Hairy and special

Hi

Looking forward to the spring, patience is a virtue and all that. Still managing to fill the days very productively, it's steady but without those WOW weeks so far. Gilets, vests and coats are still order of the day although at least the rain has eased for a few days. Potting is rolling along as we keep the nursery topped up awaiting that burst of activity yet to appear. What we could really do with is a dollop of sunshine, I don't mind the cool but it has been so dull.

In the end it is probably just as well we aren't overrun, as the long term van invalid is still absent with no indication when it might return and another has been diagnosed with needing a replacement air suspension compressor. Not only is it a bit pricey but it isn't available for 2 or 3 weeks. It is currently now on light duties to keep it doing something. I always thought it would be a shortage of drivers that would mess up peak deliveries but we have plenty of them, just nothing to put them in. The worlds mission to scupper our attempts to run a marginally efficient nursery has added an extra complication with a lengthy delay on the delivery of our next container of coir pots. They usually come through the Suez canal and that stretch of water below it, where all the attacks on shipping have been happening. Consequently they have been diverted around the bottom of Africa which, due to the extra distance and general disruption to the shipping, has added weeks to the delivery date and a lot in extra costs. Luckily we always try to keep at least a containers worth in stock just in case of this sort of issue and if all goes to plan we should just about run out on the latest estimated delivery date. The little village production unit in Sri Lanka that makes our pots is ramping up production so they can send out future deliveries earlier while this situation continues, which is very understanding of them and we are very grateful for the efforts they go to for us.

Despatch this week has been full of fledgling robins hopping about and demanding attention from the parents. They are really sweet and a bit too distracting to maintain mega efficiency levels, but it did make everyone feel good which is great. We see a lot of amphibians on site, nothing very rare although a very healthy helpful population. but we rarely see a reptile. Last weekend Greg came rushing in with a bucket containing a medium sized slowworm he caught in the garden while doing his first mow of the season. He needed to move it safely out of the way, hence the bucket, but to be honest it was so lively I suspect it would have been fine. He saw one last year too, but his garden is a lot drier than the nursery and probably has a better habitat for that kind of thing as we have never seen one actually on our site. It just seemed so exotic.

Other recent wildlife appearances have been a bit less welcome with a massive amount of pigeon and rabbit damage. Our rabbit control has slipped a little and they are now well into the breeding season so they are all over the place, digging stuff up and chomping through their favourites. Most of the stock will grow back given a chance and we are hoping our favourite dispatcher will do his stuff this weekend and give us a fighting chance.

A reminder this week that a kind word can go a long way. I was at a brilliant dance freestyle at the Winchester Guildhall, where the done thing is to dance with lots of different partners, making the evening fun for all. For most of us chaps with a limited memory for moves (me), it means we avoid boring one partner by repeating the same thing over and again all evening, instead just dancing one or two songs which each. For the ladies it makes for a much more varied evening as each chap will have a different set of moves so they get masses of variety. We all have those partners we know we combine well with so we watch out for each other, but I do try and avoid dancing with them if they have just finished a turn with teacher Danny who is just from another dance planet. I collected one lady late in the evening and I mentioned that I didn't want Danny to have raised expectations before a turn round the floor with me, so I had delayed our dance. She said not to worry as I was a 'special' dancer, and there conversation finished as I can't talk and remember my moves at the same time! I have laughed to myself for weeks after, working out the different meanings that may have meant by that word 'special'.

Anyway keep up the good work out there, all you special plants people!

Availability list.

Scabiosa Flutter White and Flutter Rose Pink are budding well with the odd splash of colour too. Disappearing fast. Camassia Alba and the blue flowering Maybelle are both showing multiple buds. Maybelle is particularly good. Allium Cristophii and Purple Sensation are budding, but not many left now.

The scrambling Campanula posharskyana is chunky and now producing plenty of bud. Intense blue flowers on Lithodora Compact Blue are now opening. Phlox subulata varieites are producing bud and colour, a great early performer in a nice range of colours.

Multiple Hosta varieties are bursting through, with One Man's Treasure looking really smart with deep green leaves and very dark stems. All propagated in our own micro-prop lab, we have a great selection. Summer stars the Agapanthus are now making strong growth after their winter dormancy period. Lapis Lazuli is already producing buds.

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.