Hairy Breakdowns

Morning all,
Still all go but not much space for waffle this week, too much stock to talk about.
Tricky week with a few things falling apart. The clutch went on the small van, but luckily caught it here rather than out on the road and the garage did a great job getting it sorted in 24 hours. The clutch went in my back too. Just a muscle spasm but none the less it does me in for a bit. Managed to keep on my feet with a cocktail of chemical aids so in fact the week passed in a bit of a laid back, dopey haze, a bit like normal I suppose.
Very sad loss of the MP, just hope it is shocking enough to bring some people to their senses, How quickly lives can change, make the most of what you have and spread some love, understanding and respect. Have a safe week.

Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has it’s short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud, the first flowers are opening and looking neat, a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too.Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Salvia do have this habit of sometimes producing all red or all white flowers at each end of the season but we are luckily seeing plenty of hot lip action now. Lucky me.
The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. Numerous buds on the short Campanula carpatica alba. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast.
We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with masses of buds on show with the odd opening flower. The bright two tone flowers makes a great show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries