A stunning day in Perthshire today! Spring is on the way and the snowdrops are everywhere. Enjoy the Scottish Snow Drop Festival throughout February and March.

Check the best places to see them in Perthshire below. 

For more details click the link 

http://www.perthshire.co.uk/index.asp?lm=428

Perthshire gardens and woodlands with good snowdrops; 

Birks of Aberfeldy

Spectacular waterfalls in a dramatic wooded gorge made famous by national bard, Robert Burns. A narrow path follows a circular route. Spring flowers and woodland birds. Open daily dawn - dusk (free entry).

Black Spout Wood

Spring brings snowdrops and wood anemones to the oak woodland floor. Easy waymarked paths, tumbling burns and a mighty waterfall - The Black Spout! For more information visit the Pitlochry Information Centre. Open daily dawn - dusk (entry free).

Blair Castle Gardens

Enjoy the seasonal delight of snowdrops in bloom on a walk around the castle grounds. A gentle meandering route passes through the Hecules Garden and weaves along to St Brides Kirk. The walk also includes access to two new paths. Open daily 9:30am - 2:30pm (Prices vary, special rates available for groups of 12 or more people).

Cluny House Gardens

Experience this exceptional woodland garden with massive Wellingtonias, Red squirrels, snowdrops and snowflakes, erythronium, trillium and early primulas. Cluny is a treat not to be missed. Open February - March 10:00am - 4:00pm (Price to be confirmed).

Glendoick Gardens

Woodland gardens, banks of snowdrops, aconites and cyclamen, early rhododendrons, Daphne, Viburnum etc. Tickets purchased at Glendoick Garden Centre. Café and plant sales at garden centre; opening times and prices to be confirmed.

Innerpeffray Library and Chapel

A tranquil woodland garden with views over River Earn. Explore Chapel churchyard and browse in the 18 century library - special exhibition of gardening books. Opening times to be confirmed.

Kilbryde Castle

Drifts of snowdrops by the Ardoch burn and in woodlands. Steep paths. Opening times to be confirmed.

The Linns

Specialist collection of snowdrops. 3½ acres of woodland and herbaceous garden. Open by arrangement February - March (Price to be confirmed).

Find your inner artist this year with Carte Blanche.

Classes are filling up, so book soon!  Why not get a group together and make a short break of it? Book a comfortable Abade self catering cottage and enjoy a break away in the Perthshire countryside, whilst learning a new craft. Spaces still available Sat 9th March & Sat 20th April 2013.  

Carte Blanche offer workshop classes for both the professional painter and artist and the DIY and leisure painter.

The Carte Blanche workshop in Perth is usually busy with projects and this is where painters, artists and clients old and new can learn at first hand how to recreate some of the finishes currently supplied by the Carte Blanche team of professionals. At Carte Blanche you can purchase paints, tools and materials required to carry out the work.

Cait Whitson who teaches most of the classes has been involved in the decorative arts since 1985. She trained in London at Leonard Pardon’s School for Specialist Decoration and then latterly at the late Bill Holgate’s school. Cait has taught at art colleges, technical colleges and at private faux finishing schools both here and internationally.

Cait and Gibson are working professionals which means the teaching is practical, commercial and realistic. They teach small groups in a way that enables students to grow in their ability after they have left the class.

Furniture Painting with Annie Sloan Paint

In this class you will learn all the basics of hand painting furniture: tools, preparation, and how to get the best results from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. We also turn our hand to a number of paint finishes: pretty distressing and antiquing techniques, stencilling, gilding and decoupage. This class suits the beginner and those who have painted furniture but feel they could use some professional tips and techniques to save time and achieve great results simply. 

Cost - £105

Class cost will include a delicious deli-spread lunch.
Next classes: 

Saturday 12th January 2013 - FULL

Saturday 9th February 2013 - FULL

Saturday 16th February - FULL

Saturday 9th March 2013 - 5 places left

Saturday April 20th 2013 - 4 places left

Class times are 10am for coffee (sharp start time of 10.30) finish around 4.30pm

All details can be found at Carte Blanche website

Book your holiday home at www.abade.co.uk

Cheering on Scotland this afternoon as the Six Nations commence 
Kick off 4pm, Scotland v England

Book an Abade Holiday Cottage and catch the next games at Murrayfield; 
Sat 9th Feb - Scotland v Italy
Sat 24th Feb - Scotland v Wales 
book at 
www.abade.co.uk

win tickets at
http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/competition.php

http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/match-centre_fixtures-results.php

http://www.scottishrugby.org/

Celebrate World Wetlands Day with 

Scottish National Heritage

Walk for Wetlands
National Nature Reserve event

02-FEB-2013

Celebrate World Wetlands Day with SNH staff. Loch Leven is one of Britain's most important wetland sites in terms of wintering wildfowl and this is a great opportunity to learn why it is so important and to see the diversity of ducks, geese and swans that migrate here every winter. 

Booking essential. Suitable for all.

start date: 02-FEB-2013 time:10:00
end date: 02-FEB-2013 time:12:00

Venue information :

Loch Leven's Larder
KY13 9HD
Kinross Tel. 015892 841000
Grid Ref: NO160043
X: 316024 Y: 704304

Directions: Situated on the North side of Loch Leven, can be approached from the East on the A911 from Scotlandwell; from the West on the B911 from Milnathort or Kinross; and from the North on the B916 from the main St. Andrews to Stirling (A91) road.

Price: Free

Event Contact details: Tel. 01577 864439 or Craig.Nisbet@snh.gov.uk

Additional information:
Stout footwear, waterproofs and binoculars are recommended.

Click here for The Scottish National Heritage website

Date for your Wildlife Diary;

  Red Squirrels by 

  Sophie Eastwood

       Wednesday 6 February

        7 - 8.30pm

        Price: RSPB Members £3/Non members £4  Booking essential

Red squirrels are in decline in the UK. The majority of red squirrel populations have disappeared from England and Wales, with Scotland now hosting around 75% of the entire UK population. While changes in woodland management and predation have an impact on populations, the squirrelpox virus is the single biggest threat to our red squirrel... and it’s on its way. Come along to hear about the work done by two local groups, Perth and Kinross Squirrel Group and the Fife Red Squirrel Group, to conserve our local populations.

RSPB Loch Leven Centre Vane Farm Reserve, Kinross www.rspb.org.uk/lochleven