Hairy Ophelia

Morning all,

Autumn storms are bowling in and all the leaves from our poplar windbreak have finished depositing their leaves over the last few days. Time to get out the leaf blower and collect them all up before they blow in and mulch our pots to death. The chimney is swept, turbines and boilers serviced and wood cut so the seasons are definitely turning and I think we are just about ready for it. Another season draws to a close and we can start getting ready for the next one. The temptation is to relax and cut back on hours and workload, but I know that Christmas will suddenly be upon us and we will be looking to get next year’s sales underway really quickly after that, which makes the winter window for nursery improvement and development really short. It always catches me out.

Managed to get a long weekend away at long last, hence no fresh list last weekend. A trip to Tresco on the Scilly Isles was just the ticket for a nice wind-down although it did prove a little more exciting than anticipated. Not a great start when low cloud and winds on Friday moved us from the 10 minute plane flight to the 3 hour boat trip on the notorious Scillonian 111. Quite a few green travellers on that trip but I did ok, as long as I keep an eye on the horizon I can ride the waves and avoid mishap. The big bonus was that I saw a pod of Common Dolphins riding the bow wave right outside my window, jumping right out of the water just a few feet away, just brilliant. Then I saw my first Great Skua, luckily confirmed by the RSPB guide and other birders on board so perhaps not a bad travel change. A very relaxed weekend, excesses of all the good things, music, food and drink and friendly company. Did a bit of strolling about, particularly exciting on the Ophelia wind day when it was a struggle to remain upright on the hilltops, certainly blew away a few cobwebs that day. Mind you I was fortunate to be still walking as I did manage to nearly cripple myself the day before, when putting on my boots. My brother in law and his wife pitched up outside the pub so I slipped on my boots to join them in the fresh air and get buckled up. Unseen by me the automatic door closed behind me and my rather long laces dragging behind didn’t make it out in time, I stepped forwards only managed a few inches before forward
motion was arrested violently for one foot and then the other. Gravity took over as the inevitable happened but luckily the force of laughter from the others must have broken my fall and I survived physically unharmed but mentally scared.

Winter delivery minimum orders

Ok I know it’s not really winter yet, but for the rest of the autumn and until sometime in February we are able to drop the minimum order quantity generally to 15 trays and possibly, at a push, to 12 trays if you are very local to Winchester. The range available will obviously slip away as most lines go into dormancy but we have a few lines to provide a bit of winter interest and colour, should you be desiring some hairy input.

  Availability highlights

Autumn and winter flowering Cyclamen are looking good. The Cyclamen coum Cyberia series flower from now until April, showing short and dainty flowers and bud. I can see some bud still coming on the remaining autumn flowering hederifolium types too. The Helleborus range is gradually increasing as winter approaches, no bud yet but nice plants. Another evergreen spring flowerer currently looking smart are the Bergenias. The compact Diamond Drops are looking particularly dapper. The Erodium Bishops Form is making the most of the late warmth and flowering nicely. We have a few very nice bushy Erysimum Bowles Mauve budding nicely and showing a little colour. We have a fantastic crop of Ajuga in range of leaf colours just bursting to get into the garden. Persicaria Darjeeling Red looking good with a last flush of flower on display. Tiarella are having a last minute flush of flower too. Fresh batches of Euphorbia are looking nice in a range of foliage colours. Salvia Hot Lips are in colour, short and bushy and should keep going until the frosts knock back the flower. Bright variegated leaves of
the short tufted grass Carex Evergold are looking very neat and smart.

Wooden box returns

We have collected the majority of our wooden boxes up now but please do drop us a line if you would like us to pop in and collect any more up. Thanks.

Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.