Hairy Whips

Morning all,
Back to more typical early spring cool and damp but the plants are loving it. Let's hope the footfall is there to hoover them up.
Nearly done with the office fitting, loads of shelves up this week, the compressed air is installed for the wooden label printing so just the little sink to squeeze in now and then I can have a tidy up. The smugness levels abound as I get daily emails offering new furniture for office refurbs, and I take a look round at our fantastically functional but maybe a tad patchwork collection of second-hand repatriated kit. Big thanks to my brother for donating some matching cabinets which look fab. Caroline found a moment or two last weekend to get the replacement native hedging planted among the stumps of our old Leylandii. About 200 whips from a local grower all planted, cut back and mulched, a big job. She slept well that night!
The frogs have been spawning over the last week or two which is always exciting to see and hear. They make quite a racket. We have a potting team and plant tidying team in on Saturday to make sure we don't get to far behind on the production front. The season is so much earlier than last year I don't want to let the earlier sales put us behind on the other work. Not quite sure what we are going to pay them with, but I'm sure the cash will begin to flow again soon and all the memories of this early
season juggling will fade away. Make hay while the sun nearly shines.
Availability highlights
The spring flowering and super scented Viola oderata varieties are flushing up well after their winter haircut. Plenty of flower bud to come and a few already showing and smelling amazing. We can smell them as we walk past the outside of the tunnel and they make Despatch a delight to work in.
Our wild primrose (Primula vulgaris) are also bursting into flower, spring is springing. Bronzed and ferny foliage of the Polemonium Heaven Scent looks great and tight flower buds are adding to their appeal but not many left. Primula grandiflora Rosea are putting on a show, flashes of vibrant colour beginning to show. Primula denticulata is not far behind with big fat buds bursting through the compost surface.
Spring flowering Pulmonarias are all showing bud now with most now opening the odd flower. The ever popular Erysimums are looking fresh and strong as we approach the spring. I have marked nearly all varieties with bud and colour is close for many, there is the odd open flower on the Super Bowl Mauve, looking very smart. We have some lovely spring flowering bulbs showing signs of good growth and even the odd bud on a few. Lots more to follow. Pushkinia are up this week and showing bud and some pretty colour as are the Amemone blanda White Splendour. We don't have a huge number of the Anemone as we have had issues with these over the past years, but this year is looking better so I will up the numbers again for next time.
The Iphieons are showing the occasional bud, it spreads nicely making a good groundcover and flowers here repeatedly through the spring and summer. Muscari varieties are looking really strong with plenty of young buds showing. The ever popular Snakes Head Lily (Fritillaria meleagris) have their first buds. Their drooping heads are a joy in the garden. Aquilegia Spring Magic Yellow are already in bud, but not huge numbers left. This strain is an early one. No sign of bud in the other colours just yet, but looking chunky.
Early flowering Symphytum Wisley Blue are flushing in the little bit of warmth and bud is evident. Subtle pale blue flowers. Euphorbia martinii are looking great with short strong arching stems producing their early spring display. The crop/potting timing and the winter weather seem to have combined perfectly this year to produce a great crop. E. robbiae and E. purpurea are following close behind.
Our variegated Brunnera have emerged looking strong. The pretty blue 'forget-me-not' flowers will be just around the corner. The green form are showing tight bud already and the stunning variegated batch are looking smart. I've added Pulsatilla to the list this week. They are just bursting through and the almost the first growth to emerge are the spring flower buds. I've not got huge numbers yet but if the weather doesn't get too harsh they are going to romp away. Stonking chunky Lupins on the list this week, having been cut back over winter they are now leaping into strong growth. Digitalis are always evergreen so get off to a head start on many other perennials, we have a good selection of this popular garden plant and they are looking really strong, difficult to believe they stand out in all that cold weather and still look so good. A few of the Dianthus Scent First varieties are carrying flower bud already, full of promise.
Have a great week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.