on irresponsible use of fireworks, which is a misery and a blight on the lives of the vast majority of the population and also of course particularly affects pet owners. It is simply Anti-Social behaviour and although I think the situation has improved we must be vigilant on this issue.”

The SSPCA recommends that during the firework season:

• All pets should be kept indoors after dark, including animals in outdoor hutches.
• Curtains should be closed and televisions and radios left on to mask the sounds of fireworks.
• Anyone planning a display, particularly in rural areas, should warn their neighbours in advance.
• Bonfires should be checked for signs of hibernating hedgehogs.
• Telephone our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 if you know of animals suffering due to fireworks.

And for humans, remember to:

• Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable
• Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
• Never return to a firework once it has been lit
• Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
• Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire
• Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.

See www.saferfireworks.com for more tips on planning a safe party.

by Emma Cameron

Fourteen-year-old campaigner Ryan McLaughlin was back in theScottish Parliament on Tuesday 3 November to get an update on his petition, which seeks to raise public awareness about the benefits of vitamin D in relation to multiple sclerosis (MS). He was joined at parliament by  his family, supporters from theMultiple Sclerosis Society Scotland and several MSPs

Ryan’s arduous Shine on Scotland campaign has attracted tremendous publicity since it was launched in June, when he led hundreds of school children marched along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to the Scottish Parliament to handover Ryan’s petition to MSPs. Ryan’s e-petition, which has been signed by thousands, called on the Scottish Government to run an awareness campaign to ensure that people living in Scotland know what level of vitamin D supplements they should be taking, and to produce new guidelines on supplementation for children and pregnant women.

Ryan is certainly aware of the effects of MS, as it impacts the lives of 10,500 people in Scotland and one of those affected is his Mum, Kirsten. His experience of MS encouraged him to find a way to help the thousands of people trying to fight this chronic disease and he aims to lessen the impact of MS on future generations. Scientists have found evidence that a direct interaction between vitamin D and a common genetic variant alters the risk of developing the condition. As people in Scotland are exposed to less sunshine, less vitamin D is produced and the risks of contracting this progressive disease are higher than in countries closer to the equator.

The Scottish Government have taken a keen interest in the movement  and in September, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon met with Shine on Scotland campaigners. She, alongside many other MSPs, assured Ryan and his team that they would be invited to play a key role in helping the Government draw up its own awareness campaign on the importance and benefits of vitamin D.

Bill Kidd, Glasgow MSP for the SNP fully commends Ryan and his fellow campaigners on their progress so far. He said to Edinburgh Napier News that: ‘I believe that what Ryan has done shows a great maturity of caring and a remarkable dedication from a young man who, coming from a close family in Glasgow, has decided that he wants to do his very best for his mother and others with MS by challenging the scourge of this disease which hits Scotland in particular so hard.’

He continues: ‘I fully support the campaign for Vitamin D supplements which would address the development of MS in pre-birth and in young children in particular, as has been achieved in Canada and those numerous other countries where it has been introduced.’

Although Ryan didn’t manage to get a referral to the health committee for further investigation, he is grateful for their work so far. He released a statement to Edinburgh Napier News stating that: “We did not think for a moment that we would get free vitamin D for everyone today, we were asking the Government to explore all the evidence first before reaching a decision. We’ll continue to work with the petitions committee and the Scottish Government for the prevention of MS and of course for a healthier Scotland.”

Shine on Scotland campaigners, MSPS and the MS Society Scotland will now begin the task of organising a summit to attract international experts on the subject to present the latest evidence and research.

by Emma Cameron

Kevin McGee, ex-husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, was found hanged at his Edinburgh flat on Monday after police broke into his home.

Television producer McGee, 32, had updated his facebook status to “Kevin McGee thinks death is better than life” just hours before his sudden death.

Funnyman Lucas has pulled out of his lead role in  West End play ‘Prick Up Your Ears’ to grieve for McGee. His part will now be played by understudy Michael Chadwick.  Producers of the play released a statement to the press stating that: “Our thoughts are with Matt whom we are in constant touch with.”

In a statement to ‘The Sun’, police said that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding McGee’s untimely death.

“We were called to an address in Bruntsfield Gardens, Edinburgh, at around 8am yesterday morning where a 32 year old man  was found dead.”

The former couple met before the major television success of the Little Britain series and wed in a lavish ceremony in December 2006. Lucas was granted a dissolution in October 2008 on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour, specifically his cocaine addiction, by his partner, becoming the first celebrity to divorce a gay partner since same-sex marriages became legal.

by Emma Cameron.

Scottish taxpayers are set to face an eightfold rise in the cost of removing stray dogs from the streets.

Scotland largest police force, Strathclyde, has stated that annual bills for supplying kennels to ownerless pets could soar from £50,000 to more than £400,000 by the beginning of 2010. Senior police officers have been forced to increase their spending after the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) raised their charges for the service.

To date, Strathclyde police and other forces have simply handed stray animals over to homes run by the SSPCA for a relatively modest fee. Officers say they ‘managed’ almost 1500 strays last year, incurring charges of £52,000.

The SSPCA has recently announced that, by the end of 2009,  it will charge a flat rate of £250 per animal. Police have said that, even if the number of strays stays put, this rate will push kennelling bills up to £415,000.

In Scotland, under the 1906 Dogs Act, taxpayers, through police and councils, will pick up the tab for stray dogs. Strathclyde Police has asked the Scottish Government to change the law but justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has no plans to do so.

The SSPCA has countered that as a charity who receive no government funding and  are solely reliant on donations, it should not be expected to subsidise police and councils.

A spokesman from Strathclyde Police said that: “This highlights an alarming increase in the costs involved in handling stray dogs and comes at a time when the police budget is facing unprecedented constraints.”

Earlier this week, Strathclyde has warned that it may be facing a financial black hole. As a result, it plans to make up some of this blow from kennelling by recouping costs, including the £250 fee, from any owners they are able to trace.

The SSPCA has financial worries of its own, mainly due to adverts being shown for their English counterpart, the RSPCA and therefore the SSPCA’s  funding being curbed.

Stuart Earley, Chief Executive of the SSPCA, stated that: “All local authorities and police forces in Scotland have a statutory responsibility for kennelling stray dogs for up to seven days and we currently have contracts to house stray dogs with nine local authorities, based in the west of Scotland.”

“However, we analysed the figures and discovered our charges represented less than 20 per cent of the costs we were incurring; in effect we were subsidising the local authorities.”

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