One of the first things we planted when we started our garden here in Sutton Forest was a little walk of silver birches, in those days to screen off an unsightly area of rain water tanks and to soften the house as you approached down the driveway. This idea kind of grew and now we seem to have lots and lots of silver birch walks!  One behind the citrus  garden,  which shades a pathway leading to the orchard.  Another one leads through the perennial garden to the north of the house and most recently, in a spontaneous moment of madness, I bought 300 (or was it 500?) to line the driveway last winter and create some light and shade effects  and lead your eye to the house.  They grow incredibly fast here in the Highlands and it seems the ones on the driveway love the acid from the pine needles that fall from a stand of pines nearby. Or perhaps it is the 4 inch layer of mulch that gives them a boost.  Either way the effect has been almost instant and the little  saplings are now already high enough to walk under and will by next summer form a pretty canopy to drive under.  For some reason some people don’t like them … I do.  I love them planted really close as they would be in natural woodland, and if I wasn’t responding to pressure to keep them spaced, I would plant them even closer.  That way the trunks stay slender and look amazing if pleached up really high leaving you with an ‘installation’ of silvery trunks.  What’s not to love about them, I say. And so, I will definitely be getting some in stock for you to enjoy at The Potting Shed.  Above:  Jack, Harry and Bella lamb chilling in the garden in SpringAbove a view of a lovely silver birch lined path at The Burrows in Canyonleigh. Bluebells under birch at Whitley. Hellebores and forget me nots in one of our birch stands.