Morning all

Phew, keep up the fluids and remember some of us aren’t sleeping to well so might be bit touchy and even slower off the mark than usual!

Thought about buying a new BBQ as ours rusted through years ago but decided to save the pennies and visit everyone else’s instead. We’ll return the favour with dinner when the weather turns back to normal and we can turn the cooker and boiler back on. House has just about been cool enough for some sleeping which is a relief. The turbines have kicked back into action and aren’t far short of estimate for this month which is a silver lining. Naturally on Friday at the peak of the heat and breeze the irrigation pump tripped out, but the electricians came and changed some settings on the new pump unit installed a couple of weeks ago and all seems fine again. Hurrah, but still a stressful few hours as the hot weekend approached.

Ran out of lightweight shirts this week, the summers have been so short over the last few years I haven’t bought any and now the laundry rota has had to be shortened. Tried a bit of shopping but ended up with pizza instead.

The micro-prop laboratory has been suffering too. One of the air source heat pumps in the work room died several months ago and we had hoped to muddle through but this weather has found us out and we have had to replace it together with its twin unit in the same room. Although a bit costly it will be a great improvement as the new inverter driven units are much more subtle with their temperature changes which makes them easier to work with as well as much cheaper to run. One unit is fitted and running and the second nearly there so work rates are sure to improve in the next few days in the extra comfy working environment.

No such luxury on the nursery and everyone has put in a sterling performance to keep going and not lose too much time or work rate although the day is so much harder to get through. Hopefully you are all managing ok out there, please do be careful and keep an eye out for each other.

Several little nursery projects coming along nicely. Our little trailers which transport our CC trolleys on that we tow behind the electric golf carts are getting a bit old and ropey are in need of a bit of extra TLC so we are sending them off in rotation to a chap down the road for an overhaul. We’ll get a great set of repairs from our local welder that will extend their life by a few more years and make their use a bit easier. We are also awaiting the arrival of a new potting machine drill and plate to match our main jumbo modules a bit more closely which will make life a bit simpler and neater. The use of a bigger propagation plug over the last couple of seasons has helped enormously reducing losses after potting and improving evenness of growth which would have been really useful if we had managed to get some decent weather and sold what we produced. Still, such is life as a grower in the UK. Must go and sit in the dark for a bit.

Availability

Stunning Hemerocallis are showing plenty of bud with colour. The dark flowered varieties Crimson Pirate and Pardon Me looking great, and the two-tone blooms of Frans Hals and Pandora’s Box are open. The scented delicate pale yellow of Citrina contrast beautifully with the deep gold of Aten. Don’t forget the large flowered Catherine Woodbury with her big pink blousy heads and of course the ever flowering Stella de Oro.

Exotic Oxalis Iron Cross is up and in flower. Black and green leaves contrast nicely with the red/pink flowers.

Platycodon varieties are showing their first buds and odd open flower. Those balloon flowers are just awesome.

Stunning foliage colours of Heuchera Melting Fire, Marvellous Marble and Palace Purple alongside the fresh strong green of Malachite, all great additions to any garden.

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

Very strong Tradescantia in many colours with bud and flower colour in abundance. The dwarf and chunky Satin Doll are just starting opening now.

We have our best Japanese Anemones ever at the moment, stonkingly bushy plants. Most are throwing up their first flower stems with Serenade looking very strong and the short white of Andrea Atkinson just getting going.

The grasses are coming into their own at the moment. Carex Evergold and Ice Dance both look fantastic and the silver variegated Miscanthus Morning Light is very strong this year with the first delicate flower heads just appearing. Panicum Prairie Fire looks great too with its upright blue/grey foliage.

Nature notes

House Martins really stuck in to feeding their first hatch of youngsters. If all 14 nests go well we will end up with a riot of activity by the end of the summer. Can’t wait.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries