Hairy heatwave

Hi Everyone,

Looks like it's going to be a hot few days down here in the south. The one day of extreme heat we had last week was enough for me, but you can't do much about it. It looked like being so hot tomorrow I nearly cancelled the potting team from coming in, but the pressure of what needs to be done was just too much. We are going to start and finish early in an effort to avoid the worst of it, and although pretty oppressive today it has clouded up significantly since lunchtime which I think has improved things a bit. At least we won't be queuing in the traffic to get to the beach!

Sales this week are still bowling along, although slightly down from 2 or 3 weeks ago. It is a bit of a relief in some ways as we have been able to catch up slightly with the herb potting and availability. We are still under pressure, but it feels slightly more under control than earlier. I'm sorry there isn't a huge amount in colour with the perennials just at the moment, I just can't hold onto the stock long enough! There will hopefully be a bit more coming, but any hope of a big run of blooms has slipped by now with the continuing high sales levels.

I have been ordering some more young plants this week, to come in next season, which I would quite enjoy doing if I had a bit more time and confidence in the future. I picked a good moment yesterday when I was feeling very positive about what the next season might bring, so the purse strings went a bit slack. Caroline won't see the invoices for months yet so I shouldn't get too much grief just yet. I had talked to a couple of our supplier reps during the day and discussions on the level of demand with new customers coming into gardening plus the likelihood of fewer holidays being taken etc filled me with lots of positive expectations for 2021. I have already increased the overwintering stock levels so that we can cope with a continuing swell of demand early on in the season, and with more to come later in the spring we are going to be busy. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly this time and we can keep up this momentum.

Rescued hedgehog released this week but seems to have settled a bit too well in his new home. Caroline moved the mini hen house she had been using, to a suitable site and left the door open so it could leave at will. Sure enough off it went, only to return the morning for a kip and a bit more supper. Now we will have to leave the house out there until he has finished with it. I suppose it might turn into a winter hibernation site in a few months, we'll see.

Availability list highlights

The herb sales just keep going but the range is recovering a bit as sales slow a little and the potting at last can keep pace. The perennial range is still under pressure but this too should recover over the next few weeks as sales dip and potting catches up.

Main current highlights on the flowering stock front are;

Osteospermum Tresco Purple are erupting into bud now with the odd open flower. Hopefully enough for several more weeks! Lovely strong bushy plants. Fresh batch of Cosmos Chocamocha on the go, buds appearing and loads of potential.

Erodium Bishops Form are still going strong, the flowers just go on and on. Erigeron Stallone are back in numbers. Loads of bud showing and a flash of colour on the current batches.Summer flowering Gaura are coming along nicely with buds on show and colour very close. Several varieties already sold out but a couple of others are on the list to replace them.

I could tell from the scent in the tunnel that one of the Viola oderata had produced some blooms. Sure enough Konigin Charlotte has a flush of its classic purple flowers on show. Very bushy plants with small flowers but high impact scent.

As the summer moves on we shift more into Aster season. We have a great range of healthy chunky stock at the moment and I feel bud is not far away, but no matter how hard I look I can't quite see any yet. Numbers will be a bit limited, although we have quite a lot of the ageratoides varieties this year. I got a bit carried away on my purchasing when I realised how much more resistant to mildew they were. They are great plants but not quite as strongly coloured or named as the more traditional types. I like the more subtle tones myself, but they perhaps aren't quite the show stopping display of the others.

Both Aster frikartii varieties are on the list this week with fresh batches now ready. A few buds appearing already on Flora's Delight, but I don't have many, so don't hang about. Lots of lovely bushy Monch.

Tradescantia Blue and Gold still going strong, buds still popping up. We have a few Tiarella back on the list, flowers are on show and hoping for more to follow. Fresh Helleborous are now on the list, ready to plant out now for a flower show this winter. We have the first few niger and orientalis on the list now as well as some strong chunky foetidus and argutifolius. Ajuga's are looking great, bold fresh foliage and the odd bud appearing on Burgundy Glow. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.