Hot and Hairy

Morning all,

Scorchio. Hardly worth saying more, but I'll have a go.
We managed about a dozen drops of rain last week, just enough to produce that lovely new rain on hot ground scent but not enough to actually see the ground appear damp. The gardens are getting pretty desperate for some moisture and we are in need of some lower temperatures. The plants are fairing ok but we ourselves are wilting especially by the afternoon. I suppose we have become aclimatised to it to a degree after a few weeks, but it definitely dents productivity which is frustrating when there is so much to do out there.
Next year's crops are piling in as we try and clear up after the spring sales to make space for them and every week that slips by feels like a lost week if the young plants haven't been moved on to keep them growing. I feel we are slightly ahead of last year in the clearing up stakes but the potting definitely fell behind after that long cold start to the season and we have never quite caught that back up.
So just the time to add a bit more pressure to life with a couple of one off's. Months ago I 'volunteered' to host the ADHB Herbaceous growers group meeting, they seemed very interested in looking at the sustainability aspects of our production, learning about our nematode based vine weevil control, checking out the microprop lab and the wind turbines. It seemed like a nice idea at the time, we are bound to be all tidied up after the spring sales with the nursery looking spick and span and fresh crops all over the place. Of course it's not quite worked out that way, I was maybe a little over optimistic about the state of play on the nursery by mid July and although it doesn't look too bad in most areas there are a few bomb sites dotted about that might need some attention before the big day. Showing round a group of non-nursery folk is relatively easy, they are fairly easy to impress but taking 40 hardened (although generally jolly) growers around is much more daunting. It is much easier for them to recognise that we fly by the seat of our pants, making it up as we go along! I'm sure it will be fine, but the closer it gets the less sleep I manage, as I draw up the list of things to get done.
The perfect time we thought, to add an extra high pressure occasion into the beginning of the same week. So naturally we accepted an invitation from DEFRA to their Summer Reception in London to meet a load of people to talk about developing ways to cope with replacing single-use plastics. We are among a dozen of the 150 guests to be asked to put up a little exhibit of what we do, which in itself sounds great but getting hairy stuff and ourselves to the middle of London on a Monday afternoon is quite a challenge, especially when the other exhibitors are mostly big companies showing their wares (Iceland, H & M, Premier League, and the like), It'll be fine, we are going to everything up on the train to set up for the early evening meeting. A chance to meet the minister Michael Gove perhaps or just be enthusiastic about sustainability to one and all. We are such a tiny outfit that I can't help but feel a bit out of place at such an event, but let's see how it goes. We do get to go on a train which I haven't done for many years, I'm hoping to get a seat in the restaurant car for a silver service slap up tea on the way home!
Good football on telly. Might not feel this way tomorrow! Come on England!

Availability highlights
The massively popular Erigeron karvinskianus Stallone is sprouting flower buds, full of promise and the odd open flower. In case you hadn't noticed summer is upon us, cue Crocosmia coming into bud. Fresh batches of ever popular Salvia are back on line, budding up well. We are 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 odd open flower on a lovely range of colours. The pretty white Erodium are in bud and showing a few open flowers, neat and floriferous.
The summery Salvia Hot lips are still going strong as we move onto another fresh batch with buds bursting. Among the new varieties this summer are a new compact selection of Calamintha. Both are carrying masses of buds on very bushy plants with a few flowers opening. Eucomis are just beginning to throw up their creamy yellow flower stalks.We have four long flowering Helianthemum this summer (pink, yellow, white and cerise) most carrying plenty of bud and a few open flowers other than The Bride which looks fab with its silver/grey foliage but not showing bud just yet. We are dabbling in a few Gaura too. Another summer stunner, although limited numbers at the moment.
We are also trying out another couple of short new Achillea varieties, Milly Red and Milly Rose, both are looking great, short and strong with bud and colour showing. We also have fresh short batches of the Achillea Dessert Eve varieties too. The simple but delightful Armeria are still available with plenty of flower and bud showing. The garden pinks Dianthus are all in bud, showing colour and smelling delicious.Subtle cream flowers of the pretty Foam Flower (Tiarella) are showing nicely with plenty of bud to come.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.