Monday 20 February 2017

Proud to be hairy

Morning all,

Joy of joy I finished the LED light installation on Monday, I can’t quite believe it is all done it feels like I have been living in there for weeks. It’s quite a relief to everyone else as well, because we were then able to have a real tidy up, clearing despatch and the label print room where piles of fittings, tools and cable had amassed. It took another two days on and off to clear up all the debris, sorting out the different piles of recycling and reusable stuff but it’s all more or less clear now. Just the recycling man to arrange to pick up all the electric bits and all those fluorescent tubes. Thankfully the electric use has dropped off with quite a step, using another 20% less overall for this week, although the overall saving is more because some lights have been in for a few weeks already.
We have been invited to apply for the Winchester Business awards which we did win a few years ago. It’s a lovely event but we didn’t qualify in recent years due to the lack of dosh left at the end of the year! Now we are rejuvenated in our finances and our sustainable endeavour (having signed up for Green Impact) we thought we might put in a bid for this year’s event in the Green Business of the Year section. It’s never easy working out quite what to put down on the entry form, it’s not a very British thing to do, blowing your own trumpet, but we’ve had a go. It has ended up being quite a positive experience so far, it’s quite rewarding to actually put pen to paper and list some of your achievements over the years, it is surprising how they mount up. Almost proud.
A little bit of pre-season tension is creeping in, are we going to finish the winter jobs before it all kicks off? Will it kick off? Is it going to rain all year or will there be a drought? Have I spent too much overwinter and are we running short of cash? (I already know the answer to that one) When is the new van going to turn up? Will we need more bodies on site? Where is the next batch of labels, boxes, plants, cakes? Can we please have an extra day in the week? Ok now I need a lie down. Just a few days of milder weather and the plants suddenly look really saleable with a nice bit of spring growth appearing on many lines and more and more bud threatening to show. It’s all go, just need a nice run of sensible weather please.

2017 Catalogue
Links for the 2017 flipbook catalogue (and a pdf version should you need to print it out) with lots of pictures of most of the perennials we grow are;

Flipbook http://online.1stflip.com/dpyl/367v/    (Best viewed on desktop or laptop but not currently on mobile phones)
Pdf   https://www.dropbox.com/s/nasnx3xy8r1nfdy/Catalogue%202017%20complete.pdf?dl=0    (This is a big file due to the large numbers of images in it. We would encourage you to use the flipbook instead saving more of the worlds resources)

Availability highlights
If it is still a bit early but you fancy a smaller order to get going, then we can offer a lower minimum delivery volume until the end of February. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. The ever popular Erysimum Bowles Mauve are already showing bud and the odd splash of colour. Bud also appearing on Apricot Twist, Fragrant Sunshine, Pastel Patchwork and the lovely Red Jep.
Brunnera mac Variegata are fattening up quickly and looking cracking, there is the very occasional bud showing but too few to guarantee bud at the moment. The green version is close behind, always popular early in the year with those delightful forget- me-not blue flowers. The Pulmonaria are coming one well with bud and the odd open flower on the Blue Ensign which is the most forward and the variegated Opal and Mageste are both looking smart. Polemonium Heavenly Scent are looking great, really chunky and bushy, great foliage bronzing and with the first flower shoots coming.
Both colour forms of Campanula persicifolia Takion are already throwing up flowering stems. A compact and early flowering selection, it will flower on into the summer if old shoots are removed.
Vibrant green and lush foliage of Doronicum is bursting forth and the buds of the yellow flowers will be following shortly. We have a small number of new bulbs we are trying out this year and a couple are in bud already, Scilla are opening prettily and the Muscari have healthy fattening buds. Get them while you can.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

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