Each week the Rampant Scotland Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather and the seasons, plus the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. This separate "colour supplement" displays some more pictures, in a larger format. Here is this week's crop of Scottish views!
Particularly at night, the Bank of Scotland head office looks as though it has been designed for Disney World. Situated on The Mound (the street constructed to connect Old Edinburgh with the New Town), Bank of Scotland has been at that location, with magnificent views over Princes Street and the gardens, since 1801.
Poinsettia is very much in evidence around Christmas time, though in Scotland it has to be grown indoors as a house plant. Poinsettia is one of the large family of Euphorbia called "Pulcherrima". The flowers are actually the small yellow petals in the centre, the blood red colour being provided by bracts that look like brightly coloured leaves. These appear when light levels fall to less than 12 hours a day.
The 19th century "Kibble Palace" in Kelvingrove Botanic Gardens has recently had a major facelift with its iron-work cleaned and repainted and the glass removed. It contains a fine collection of exotic tree ferns, which was started in 1881.
The latest shopping mall which will help to maintain Glasgow's position as the largest and best retail centre in the UK outside of London is this one at Silverburn, which opened earlier this month. Silverburn is a £350 million retail park of a million square feet, making it one of the largest retail centres in Scotland. City centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen have more retail space, but not all under one roof. It is located in the Pollok district of the city, a large local authority housing area. The developers claim it will provide "the very best of high street shopping but with the convenience of having it under one roof."
This variety of Viburnum starts to produce its delicate-looking flowers in the autumn and continues to bloom into the winter. Unlike the Poinsettia above, it grows outside, rather than under cover. It has a delicate perfume, too.If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page
