Morning all,
Not really what we wanted to see but it looks like another cold snap. After a great week when spring felt it was really upon us we are back to a biting easterly wind and the threat down here of some snow tomorrow. At least the wind is driving the turbines well this morning, they are very nearly at full output.

I have to keep this quick this week as I am supposed to be helping get Sunday lunch set up. Just the nine of us in a combined Mothering Sunday and birthday (mine) celebration. With 4 of the guests well past 3 score and ten it should be a riot! I’m not complaining really, I’m getting my favourite roast (pork with crispy crackling), home cooked with and all the trimmings and anyway after a couple of beers I’ll be asleep by 3.30 along with the other oldies. We know how to live it up. I got a great surprise present this year which I really wanted but didn’t realise, a metal detector. Just one step away from train spotting really, but with a big ploughed field behind us with lots of ancient activity in it and a friendly landowner, I can get lost for hours, which I suspect might have been the ultimate objective. I can set up a grid to record all the finds and see if we can get some more depth to the previous goings on in a busy bit of dirt. If I’m not careful I could get as obsessive about this as I do about nurseries, sustainability and lean management. It’s a shame I don’t get as keen on something that might look after us in our rapidly approaching dotage.

On the nursery this week we sent out a lot of stock, both potted stock and micropropagated modules so hopefully in a few weeks we will see the pressure easing on the overdraft which will be a relief after what seems like a long winter (18 months?). I logged on to our new CC trolley online account and checked out how easy it should be to swap our broken trolley parts . Then we spent an age sorting out all the broken bits into a countable and transportable state. However it is all done now and we just have to pinpoint the exchange day to get the job completed. CC have a really tricky job juggling trolley equipment hire and repair with an industry not exactly flush with cash where in some cases businesses are willing to freeload equipment use to the cost CC and those who participate and contribute to the system. Unfortunately over the past few years CC have tended to alienate their own customers with rather over aggressive solutions to problems they were facing with rising repair costs and I know I’m not the only one who dreaded the next communication from them. The red tag and scanner fiasco was an
expensive waste of resources for many, I can’t remember seeing a scanner in operation for ages. I try and scan the bases we are returning as a gesture towards doing it right but I can’t find our scanner, that £400+ and a lot of time wasted. Recent attempted clampdowns on the equipment specifications allowed for exchange simply meant that we haven’t sent in kit for repair because of uncertainty of what to send, how to pack it and what the implications were for non compliance. After a bit of a management reshuffle and some customer input, it does look like they might have come up with a more practical and sensible approach by simply restricting the actual volume you can get repaired in one year to keep their costs manageable. If they keep up this approach we will certainly participate in and appreciate their service rather than despise it. Another lesson in heavy handed bullying not paying off.

I see Tesco are saying how they are going to buy and support British food producers more (huge advert/statement in last weekend’s papers), paying a fair price for traceable quality stuff. Another set of bullies have learnt their lesson, mmm, we’ll see.

Availability

Polemonium Heaven Scent is a great spring performer. The strong chunky dark bronze-flushed early shoots are SO attractive in this early period and the first flower buds are already nestling among the leaves. STUNNING AT THE MOMENT.

Pulmonaria’s are in bud and showing colour already. Blue Ensign with its royal blue colouring are nearly all sold with just a few trays left and the dappled leaves of the other two are looking good. Opal’s pale blue flowers looking particularly pretty now. Erysimums are great, especially the Bowles Mauve which flowers endlessly and the strongly variegated Peach variety. Delphiniums are showing chunky fresh growth despite the cold.

The border bulbs are looking strong, with Camassia’s and Alliums the first up. Anemone blanda showing some flower.

Lovely bud and flowers on the Helleborus niger too.

Nature notes

Loads of frog spawn. This week’s warmth got them going. They seem to put up with frost and ice ok so hopefully we will get another big hatching this season to spread around the nursery.

If you need a fax list please let us know, pick it up from the website or alternately send an email address. Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries