Mobile and Hairy

Morning all,
Slightly damp on and off today but Sunday looks fine, another good day for lightening the gardeners wallets.
It was a great week, really busy and everything got there in the end. We managed to squeeze in collecting the new van from Lincoln and took that out on a couple of runs which was exciting. Slight embarrassment when we arrived to pick it up and our driver spotted that they had not mounted the loading ramp in the back. Mild panic when they claimed to know nothing about it (our salesperson was off that day!) but it was found in the yard and luckily they had a mounting plate that fitted, so it only took an hour or so to get it in place. It has all sorts of mod-cons, built in sat-nav and reversing camera, and beepers going off every other minute for something. It is a low loading van and has air suspension which can be lowered to make loading trolleys much easier, very useful. The lightweight ramp and body mean that the payload is much better and the modern model and design should mean more fuel efficiency too. We will do some sums and see. On the subject of saving energy our March electric use was approximately 41.1% down on the same month last year, despite doing more irrigation (water pumps) thanks to the new LED lights and super efficient lab store and cold room. It goes some way to compensate for the rest of my family who seem to be jetting off on holidays without a second thought! First swallow spotted here on Thursday evening, it flew about for a few minutes then disappeared, probably passing through but exciting none the less.
I have to go now, a day’s potting has left me with no time again and I am due at a spring ball at the guildhall shortly (jive band) and in my state it takes a lot of scrubbing, shaving and tweasering to get me remotely presentable so no time to mess about.

Availability highlights
Growth is bursting forth, spring is in the air and the sap is rising.
Camassia Cusickii are show stong buds now, the other varieties will be close behind. The snakes head lily (Fritillaria) are produced their delightful flowers, looking great with plenty to come as spring rolls on. Polemonium Heavenly Scent are looking great, attractive burnished foliage and with the first flower shoots and bud showing. Don’t hang about on this one, just a few left, we have our spring crop of Lathyrus verus in bud and showing colour. Dicentra spectabalis have burst through, flower buds and colour already showing well. Primula japonica Millers Criimson are just beginning to show their bud in the crown, they won’t take long to shoot away. Salvia’s are coming into bud now, short and chunky, no colour yet but full of promise. Really chunky Lupins and Delphiniums are looking great, full of vigour and promise. Allium Purple Rain and Purple Sensation are showing early short bud now, three in a pot and looking fine.
The ever popular Erysimum Bowles Mauve are already showing bud and the odd splash of colour. Bud also present on the lovely Red Jep. Monster plants with a mass of bud on show on the Ajuga Burgundy Glow.
Tulips are all showing bud now but not many in stock so don’t hang about.  Brunnera are fattening up quickly and looking cracking, the delightful forget-me-not blue flowers are appearing now. The short orange varieties of Geum Cooky and Koi are flushing into growth nicely, and have flower shoots and buds too. The spring flowering Euphorbia are coming into their own now, lovely plants just watch out for the irritating milky sap.The Pulmonaria are coming on well with bud and delightful pale blue flowers on the Opal and Mageste all looking smart with bud and colour showing well.
Vibrant green and lush foliage of Doronicum Little Leo is bursting forth and the sunshine yellow flowers are now appearing. Just a few Narcissus WP Milner left in bud with a few of their petit pale yellow flowers showing off nicely. A real spring beauty. Narcissus Thalia is a late bloomer and the buds of the pretty white flowers are now showing. Some of the Aquilegia varieties are thrusting up their flower buds, they won’t be around long. A lovely flush of bud on the Heuchera Firefly looking strong. The dainty Foam Flower (Tiarella) has burst into growth with their first flush of buds well on show. Spring must be here, most of the Hostas have all suddenly shot out of the compost. A lovely range, with Sea Thunder and Winsome the earliest to unravel their first leaves, most of the others are still at the ‘candle’ stage but looking chunky and full of promise.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.