Hairy City Slickers

Morning all,
I hope you all did better for rain over the last week than we did. We actually got enough last night to look damp and feel a bit fresher this morning, but most has already dried off in the sun which is beating down again. Not a lot, if any, in the forecast for us for the next week but you never know we might get lucky. The grass is almost completely brown with the main green being provided by the deep rooted dandelions and alike. Luckily being an expert horticulturist our lawn is full of them! What is noticeable is that the grass is that bit greener in the patches we left for the wild flowers to flower in the spring before cutting. Maybe in future we will have to leave it all to grow long before the first cut. Still, we can do nothing but keep cool and make the best of it, so do enjoy the summer as best you can.
We've had a quiet week, just the usual orders, tunnel clearances, potting and pricking out. Oh yes and a trip on Monday to exhibit at the Defra Summer Reception at Nobel House in the middle of London and a visit here on Thursday by 45 or so horticultural professionals to check out what we have been up to on the sustainability front.
Mondays do was very exciting, I don't get out much, so a trip with Caroline on the train to start with was a treat. We had packed our compact plant exhibit into a couple of large bags so I could carry them myself (not great timing for Caroline's broken arm). We didn't get off to a great start when I got stuck in the automatic gates at the station but I was eventually released by an unimpressed barrier operative and we were on our way. The bulkiness of my package unfortunately meant we had to sit by the facilities but we were off peak so it wasn't too busy. Caught a black cab, as you do, and made it to the venue in plenty of time to set up. The Defra staff were immensely helpful and supportive as we were a bit apprehensive about the whole affair. We were one of only 10 exhibitors which included Proctor and Gamble, H and M, Sky and Tea Pigs among 150 invited guests, so we felt a bit out of our league, but we were all there to showcase more sustainable ways of production rather than sell anything, so we all had plenty to talk about. Caroline ended up chatting to Mr Gove, Claire Moriarty (Permanent Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) , Lord Gardiner (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity) and Lord Randall (Environmental advisor to No.10) meanwhile I was asked to step aside for one guest who wanted to park her folding bike under our exhibit! I was sorely tempted to suggest she unfold the bike and use it, but I bit my tongue and helpfully found a spot close by. In all a great day out.
The big nursery tour went really well in the end, despite preparations nearly going down the pan (forgive the pun) when we discovered a blockage at 10.00 the previous evening! An early start got us back on course and all went swimmingly thanks to a lot of hard work by all the staff having a bit of a tidy in the run up. Most of the visitors seemed quite impressed with how 'different' we were to 'normal', but I think you may know that already.
Availability highlights
Probably just for one more week, we have a fresh batch of Verbena bonariensis in bud and not very tall. I must have trimmed back the young plants at just the right time and just the right height to get them to look so strong, in bud and not bonkersly tall. They will mature to full height but at the moment are perfect for sale. I wish I knew what I've done right to achieve this!
The massively popular Erigeron karvinskianus Stallone is sprouting plenty of flower buds, full of promise and dainty colours. In case you hadn't noticed summer is here, cue Crocosmia in bud. Loads showing now, looking great, don't miss out.
Fresh batches of ever popular Salvia are back on line, budding up well with more to come. The violet variety looks great. We are still desperately fighting off the pigeons who are attempting to munch through some of our scented Phlox Sweet Summer crop, they are looking great with buds and the some open flower on a lovely range of colours.
Both Erodium are in bud and showing a few open flowers, neat and floriferous. The hot and summery Salvia Hot lips are still going strong as we move onto another fresh batch with buds bursting and colour showing. Flowers are mostly red at the moment, but fear not they can go two-tone again at any moment.
A few of the Asters are beginning to show signs of flowering. Fantastic plants of the mildew resistant Asmo are throwing up plenty of bud, compact and chunky, producing pale Lilac flowers very soon. One of the earliest and most popular varieties is Flora's Delight which are budding and showing a bit of colour already,
Eucomis are just beginning to throw up their creamy yellow flower stalks. Our summer/autumn flowering mini garden Chrysanthemums are on the list this week. They produce masses of small flowers on naturally bushy fairly compact plants and usually flower until the first frosts. A couple of varieties are in already in very tight bud at the moment and the others will be there in the next week or two. We have some lovely short Coreopsis Zagreb in bud this week, ferny foliage and bright sunny flowers about to open. We have a few Geum Totally Tangerine this week, no bud as yet but very strong plants. A new one to us but it was recommended and I couldn't resist.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.