Hairy Drips

Morning all,

Lovely day today, bright sunshine and a light breeze, great day to be out in the garden. We certainly got a good drenching during the week but with the forecast looking on the damp side we had taken the precaution of clearing out a few blocked drains in advance which paid dividends in the following deluge. Some planning works. Better than the rather disappointing summer for which I blame myself, sorry. The hot weather came to an instant stop the moment I cut big holes in the roof of despatch to keep temperatures down. The cooling result was more effective than I could have imagined.
Potting is flying now as the orders slow up and we find a bit more time, last load of compost comes in on Monday so just 60,000 pots or so to go. Might take a weekend off then in celebration of getting to the end of another season, perhaps a visit to the pub, we’ll see. I think this is the last week for most of our summer casuals, university beckons, I’m sure they won’t miss us as much as we will miss them!
Dressing up tonight for a 1940’s ball at the Guildhall, no food just dancing and liquid refreshment. Not really quite fit enough for this after a week carrying a bit of a sniff (worst cold anyone ever had) but I can’t let my dance partners down so will keep taking the pills and soldier on. Live big band apparently, so could be good.
We are well underway picking up our empty wooden box stock from everyone, we are planning a trip up north next week so let me know if you need us to call in. I have a few destinations listed already so should be able to fill the van nicely. That’s it for today, my brain is a bit fuzzy for clear thinking or getting anywhere near entertaining, so I’m quitting in favour of a lie down for an hour or two before the night time heroics.
Only one swallow left in the shed now, all the others have gone, house martins as usual are the last to go but their trip south must be imminent. Another summer slips by. Must get on with the log cutting, that was another job I was going to get done before the summer ended.

Availability highlights
The traditional autumn flowering Asters now coming back on stream, the ever popular dwarf violet/red Jenny looks very neat now with the odd bud showing colour. Starlight is slightly more purple in tone but a really strong bright colour and neat habit. Lady in Blue budding nicely, nice and short with very pretty pale blue flowers about to do their thing.
A few more Anemones coming back on the list again as we catch up again after a very busy summer.
The very popular straight form of Verbena bonariensis is just unmanageable when it gets towards flowering in our smaller pots so we keep them short and bushy, losing out on the colour in the pot but producing wonderfully strong plants ready to plant out.
Helleborus are coming back on stream now as they gather their strength for their great winter display.
Absolutely stonking Ajugas in different foliage colours and forms. Fantastic ground cover and bursting with vigour. Just around the corner are the late flowering Hesperantha (Schizostylus) in a range of 4 varieties and autumn/winter flowering hardy Cyclamen.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries