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Glasgow’s layout is hard to read at a single glance. The River Clyde, around which Glasgow grew into a trading city, runs through the center of the city, literally cutting it into two parts.
The north of Glasgow became the focus of Scotland’s first tourist industry in early Victorian times. With Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park as its splendid center, that allure remains as strong today. In the west are the rocky peaks of the Isle of Arran and a seaboard of fjord-like lochs, where a mild climate supports some beautiful gardens.
Glasgow was founded approximately 1,500 years ago. The residents of Glasgow affectionately call their city “the Dear Green Place.” When the sun shines, the Botanic Gardens quickly fill up with visitors enjoying the extensive lawns, colorful flowers, and green leafy trees.
Scotland’s gardening festivals are always popular with the residents and visitors. When I attended one of these gardening festivals, the experts shared some top tips to ensure my own garden is full of bountiful blooms in months to come.
An affable Scottish lady I met in Glasgow told me, “The sunny weather brings colorful flowers but also encourages weeds. Put time aside each week to hoe them off. Include your spring cleaning by removing weeds from paths and driveways, and keep an eye out for pests around the garden. Pick off snails if you see them making a move towards your tender plants.”
She said, “We are so lucky to have flowers, even the wild flowers bring me joy!” I try to think of life in those terms, too. Some days I can and some days I can’t. But I was glad to have met her at such a serendipitous point.
Consecrated in 1136 and completed about 300 years later, the Glasgow Cathedral was spared the ravages of the Reformation, which destroyed many of Scotland’s medieval churches. Later some notable modern features were added.
The oldest house, Provand’s Lordship, was originally the home of a bishop. As the city expanded along with the growing trade, wealthy cotton and tobacco traders built their palatial houses here. Today the area is busy with restaurants, clubs, and shops. When I was dining at a restaurant, the owner told me, “The reason for our fresh and flavorful cuisine is that our kitchen uses only seasonal local ingredients.”
The decline of shipbuilding and the closure of the factories in the later part of the 20th century led to the city’s new lease on life. It was as if people looked at their city and saw Glasgow’s beauty for the first time. They were proud of its extraordinarily rich architectural heritage, its leafy parks, its artistic heritage, and its complex social history.
As I was enjoying Scotland’s Glasgow in full bloom, I realized that one happy moment of walking in a park and smelling the flowers is worth all the suffering and efforts which life implies.
admiring beautiful statues in a huge Glasgow park in Scotland
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