Hairy Flurry

Hi,

Spring seems to have burst forth this week with an ordering flurry. We have a lovely mild week generally, just about frost free and light on the wind and rain. Many plants are making an effort to look a bit more enthusiastic about making a show so the availability list is beginning to expand. A few more nearly made it but I'm holding off until I'm sure they are energetic enough. We cleared all the old foliage off the Pullsatilla varieties a couple of weeks ago and I can see big swelling buds pushing up already, very tempting to add them this week but another week or two and they will be irresistible.

Our new waste company provided a mix metal recycling skip a couple of weeks ago and we are very close to filling it. The collection of scrap we have been hoarding for years has finally been dealt with, creating a lovely clear space and hopefully a bit of income if all goes to plan. Just a quick hoover round the rest of the nursery for any metallic odds and ends to top off the skip and we will have a nice fresh start to the season.

CC trolleys had a pop-up exchange day at a local transport company so we exchanged the last of our shelf quota and took the opportunity to increase our long term contract volumes. An extra 25 trolleys and a few more shelves should give us a bit more leeway during those really busy weeks during peak season when all the stock seems to just evaporate. In theory we have one more van in the fleet this season so that will need extras, although the way things are going at the moment I'm not sure if that will actually happen. I'm hoping we are getting all the van chaos out of the way before we get too busy but at the moment it's one thing after another. One has been back for warranty work twice in one week and looks like it will have to go back next week for more., Another has been off ill all week, needs a new windshield, exhaust sensor and has it's MOT late next week. Fingers crossed it all pans out next week and we are up to full numbers again.

Being out in the sticks we get quite a few power cuts, especially when the storms roll in, but yesterday was beautifully mild, sunny and still, and right in the middle of the morning the whole village was cut off. An overhead cable had come down somehow and it had to be fixed. Initial estimates were a 5 hour break so it was over to the generator which has always been a great back up. Not this time. Bought new battery connectors and a new battery but it still wouldn't start. With some worrying smells emanating from the starter motor we abandoned our efforts and made do with cool coffee and handwriting out the order paperwork. It is quite scary with power, no phones, no computers, no printers, so it looks like we may have to get a new one to be sure of staying operational in the future. We will try and get it mended first but it does date from the 1960's so it has done pretty well really and I suspect parts may be an issue!

Lovely 65th birthday tea on Wednesday for Caroline's brother and 65th birthday pizza tonight for another friend. What is going on? How come we know so many old farts? Takes one to know one and all that.

Availability list.

Sown from self collected seed from our wood on top of the hill the wild Primula vulgaris are showing their first flowers. Cyclamen coum are already on the list and showing flower and bud. These will usually flower from October through until well into Spring, with a tasteful sprinkling of flowers rather than being drowned in them. There are flowers on most of the Helleborus niger varieties now.

New varieties of H. orientalis for us this season are Halcyon Early Dark Red and Halcyon White Spotted which have both surprised us by showing a few buds already. The Pretty Ellen series has also produced a few buds but not enough to say they officially in bud.

A few of the spring bulbs are starting to poke through now with both forms of the petticoat daffodil (Narsicus bulbocodium) already showing well and producing low down fat flower buds. Scilla mischtschenkoana is show good colour with a pale blue splash of brightness. Allium Purple Rain has made an appearance and looks full of promise. It emerges a few weeks before the ever popular Purple Sensation but is just as attractive. Allium christophii is up too.

We are not having much success with ordinary snowdrops, but the giant version (Leucojum) that sold out in a week last year are now shooting. We planted a lot more this year so should be plenty to go round. Ipheium foliage is also showing well although flowers will be a little way off yet. Tessa is off the list for a week or two while we deal with a hungry rabbit or two.

Fritillaria meleagris (Snakes head Lilly) has pushed through and will come into bud very soon. Just the first few up at the moment but if this mild weather keeps up we will have loads coming. Erysimum's are already looking perky with bud showing on many. A can't believe I'm thinking Spring is on its way. Pulmonaria are putting on a little spurt of fresh growth and buds are coming into view. 

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.