Hairy Bats

Morning all,
Looks like a run of late summer sunshine over the next few days which should provide a lovely run in Autumn. The swallows are beginning to head off, I see reports of big numbers flying over Cornwall and we saw several groups over the fields heading south in the last few days. Talking of things flying about we had an exciting moment last night on our walk home. Across the back of the nursery we saw at least three bats all feeding along the hedgerow. We almost always see one (a pipistrelle) in this spot and have done for years, but to see at least three all together was a first. It was pretty dark and there could have been more, we'll try again tonight a few minutes earlier so our ancient eyes work a bit better and I might try with my glasses too! Not sure where they are roosting, probably the barn on the other side of the road, I know they have frustratingly ignored our bat boxes for years.
Apologies to anyone who may have tried to call us over the last week or two and got cut off, it was nothing you said, just our cordless handsets playing up. The engineers keep coming out to play but disappear again with them sort of working, but not quite. We are going to try again next week, but if you have trouble, do leave a message, or drop us an email, and we will get back to you as soon as we are back in the office using the reliable ones that are tied to the wall.
In theory things should be quietening down by now but we seem to be getting busier. Having got our Green Impact entry in last week we find ourselves with another project to get tied up in the next few days. I can't say what this one is at the moment as it was a bit of a last minute suggestion by someone who thought it might be a valuable exercise. Seemed like a good idea at the time!
My experimental hessian pallet/trolley wraps are on hold while we further test the Mark1 version. I am accumulating plenty of hessian samples and awaiting delivery of bigger stronger needles and thread to start Mark2. I also ordered a handy needle threading device to help the visually challenged and impatient with their efforts. It's quite exciting making stuff that might actually be useful and much cheaper than a lot of other pastimes.

WOODEN BOX RETURNS
If anyone is ready to send back their collection of empty wooden boxes please do let us know. We already have a few on a list which we are going to drop into next time we are in the area. Over the next month or so we would like to collect as many as we can, so we can get them out of your way and cleaned, dried and mended before the cold damp winter arrives. Thanks.

Availability highlights
The late summer flowering Anemones are looking great in the gardens and we have some looking good now, some with bud coming. Anemones are always a tricky one as the natural tendency is for the plants to go tall. looks fab in the garden but not so easy in a pot. We have some stonking September Charm and Honerine Jobert at the moment. Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium are coming into flower. We have a couple on fresh patches of Achillea in bud on short stems, the red Paprika and silver leaved Moonshine.
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, just beginning to open their pale lilac flowers. Lady in Blue and Rosenwitchel are both also in bud, nice compact plants with colour showing on some. The ever popular Monch is also there with bud showing and the odd open flower.
We have a fresh batch of the pretty Foam Flower Tiarella wherii in bud and flower. They will make an attractive display for several more weeks yet before resting overwinter, ready to do it all again next spring.
Our summer/autumn flowering mini garden Chrysanthemums are on the list again this week. They produce masses of small flowers on naturally bushy, fairly compact plants and usually flower until the first frosts. Only a few varieties left now, all in bud with colour about to burst. We have a few trays of fresh Tradescantia (Innocense and Rubra) looking good and having a late summer flush of bud. Viola Konigin Charlotte traditionally flowers in the spring with its deep violet colour and stunning scent, but we find it does produce a pretty smattering in the late summer too and sure enough that is what's occurring now. The pretty Viola Rebecca are showing another flush of bud and flower, looking smart.
We have a few left of our Verbena bonariensis in bud, another one that wants to go tall but we have managed to keep them in check for a bit longer but they won't hang about long. The massively popular Erigeron karvinskianus Stallone is sprouting plenty of flower buds, full of promise and dainty colours. Both Erodium varieties are in bud and showing a few open flowers, neat and floriferous. Foliage starts to be of interest at this time of year and there are some good shows of colour from the Carex Evergold, Ajuga, Heuchera, Lamium and Euphorbia.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.