Hi,
Not quite summer yet, vest and fleece back on today, but not too nasty out there really. We could do with some rain down here, we seem to keep missing out on any passing precipitation. Looks like we might be lucky and catch a shower tonight but after that it looks pretty dry again for the coming week.
The last in a long line of bank holidays coming up so anticipating a busy week of getting those plant areas stocked up. All early orders greatly appreciated although if you get desperate for a later top up don't be afraid to ask, you may get lucky if we are in your direction and if the vans are still going. We will always try our best even with the best attempts of Peugeot to scupper us. Still waiting for parts to mend the van, that will be at least a month off the road luckily during a quiet time of year. Something to do with losing the part between changing factories or something. Anyway hopefully they will find the factory next week and we can have another go.
When I'm bowling along during the week I quite often think to myself, 'That would be a good note to add at the weekend' and inevitably by the time I get to the moment of putting all down on paper it's gone. Can't make up my mind if I'm too tired, too old or there just isn't any room to remember anything anymore. Not to worry, if anything bad happened it has passed me by, a bit like our recent 35th anniversary. Must make up some lost ground and remember Caroline's birthday this time.
Nursery is still fantastically busy but a marginal increase in staffing levels has helped no end. An extra part time driver and a returning member of the team, who had been tempted away by larger concern, has really taken some of the panic out of this hectic time. I can't say we are ahead of ourselves just yet but it doesn't feel quite as scary as other springs have been. Looking forward to maybe taking a morning off to help with the shopping in perhaps a few weeks. Always good to have something to look forward to!
Availability highlights
Lovely batches of the classic Geum Lady Stratheden and Mrs Bradshaw are ready to go. Buds are well on their way, Dianthus Scent First varieties are back on line. Buds are thrusting through on most varieties. We have go to town on Scabiosa this season, Lots potted ready for summer flowering and a few ready now with their first buds appearing. The first batches of Butterfly Blue, Mariposa Blue and Pink Mist are there now but please don't all rush in too soon, there will be more of a show later because these beauties keep flowering all summer.
The ever popular Verbena bonariensis are available again along with the more compact forms Lollipop and rigida. The ever popular Erysimum Bowles Mauve are looking fabulous as we get well into spring. We are now into another later potted batch with the first flowers close to opening but not much colour showing at the moment just loads of promising buds. Although not in flower, the Hostas are up and looking smart. A fab range with the leaves showing off nicely. The short Achillea Milly Rock series are now showing signs of budding up.
We still have a few really strong Japanese Anemone for sale. Chunky over wintered plants raring to go. One of my favourites. Rudbeckia Goldsturm and the various Echinacea varieties are selling well. They are now beginning to show signs of flower stem production with the odd bud on show.
The next batches of the Salvia nemerosa Sensation series are coming on line with bud pushing through. A good range of colours which just keep coming. We also have a new compact form (Salvia Caradonna Compact (someone worked hard coming up with that name!)) of the deep purple upright Salvia Caradonna which is a stunner in itself. The new variety has early bud showing and I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs. Another new Salvia on the list this week is in bud too. Blue Marvel is fairly compact but carries quite striking larger blue flowers, I can see already that this is going to be a good one.
The old favourite Erodium Bishops Form is back on the list again and already carrying plenty of bud on tidy plants. The white form is now available too with the odd open flower. We have a very smart batch of the short variegated grass Carex Evergold. We accidentally gave it a rather overzealous and
very short haircut back in the early spring, but it has recovered beautifully with a fresh flush of clean strong growth. I'll try and remember that one for next year.
Have a great week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
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