Hairy on the Beach

Good morning all.

Still hot and muggy down here, we seem to have missed most of the thunderstorm so the ground is still disappointingly dry. Plant sales have slowed fractionally which has allowed us to get stuck into the potting again which is a relief. Last week’s potting squeak cure has held up and makes for a far less tense working environment, although there doesn’t seem to have been a corresponding reduction in volume of the youngsters music. Gosh isn’t it loud and it all sounds the same!

It’s a tad on the steamy side in the tunnels on the sunny days but our youthful team keep up their fluid levels and plough on . The show must go on. The office porta-cabin shows off one of its main weaknesses in this sort of weather with temperatures reaching over 42C on one afternoon, nearly enough to send me outside and do some work. It would be nice one day to build a proper building to house such important people but I fear that day is a long way off. I managed to attend the local Sustainable Business Network meeting last week, catching up on all the latest legal and practical developments in the exciting world of sustainability. A nice walk to the venue through Marwell Zoo who were telling us about all their work on site to improve their buildings' performances, investing to save huge amounts on energy use and looking to generate heat and power from their regular waste materials. Lots of energy was saved by altering the gift shop internal temperature control, running it to correspond with how the customers were dressed when coming in from outside rather than how warm or cool the staff would like to run it at. A nice bit of sensible thinking.

In a week of multiple outings Caroline and I where kindly invited by Hillier Nurseries to attend a delicious marquee lunch with a few select others at the Harold Hillier Gardens to celebrate 150 years of the business. Lots of friends old and new and a bit of a blast from the past for Caroline who started her horticultural career there as a pre-entry year student 35 years ago, she was only 5!

Our luck was definitely in this week when we inherited the thing that all destitute nursery folk desperately need. Caroline had been offered a couple of small 1930’s armchairs from her Auntie who sadly passed away earlier this year and was given a tour of the other kit they were trying to find a good home for. So we are now proud owners of a 1950 cocktail cabinet complete with an opening top to create your own 5ft+ bar! I can’t remember the last time I even thought of having a cocktail. Anyway I have set it up along a spare wall and filled it with my beer collection, let’s see how it goes. If things start to get a bit erratic from this end you will know my life has taken on a new direction. Actually it has already seen action, we served Caroline’s Mum a Creme de Menthe (found in the cabinet) on crushed ice for her birthday tea yesterday. She can remember when her father originally bought it (the cabinet) after a particularly good 1950 harvest. Are cocktail parties still in vogue? I must see about making a friend or two to invite over.

Availability

Last few Crocosmia’s left, both golden yellows and with buds just beginning to open (Sunglow and George Davidson).
It seems early but many of the Asters are showing buds and the occasional open flower, a great range of colours. The feathery foliage of Coreopsis Zagreb is also now supporting bright yellow colour.
Bud and strong fresh growth on the Anemones, looking good. Just a few Achillea varieties still left with bud coming.
The short Verbena bonariensis Lollipop are very strong, shooty, and showing bud and colour. Bushy but taller V. bonariensis are also in bud.
Leucanthemum Broadway Lights are showing their first signs of flowering, large pretty pale yellow bloo ms and lots of bud on nice strong stocky plants.
Ajuga Black Scallop is new on our list this year with really very dark tight foliage, a stunner. The variegated Burgundy Glow is looking great too.
Rudbeckia Goldsturm are showing lots of bud and the occasional open flower. They are quite tall but strong stemmed.
A few new addition for this summer is a range of hardy fuchsia’s which are wonderfully bushy and flowering nicely now.
We have a great range of good looking chunky Agapanthus we are producing for the first time this summer. Short bushy Thalictrum are showing a second flower flush of the summer.
Summer Penstemons growing well and looking verdant with numerous buds appearing.

Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries