Morning all,


Luckily we had a slight lull in sales this week after a rather damp blustery weekend. We had our big van off the road getting ready for its MOT and of course when you are down to one van plus the emergency farm van as back up everything always goes smoothly. Had to get two new tyres on our little comedy van which held up the start of the week a bit, then within an hour of getting back on the road the windscreen got hit by a stone and developed a crack. We then discovered that we were losing access to the farm van on Thursday as its MOT was due. Fun-juggling all the way. Anyway we managed to get it all sorted out in the end so no worries.

I made use of the quieter week by visiting the National Plant Show at Stoneleigh on Wednesday for the first time. We used to show at Woking and GAN but since they both stopped we have hidden ourselves away and not shouted much about what we are up to. Apparently one is supposed to try harder than this to promote your products but I wouldn’t want to appear rude by imposing myself on anyone! Anyway I had a great day out. It was quite quiet with a fairly thin crowd of visitors, apparently Tuesday was much busier, but it did allow time to have a chat with lots of people I knew and I managed to drum up a few more micro-prop sales, as well as getting some very positive input on the value of the show. We stirred up a few old memories after a couple of encounters with old college counterparts despite one of them not recognising me. The penny dropped when I reminded him that I had peroxide hair at the time rather than the wrinkly silver fox look of present. It always surprises me how badly some places can make a cup of tea, a simple pleasure easily fulfilled unless you are at a big show venue apparently. On taking
advice, the onsite farm shop did a good sandwich so I didn’t miss out too much. The mood was generally good although all the growers I spoke to were dreading looking closely at the overall figures for the season despite the revival of the last few weeks. I dropped in to a friend’s nursery on the way home to find plans of severe downsizing and redundancy meetings already underway, a scenario that I suspect will be repeated in many nurseries over the next few months. Downsizing isn’t the end of the world though, a tightly run less speculative business can do really well, keeping wastage low and costs down and reducing risks and stress levels. Sounds quite attractive really.

To top off a great day I got to listen and sing along to Marcus Bonfanti’s new cd ‘Shake The Walls’ for 4 hours at full volume.

Saw him on Monday night, brilliant stuff in a tiny venue. Bit deaf on Tuesday and a sore throat on Thursday. He was so good we are thinking of driving to Bristol to see him again next week. Caroline very smitten, got just about everything signed including a second copy of the cd (this apparently makes the cd twice as good).

Availability

Exotic Oxalis is up and in bud. Purple foliage and pale pink flowers of O. triangularis are stunning.

Another dark leafed vision is Geranium Black Beauty with bud and blue flowers showing.

Campanula carpatica short and chunky with masses of buds coming. Available in blue or white.

Platycodon varieties are just showing their first buds. Those balloon flowers are just awesome.

Just a few of our fantastic Salvia’s left, all very well budded and showing great colour.

Echinacea has sold really strongly this year. We still have a few left and they are now producing buds on strong stems. Both the White Swan and Magus (magenta/purple) are looking good but the stock won’t be here for long.

Summer must be here as most of the Hemerocallis are showing bud with some colour on the ever-flowering Stella de Oro.

Just a few left of the dark flowering Verbascum Cherry Helen and the Pink Petticoats.

Plenty of bud showing on the deliciously scented Garden Pinks Dianthus.

The bright tiny scrambling flowers of Dianthus Brilliancy and Flashing Light are now shouting.

Very strong Tradescantia plants in many colours with bud and flower colour in abundance.

The ever popular Geums have plenty of bud and colour coming now.

We have our best Japanese Anemones ever at the moment, stonkingly bushy plants. Hadspen Abundance are showing signs of flowering already and looking great.

The Hostas are very chunky and yummy this year too, get them before the slugs do!

Carex Evergold and Ice Dance both look fantastic.

Nature notes

Still have the turtle doves here although the competition with the pigeons and collared doves must be stiff.

14 occupied house martin nests with a couple spare empty one too.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries