Hairy strategy

Hi 

Sales are still bowling along leaving us precious little time to get on with the potting. A good problem to have for the cashflow but the mounting stock of modules now on site is scary. It's that time of year when major quantities of young plant stock arrive for next spring's sales as well as a few still coming in for the late summer and autumn. This week was our biggest single input week with nearly 70,000 plants arriving and not enough space ready to put them down. Luckily the few that got left on the trolleys for an extra day didn't suffer too much as the weather was so cool and dull! Every cloud and all that.

I had a visit from a student from Sparsholt College who was having to prepare some work about nursery business strategies and was using our business as an example. Apparently some businesses actually have a planned strategy, do research and apply it to their future development. It is not something I had ever really thought about before, we certainly never discussed any sort of plan before it all sort of falls into shape. During the discussion it did become obvious we did have a strategy, even if we didn't recognise it as such, and that's why we have ended up where we are, so far away from 'the norm'. To save myself from getting bored I always like to have a project in mind for the next little development within the business, so each year we hopefully improve and move a little further forward. Having set out on our sustainable 'journey' so long ago that means we have had 16 years of little changes and improvements and now we find ourselves quite isolated from most other producers in what we produce. It has secured us a niche in the market which should see us in a safe position for a few years to come which is I suppose what a strategy is supposed to do. Unfortunately I forgot the 'making us rich' part within that strategy, perhaps I should have planned a bit more thoroughly.

I was in two minds as to the image to put on this week's email header, I had two beauties, one of our turbines fronted by a stunning wild flower headland in full bloom, or a reproduction greenstone axe head (as used and traded as treasure by stone age people). Having searched for possible sources of Cornish greenstone axes for years while on holiday, this is a really exciting result, honest. It was fashioned from a Perranthenoe beach pebble (looked grey/white before). Well it takes all sorts. Big thanks to our archaeologist Brian for creating this stunner. Perhaps the wild flowers might make it next week.

Availability list.

Digitalis Dottie is a very compact range of foxgloves, even shorter than the Dalmation series and coming into bud now. We are trying out another new range of Coreopsis this summer. Three colour forms of Coreopsis Uptick, strong, compact and bushy with bright standout flowers. With such a long flowering period it looks like a winner to me. Fresh crops of Erigeron karv. Stallone with its tiny multicolour daisy flowers that come all summer long are back on the list.

Salvia's of all sorts are now growing strongly and producing the first of many flowers. Sanguisorba Tanna is throwing up lots of bud. Attractive foliage and subtle flowers make it a classic garden plant. Sunshine yellow flowers of Euryops chrysanthemoides are beginning to open, another all summer performer. Masses of bud and colour to come with the Bidens summer range. Already making an eye catching show they look fab.

The earliest batches of Dianthus are producing flower stems and tight bud. All are scented varieties and very bushy. The hardy Osteospermum Tresco Purple are in bud. Excellent bushy stock with buds fattening. Armeria Dreameria series of long season flowering Armerias are now showing their first colour with loads more to come. No white this year but a series of three pretty different pinks making a delightful show. The more standard classic Sea Thrift Armeria maritima are also showing bud too above fresh new growth.

Nemesia Wisley Vanilla is back on the list and in flower. Delightful heady vanilla scent as you walk anywhere near it. The compact Achillea Milly Rock series are now in bud. Strong growers but short in stature. Summer colour is on its way with the Gaura range doing it's thing. Hoping to have a good run of availability over the next few months but they are selling so fast there may be the odd short break.

The Gaillardia Guapa series we are trying out are looking great. Strong and compact the first buds are already out. Many of the Leucanthemums are coming into strong bud now. The scrambling Campanula posharskyana is chunky and now producing plenty of bud and Campanula carpatica has its first buds appearing. The Balloon Flower Platycodon Twinkle Blue is now well into bud with the odd flash of colour, Twinkle White is close behind.

Rhodanthemum's are also in bud, ready to flower all summer long.

We have short bushy Erysimum Cheers Florange in bud, a clear pale orange flower, really attractive and scented. Multiple Hosta varieties are looking great. All propagated in our own micro-prop lab, we have a super selection. Favourite border classics Verbena bonariensis and Lollipop are back on line. I have several batches on the way so we can keep the plant size in the pot manageable.

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.