Sunday 26 May 2013


Morning All

Where does all the time go? Only two days until Caroline’s birthday and I’m as well prepared as I was for the recent anniversary. Still the shops are open tomorrow so I will have to try hard to extricate myself from the nursery and get some retail therapy before I need physiotherapy.

Another little dose of very pleasant weekend weather bodes well for stretching out the gardening season another few weeks which would be very welcome. Still a bit nippy in the mornings I saw Exeter registered 0C last night and snow flurries still pester the more northerly areas, so not quite beach time just yet. Great TV coverage of Chelsea this week should inspire some extra gardening activity. Well done to all those exhibiting it looked great despite the horrendous challenges of getting the plant production just right this season. It is certainly an added stress I am glad to leave to others.

A lovely Bank Holiday feel to things at the moment, it is always nice to have that extra time off and relax a bit. Managed to get a nice bit of potting done yesterday and the availability lists updated and a bit of spraying and feeding done today. Monday looks busy with a short shop, the next seed batch to sow and the orders (hopefully) to start sorting out so we are ready to make a flying start on Tuesday. We had a lovely surprise yesterday when our nephew Tom pitched up with a young lady visitor who we had not met before. Tom has just returned from a work exchange on a farm in New Zealand so was catching up a bit. He works for us as time and studying allow and was showing Emily where he worked. He was slightly disappointed to show off a slumbering nursery rather than a busy one so we made up for it by getting them to finish off the day’s potting which I had given up thinking we were going to finish. What a lucky girl. Naturally I made a great impression of the seasoned professional like what I am. I still haven’t had the hair cut that worried the man in the lift a few weeks ago and it had been a while since I got very close to the razor. To top it off just as we were to be introduced I managed to hold a leaking watering lance in front of me for long enough to give the front top half of my trousers a really good soaking. Caroline seemed to think it very amusing although everyone else understandably seemed a little embarrassed.

Christmas lunch today on the farm (Tom missed his) as there was a spare turkey in the freezer. Off to knock up some crackers now.

Availability

Incarvillea are showing buds and flower, looking chunky, an exotic but hardy surprise to many in the garden.

Another delightful unusual one is the Primula viallii, the Chinese pagoda primrose which is now shooting and showing buds.

Primula bulleysiana just started showing buds, great chunky plants. Campanula glomerata Acaulis in bud and showing colour, short and bushy.

Carex Evergold and Ice Dance both look fantastic and featured on Chelsea last week.

Delicate ferny foliage of Thalictrum diptocarpum with strong flower shoots thrusting through, a beauty.

The dwarf Polemonium Bambino Blue is looking great, strong chunky growth with bud showing and colour about to burst. Strong Aquilegias still look full of life and vigour, stonking flower spikes showing bud and colour, the best we have ever grown. Long spurred flowers of A. Mckana’s Hybrids looking very impressive in a great colour range but not man left now. Striking large blue flowers of A. Alpina, Short stems of the Winky range are very colourful holding their heads up to show off the colour. Then there are the taller Barlow types, strong stems with more subtle more hanging flowers. A great show.

Catananche have started pushing up their flower spikes ready to show off yummy sky blue summer flowers

More Geraniums showing flower as spring blooms. G.s. striatum (lovely clear pink), Brookside and magnificum showing buds.

Pretty deep pink flowers of Erodium ‘Bishops Form’ are already showing with loads to follow although only a few left. Dainty but striking red flowers of Heuchera Ruby Bells and Firefly look delightful.

Salvia’s are all beginning to bud up, still lovely chunky plants with that promise of colour round the corner.

Verbascum Phoeniceum Hybids and the white form V.p. Album are showing their first flower shoots and looking chunky.

The dark flowering Verbascum Cherry Helen are also just beginning to throw up the odd flower shoot and looking strong.

Geums have plenty of bud coming now.

Fresh batches of Delphiniums and Lupins looking great.

Nature update

Very active house martins collecting mud/clay from the yard puddle and repairing last year’s homes. Swallows first brood hatched so hopefully they can keep warm enough and find enough food.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Monday 20 May 2013

Morning all
A few weeks of more buoyant sales is such a relief but we could do with a few more yet and hopefully a good gardening weather weekend down here might just help out. Mind you it provides a new set of stresses. We move from worrying about the lack of sales and saving money where we can to running around trying to get everything done to keep up with demand but finding a lack of hours in the day and days in the week. Still it is a much more stimulating pr essure and does inject a bit of excitement again after a long absence.

It can be easy to get lost in your own troubles, but it could be worse. We had a nasty reminder of that this week with a traffic accident a little way along our road. Sadly a young women dog walker died, hit by a 17 year old girl on a difficult section of road with no pathway. So many people’s lives forever torn apart in an instant. Take a step back, count your blessings and take care out there.

Feeling better? I’m taking a step away today by going to see Southampton play their last game of the season. My first Premiership game for years, Stoke at home with nothing to play for, should be a humdinger! Also got a quick trip down the road to pick up some more straw for the donkeys, it’s all go. Made up for the lost time by starting at 6.30 and planning some label printing for tonight so shouldn’t lose too much production and keeps the guilt level down. As Seasick Steve says on his great new cd Hubcap Music, ‘I’m a self sufficient man, I take care of my own knees’, he must have worked hard too!

Availability

Incarvillea are showing buds and the occasional flower, looking chunky, an exotic but hardy surprise to many in the garden. Another delightful unusual one is the Primula viallii, the Chinese pagoda primrose which is now shooting and showing buds. Delicate ferny foliage of Thalictrum diptocarpum with strong flower shoots thrusting through.

The dwarf Polemonium Bambino Blue is looking great, strong chunky growth with bud showing and colour about to burst. Strong Aquilegias still look full of life and vigour, stonking flower spikes showing bud and colour, the best we have ever grown. Long spurred flowers of A. Mckana’s Hybrids looking very impressive in a great colour range. Striking large blue flowers of A. Alpina, Short stems of the Winky range are very colourful holding their heads up to show off the colour. Then there are the taller Barlow types, strong stems with more subtle hanging flowers. A great show.

Catananche have started pushing up their flower spikes ready to show off yummy sky blue summer flowers

More Geraniums showing flower buds as spring blooms. G sanguinium (purple flowers), G.s. striatum (lovely clear pink), Brookside and Gravetye showing buds and the odd blue flower.

Pretty deep pink flowers of Erodium ‘Bishops Form’ are already showing with loads to follow although only a few left.

Dainty but striking red flowers of Heuchera Ruby Bells and Firefly look delightful.

Very strong plants of Centaurea dealbata are producing buds. A perennial cornflower with a magenta punch.

The glorious hardy perennial Gladiolus byzantinus buds are appearing.

Salvia’s are all beginning to bud up, still lovely chunky plants with that promise of colour round the corner.

Verbascum Phoeniceum Hybids and the white form V.p. Album are showing their first flower shoots and looking chunky.

The delightfull short pink flower spikes of Verbascum Pink Kisses are starting to show. The dark flowering V. Cherry Helen are also just beginning to throw up the odd flower shoot and looking strong.

Veronica gentianoides producing flower shoots now, full of vigour and showing its delightful pale blue flowers.

We produced a new range of Phlox for this spring as a trial and have been very impressed with their strength and vigour. The Flame series is a more compact strain with improved disease resistance and available in a wide colour range. Just a few left.

Eco news

Our new design of backing board is now being sent out. It looks the same on the visible bit above the box edge, but a cleverer design should make them easier to install and uses less card to make them. The reduction in material volume keeps costs down and further reduces waste.

Nature update

The last few weeks of warmer weather seems to have spurred on the birds with loads of fledglings appearing last week, robins, pigeons, jackdaws, blackbirds among many. I hope there is enough food out there, it’s still a bit cool for the time of year. Tadpoles seem to be growing well in the pond although the plant growth in there is so rampant it is difficult to see in now.

Availability List availability!

Need a fresh list? You can download a copy from www.kirtonfarm.co.uk/assets/perennialsherbs.pdf

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Monday 13 May 2013

Morning all,

Another good week, a further step towards rescuing the season, phew. Perfect timing too as we hosted the bank manager this week for a quick review of how things were going. If he had pitched up 3 weeks ago he might have had a lovely nursery on his hands with a rather full stock quota, but the rally on the weather and sales front has meant that the belief that there is a market out there has returned and we might not have another monster compost heap this year. He was pleasantly surprised at how well we had coped and how we had managed to keep costs down in the long quiet spell although that does have a knock-on effect on suppliers and staff which can’t be ignored. Hopefully the weather stays with us and we can keep this recovery going a few weeks longer as we are still behind last year which was shockingly bad itself. Once I have finished inspiring myself here with the joys of nursery life I am off to have fun unblocking the gent’s loo. Joy oh joy.

Started now to eat the stock as well as sell it. Times are still tough. Had a fab salad with the usual suspects plus chopped wild rocket leaves and whole chive flower heads. Having chewed on a few bits of chive flowers previously for the combination of sweetness and pow I was surprised how subtly they went down, a definite punch but not overpowering. For flower taste impact though, just try the tiny yellow ones that come later on the rocket, the sweetness hit is astonishing for something so weeny. No wonder it is called sweet rocket as well as wild.

Did the Waitrose shop early yesterday. It was a bit busier than usual and I unusually had to endure a bit of human interaction. The chap ahead of me got into the trolley lift down to the car park and pushed the button, I was a little way behind but I either stood outside and watched the doors slowly shut while standing outside, effectively rejecting any possibility of interaction or I rushed in delaying the descent but offering a gesture of comradeship. I opted for the later, although I suspect it ended up being an invasion of personal space (nutter on the bus scenario, especially as I was sporting the unshaven and ‘need a haircut bed-head’ look), it rather threw the chap already in there. We avoided eye contact and waited while a random beeping played and the lift went nowhere. Do I say anything about him leaning on the lift buttons or do I wait until he realises. In the end I had to mention it and a quiet decent followed. I had hoped he would head for the Porsche but sadly not.

Availability

Strong Aquilegias looking full of life and vigour, stonking flower spikes showing bud and colour, the best we have ever grown. More Geraniums are showing flower buds as the weather warms. G sanguinium, G.s. striatum and Gravetye showing buds. Pretty pink flowers of Erodium ‘Bishops Form’ are already showing with loads to follow although only a few left.

Knautia are budding up with those deep magenta flowers about to burst.

Dainty but striking red flowers of Heuchera Ruby Bells and Firefly look delightful.

Very strong plants of Centaurea dealbata are producing buds. A perennial cornflower with a magenta punch.

Ajuga’s looking at their best with fresh foliage and flowering under way. Burgundy Glow looks particularly stunning.

The border bulbs are looking strong, buds are showing on the Alliums and bud & some colour showing on the Camassia’s. The glorious hardy perennial Gladiolus byzantinus buds are appearing.

Salvia’s are all beginning to bud up, still lovely chunky plants with that promise of colour round the corner.

Verbascums phoeniceum hybids and the white form V.p. Album are showing their first flower shoots and looking chunky.

Veronica gentianoides throwing up strong flower shoots now, full of vigour prior to showing its delightful pale blue flowers.

We produced a new range of Phlox for this spring as a trial and have been very impressed with their strength and vigour. The Flame series is a more compact strain with improved disease resistance and available in a wide colour range. We only have low numbers for this year but will have more in 2014.

Eco news

Our new design of backing board is now being sent out. It looks the same on the visible bit above the box edge, but a cleverer design should make them easier to install and uses less card to make them. The reduction in material volume keeps costs down and further reduces waste.

Turbine output looking good again as the breeze picks up, we are above estimate for May and if the forecast is right we should get above estimate for 2013 which will be encouraging as we wondered if initial estimates had been a bit over optimistic. We won’t really know that for sure for another ten years or so! That still doesn’t stop me reading the meter 3 or 4 times a day. What an exciting life I lead.

Availability List availability!

Need a fresh list? You can download a copy from www.kirtonfarm.co.uk/assets/perennialsherbs.pdf

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Monday 6 May 2013

Morning all,
The weather is helping out at long last and we are seeing a bit of momentum and confidence returning in the plant buying world. Phew! This weekend looks like being another good one for leisure and gardening so let’s hope it keeps going. We had a little bit of rain yesterday which will help dampen the ground a bit and there is a bit more due next week I believe which will help a bit more. Let’s hope it rains at night so as not to disrupt sales too much. It has been dry here for a while and the ground water levels have now subsided but that first dampening of the ground yesterday threw up that great smell of fresh rain on dry ground, if only we could bottle and sell that!


We had another very busy week last week which does make us feel a lot better after such a late spring but a couple of decent weeks will not be enough. We have the bank manager coming over this week for a quick catch up so we have been adding up a few numbers and it doesn’t look brilliant, just proving that a couple of nice weekends isn’t going to save the day. Thank goodness he didn’t come three weeks ago when the cold was still having such an effect on sales for everyone. Luckily we haven’t yet had to chuck away much unsold stock as the plants have rather conveniently waited for the sales to pick up so if the weather stays with us and sales continue to make up over last year I’m sure we can get by.

Last weekend’s anniversary celebrations went well, I saved the day by offering to finish off Caroline’s last hours tub packing so she could get off site by 8pm (to get home muck out the donkeys, chickens and feed the cats and get the dinner on!). Well it is a daft time of year for an anniversary.

We have a small gang in on Monday to make sure we get off to a flying start when the week starts properly on Tuesday so hopefully there won’t be too much of a delay in getting the orders out in the shortened week but we may have to stretch to sending an order or two out on Saturday if demand is high. Over the last couple of very busy weeks we have managed to get everything out in time so well done to everyone, we even got several orders away despite not receiving them until Thursday or even Friday morning for the odd local one.

I may well take the advice today of one of the garden retailers and diversify my efforts as a grower into other money making ventures. As the weather looks reasonable I might take out the metal detector for its second run before the newly sown crop emerges. I feel I should add to my current horde of 4 nails and a broken plough share tip before putting it all on ebay. Even if I don’t make a fortune I won’t lose as much as working on a nursery!

Availability

Fantastic looking chunky Aquilegias looking full of life and vigour, all with flower spikes showing and the odd flower opening, the best we have ever grown.

More Geraniums are showing flower buds as the weather warms. G sanguinium and G.s. striatum both showing buds. Dicentra spectabalis in flower and looking striking.

Pretty pink flowers of Erodium ‘Bishops Form’ are already showing with loads to follow.

Symphytums (Ornamental Comfrey) in colour and looking great with their delightful blue and white flowers.

The Sedums look so fit at this time it is a wonder they don’t burst out and run about.

Erysimums Bowles Mauve already has plenty of bud and the first colour is showing. It will flower endlessly throughout the summer, a great garden favourite but there are only a few left.

The border bulbs are looking strong, buds are showing on the Alliums and some colour showing on the Camassia varieties. Verbascums phoeniceum hybids and the white form V.p. Album are showing their first flower shoots and looking chunky. Thalictrum aquilegifolium showing strong flower shoots already but very few left.

Veronica gentianoides throwing up strong flower shoots now, full of vigour prior to showing its delightful pale blue flowers.

We produced a new range of Phlox for this spring as a trial and have been very impressed with their strength and vigour. The Flame series is a more compact strain with improved disease resistance and available in a wide colour range. We only have low numbers for this year but will have more in 2014.

Eco news

April was the second best month ever for the turbine production, joy oh joy.

Availability List availability!

If you ever need a fresh list should you mislay this one you can download and print off a copy from our website at;

www.kirtonfarm.co.uk/assets/perennialsherbs.pdf

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries