Northern Algae Ltd

12/06/2026

The rains stopped and the sun's out again. These busy bees are loving the lavender on the allotment, despite the gusty wind. Filmed them this morning whilst collecting some display plants for the Ushaw Specialist Plant and Garden Fair, County Durham tomorrow, Saturday 13th June 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bees wont be there but we will be busy!!🐝🐝

10/06/2026

We are so excited to have our Trade Stand at Ushaw Specialist Plant and Garden Fair this Saturday 13th June. Looking forward to talking all things plants with national specialists and garden enthusiasts alike. 🌿
Find our stand at Library Court
📍Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens, Saturday 13th June 10am-3pm

10/06/2026

🔥 Nature's traffic cones — and we are HERE for it! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Still soaking up the incredible gardens of Scotland, and these Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia) absolutely demanded to be photographed. That fiery gradient from deep coral to bright yellow is just chef's kiss 🧡💛
🐦 Wildlife fact: Red Hot Pokers are a magnet for long-billed birds like hummingbirds in their native South Africa — but here in the UK, bumblebees and butterflies go absolutely wild for them. Plant a few and watch your garden buzz with life all summer long.
🌿 Gardener's tip: These beauties are tougher than they look. They're drought-tolerant once established, love a sunny spot, and come back bigger and better every year. Perfect for allotment borders or as a bold statement plant in any garden. The secret? Don't cut the leaves back in autumn — they protect the crown through winter.
And look at that pairing with the deep burgundy smoke bush behind them 😍 Nature is the best garden designer there is.
What's the boldest plant in YOUR garden right now? Tell us below! 👇

10/06/2026

Pride of Madeira
💙 Meet the plant that's causing quite a buzz at Brodick Castle, Isle of Arran 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Say hello to Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) — and yes, it's every bit as dramatic as it sounds. Originally from the Island of Madeira, this extraordinary plant has found a very happy home in the walled garden here, and honestly? We can see why.
Those towering spires of electric blue are jaw-dropping on their own — but get close enough and you'll find they're absolutely alive with bees. We watched these two bees work their way methodically up the flower spike, barely pausing between blooms. This plant isn't just beautiful — it's a five-star restaurant for pollinators 🐝🐝
🌿 Did you know?
Unlike its big cousin Echium pininana (which flowers once then dies), the Pride of Madeira comes back year after year — making it an absolute gem if you can give it the right spot. It loves a sheltered, sunny position and isn't fully winter hardy in most parts of the UK, but in milder coastal spots or with a little protection, it absolutely thrives.
🏰 We spotted this one in the Top Border of the Walled Garden at Brodick Castle — if you're ever visiting Arran, put it on your list. The garden is something really special.
Sometimes the best gardening inspiration comes from getting out and exploring. Scotland, you've absolutely outdone yourself this week 💙
Have you ever grown Echium? We'd love to know how you got on — drop a comment below! 👇

10/06/2026

🌟 The plant that looks like it came from another galaxy — and what to do with it right now 🪐
Have you spotted these extraordinary globes popping up in gardens lately? This stunning sphere of star-shaped florets is an Allium — and if you don't already grow them, let us change your mind today 💜
This beauty is most likely Allium christophii (Star of Persia) — one of the most dramatic and architectural plants you can put in a garden or allotment border. And the best bit? It's a member of the onion family. Yes, really. That globe of purple stars is essentially a very glamorous relative of what's sitting in your kitchen 🧅✨

🌿 RIGHT NOW — here's what to do if yours looks like this:
This bloom is at the seed head stage — the flowers have finished and the globe is drying out into something equally beautiful. Don't be tempted to cut it down yet! Here's your grooming guide:
✂️ Option 1 — Keep it for structure
Leave the dried seed head on the plant. It turns a stunning papery silver-brown and looks incredible through summer and into autumn, especially with grasses around it. Bees and birds love the seeds too 🐝
✂️ Option 2 — Cut and dry it
Snip the stem long and hang upside down in a warm dry place for 2-3 weeks. You'll have a show-stopping dried flower that lasts for years in a vase. Totally free. Totally beautiful.
✂️ Option 3 — Collect the seeds
Let the head dry fully on the plant, then carefully collect the seeds and sow them in autumn for new plants. Free alliums for life! 🙌

🧅 Growing tips for next year:
Plant allium bulbs in October-November, pointy end up, about 3x the depth of the bulb. They love a sunny spot with well-drained soil — perfect for raised allotment beds. They're virtually pest and disease free, come back every year, and get better with age. Oh, and slugs hate them. Win. Win. Win.
Don't worry when the leaves start to yellow and flop — that's completely normal. Hide them behind lower-growing perennials and let the dramatic flower stem do all the talking 💜
Nature's own firework display — and it goes off every single June 🎆
Are you growing alliums this year? Show us your photos in the comments! 👇

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

💜 Is there anything more joyful than a border full of Lupins? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
One of our Directors spotted these absolute beauties on his Scottish travels and genuinely had to stop the car. Those towering spires of deep purple alongside the blue irises — it's a colour combination that just works every single time.
🐝 Wildlife fact: Lupins are a bee favourite — particularly carder bees and buff-tailed bumblebees, who love to work their way methodically up each flower spike. They're also a brilliant nitrogen-fixer, meaning they actually improve your soil while looking stunning. Working hard AND looking good? Respect. 🙌
🌿 Gardener's tip: Lupins are wonderfully easy to grow from seed and come in almost every colour imaginable. Sow now for next year's display, or grab plug plants in spring. Deadhead spent spikes promptly and you'll often get a gorgeous second flush later in the season. Allotment holders — pop some in your borders and let the bees do their thing!
Scotland really is showing off right now 😍
Drop a 💜 if Lupins are one of your favourites!

09/06/2026

🌳 We found trees that exist nowhere else on the planet. No, really. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁥󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
We were only 10 minutes into our hike up the beautiful Glen Catacol on the Isle of Arran when we stumbled across something that genuinely stopped us in our tracks.
Meet the Arran Whitebeams — three tree species found absolutely nowhere else in the world. They evolved right here on this island through natural hybridisation between rowan and rock whitebeam, shaped by this very landscape over the last 12,500 years since the last glaciation. That's not just a tree. That's living history.
🚨 Here's the heartbreaking part — the Catacol Whitebeam (Sorbus pseudomeinichii) is now down to a single individual tree in the wild. One tree. On the planet.
The good news? The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Dougarie Estate are working together to propagate and protect these incredible species — and we got to see them with our own eyes today 🙏
🗺️ If you ever find yourself on Arran and want to see them for yourself, find them at ///shirtless.yell.tulip on What3Words.
Nature is fragile. Nature is extraordinary. And sometimes, it's hiding in plain sight on a riverbank in Scotland 💚
Have you ever come across something unexpected in nature that completely floored you? Tell us in the comments 👇

09/06/2026

Did you spot the bee?🐝 Not on Arran but one of many Foxgloves growing arround our local allotments. Managed to quickly film it, even on a windy day. Our allotment garden has wild flower beds for the pollinators, attracting many insects and birds. Watered occasionally with Plant Booster, it's great to see flourishing wild flowers throughout the season to give bees the best chance. 🌼

09/06/2026

🌸 Spotted in the wild — can you guess where?

We’re currently in Scotland, and the countryside is absolutely putting on a show right now! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴☀️

This stunning Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) was growing wild in a meadow — and it stopped us dead in our tracks. Those tall, dramatic spires of purple-pink bells are one of nature’s most jaw-dropping sights.

🐝 Did you know? Foxgloves are one of the most important plants for bumblebees — the tubular flowers are perfectly shaped for them to crawl inside and collect pollen. If you spot one in the wild, watch it for just a minute and you’ll almost certainly see a bee disappear inside!

🌿 For gardeners & allotment holders — Foxgloves are a brilliant addition to any plot. They’re biennial, easy to grow from seed, thrive in partial shade, and self-seed freely once established. Basically free plants for life! Just remember — every part of the plant is toxic, so keep that in mind around children and pets.

Nature doesn’t need a garden designer. Sometimes it just needs a bit of space 💜

Where have you spotted wildlife in your garden or allotment lately? Drop it in the comments 👇