Morning all,
Not sure about my thoughts for this week. Still plenty of good looking stuff to sell and sales are still bowling along nicely. The weather has calmed down a bit which makes life easier on the nursery and we have buckets of fresh raspberries. One of my highlights of the year is a lunchtime treat of fresh raspberries eaten with Green and Blacks dark chocolate chunks, mmmm. Unfortunately I’m feeling a bit anxious about the implications of the Budget disclosures earlier in the week. As one of those exploitative nasty employers paying low wages we look like being hit pretty hard by the new national living wage over the next few years, on top of the new pension charges set to hit us in the next 18 months. I’m not sure at the moment quite what the full effect will be but with such a labour intensive set up as ours some things are going to have to change over that time. The new rates will see many of the lowest wages rise by 10% each year over the next 4 years. This will surely hit hard areas like care industries, veg and fruit picking, retailing and hospitality workers and although I love to see people being paid sensible wages I wonder where the money is going to come from to cover it. Some must be funded by higher prices and others by higher costs to organisations like the NHS and local authorities who are hardly flush at the moment. Rather quietly the zero carbon emission target for new house builds had been dropped by the new government saving an estimated £2,500 per property. A small initial saving with long term effects and a big opportunity missed at a time when large scale house building is set to be encouraged. With luck I’ll be gone before the shit really hits the fan, so why am I so cross? I struggled to the summon the enthusiasm to buy my food rations for the week this morning, as their didn’t seem much point, but I was brought back to earth with a bump as Caroline rolled her eyes in my direction from the other side of the trolley. I thoughtfully rolled them back and made my selection, 7 bars of Green and Blacks.
Well done to Neil Grant (young trendy garden centre star) for winning the Observers Small Business Leader 2015 and our Elaine for sticking it out here for nearly 30 years despite the poor pay and regular beatings.
Availability highlights
Purple spikes of Liatris are now showing colour, bushy and strong but not very many left.Fresh batches of Echinacea now coming on stream, plenty of bud coming on the Pow Wow varieties, Cheyenne Spirit and Prairie Splendour. Flavour of the month it seems. Lovely compact plants of Verbena Lollipop now showing colour. Eucomis autumnalis coming into bud and flower now, a compact summer display of its delightful pale yellow columnar flower spikes.The summer flower stems of the Crocosmia are now emerging, pushed on by the higher temperatures. Lucifer has the best scarlet colour making it the most popular although it does get very tall in the pot, Emberglow is tidier yet still impressive. Golden forms of George Davidson and Sunglow now also showing bud. Summer colour from the Lobelia Fan series already just showing. Burgundy is stonkingly bushy and a great colour. The pastel yellows and oranges of Kniphofia Flamenco are showing nicely but not many left.Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, lots of bud coming and some blue flowers open. The popular dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit is in bud now (isn’t there a film out again?) The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with colour showing on many. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic cottage garden flowers. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud and flower.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue, white and posharskyana) The hardy Fuchsias are producing their seemingly endless supply of bud and flower. Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant, colour on the Sunfire and plenty of bud on the feathery leaved golden flowered Zagreb and the lovely pale yellow Moonshine. Just a few Sunray left but with masses of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud and flower are our great range of Leucanthemums. All are now showing colour, all stonkingly bushy plants. Banana Creme has very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 13 July 2015
Monday, 6 July 2015
Hot and Hairy
Morning all,
Phew, that was a hot one.
Had to apply some basic physics principles to the despatch tunnel this week to keep everyone on their feet. Despite doors, open net sides and shade all over the place we still had a significant heat build up but this week I finally bit the bullet and created two new ‘windows’ above the door height, as high as I could get them. Releasing the heat collecting under the roof just made such a huge difference, now I’m cross with myself that I hadn’t done it before.
Still lots of plants finding new homes which is great, fresh stock still coming on line to keep up the summer and autumn interest. We have a few new lines coming along very soon, some small hardy garden chrysanthemums which will be in bud and flower, new asters and more autumn/winter flowering cyclamen. Months of interest and sales to come!
We have started to clear out a few tunnels now, ready for fitting in next year’s stock. It’s great to see a cleaned up tunnel but it’s always quite difficult throwing away and composting the last few plants in a batch although if they look colourful and half decent they usually find their way to a local fete or good cause. Some plants will trim back and come again, bushier than ever but many are just better started afresh. Sods Law always dictates that as soon as I have made the decision to compost a batch a landscape order comes in wanting just that item, but if we are not careful we can end up with bits and pieces hanging about all over the place and when we are growing over 450 varieties it doesn’t take much of each to fill quite a few tunnels.
Cooler next week which is a big relief to me, I’m hopeless in the heat. Ok I know, not much good in the cold either.
Afternoon off now, so I can pop up to the ‘new’ wood at the top of our hill and collect seed heads from the wild primroses we planted there 15 years ago. Then a nice bit of evening sowing to get this crop going for next spring. I got fed up with the rather artificial looking ‘wild’ primroses we were getting delivered by various seedling suppliers.
Availability highlights
Fresh batches of Echinacea now coming on stream, plenty of bud coming on the Pow Wow varieties, Cheyenne Spirit and Prairie Splendour. Flavour of the month it seems.
Lovely compact plants of Verbena Lollipop now showing colour. Our taller variety V. bonariensis is short and chunky at the moment, just too tall for us to flower in the pot but a stunner in the garden.
Eucomis autumnalis coming into bud now, a compact summer display of its delightful pale yellow columnar flower spikes.The summer flower stems of the Crocosmia are now emerging, pushed on by the high temperatures. Lucifer has the best scarlet colour making it the most popular although it does get very tall in the pot, Emberglow is tidier yet still impressive. Summer colour from the Lobelia Fan series already just showing. Burgundy is stonkingly bushy and a great colour.The pastel yellows and oranges of Kniphofia Flamenco are showing nicely but not many left.
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and some blue flowers opening. The popular dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit is in bud now (isn’t there a film out again?)
The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with colour showing on many. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic cottage garden flowers. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud and flower.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue, white and posharskyana)
The hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of bud and flower.
Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant, colour on the Sunfire and plenty of bud on the feathery leaved golden flowered Zagreb and the lovely pale yellow Moonshine. Just a few Sunray left but with masses of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud and flower are our great range of Leucanthemums. Snow Lady and Lacrosse have flowers now open. All stonkingly bushy plants, Banana Creme has masses of bud, very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Last few plants of the pale yellow Real Dream left to whoever is quickest. Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now. The dwarf dark red, Pardon Me looks fab.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Phew, that was a hot one.
Had to apply some basic physics principles to the despatch tunnel this week to keep everyone on their feet. Despite doors, open net sides and shade all over the place we still had a significant heat build up but this week I finally bit the bullet and created two new ‘windows’ above the door height, as high as I could get them. Releasing the heat collecting under the roof just made such a huge difference, now I’m cross with myself that I hadn’t done it before.
Still lots of plants finding new homes which is great, fresh stock still coming on line to keep up the summer and autumn interest. We have a few new lines coming along very soon, some small hardy garden chrysanthemums which will be in bud and flower, new asters and more autumn/winter flowering cyclamen. Months of interest and sales to come!
We have started to clear out a few tunnels now, ready for fitting in next year’s stock. It’s great to see a cleaned up tunnel but it’s always quite difficult throwing away and composting the last few plants in a batch although if they look colourful and half decent they usually find their way to a local fete or good cause. Some plants will trim back and come again, bushier than ever but many are just better started afresh. Sods Law always dictates that as soon as I have made the decision to compost a batch a landscape order comes in wanting just that item, but if we are not careful we can end up with bits and pieces hanging about all over the place and when we are growing over 450 varieties it doesn’t take much of each to fill quite a few tunnels.
Cooler next week which is a big relief to me, I’m hopeless in the heat. Ok I know, not much good in the cold either.
Afternoon off now, so I can pop up to the ‘new’ wood at the top of our hill and collect seed heads from the wild primroses we planted there 15 years ago. Then a nice bit of evening sowing to get this crop going for next spring. I got fed up with the rather artificial looking ‘wild’ primroses we were getting delivered by various seedling suppliers.
Availability highlights
Fresh batches of Echinacea now coming on stream, plenty of bud coming on the Pow Wow varieties, Cheyenne Spirit and Prairie Splendour. Flavour of the month it seems.
Lovely compact plants of Verbena Lollipop now showing colour. Our taller variety V. bonariensis is short and chunky at the moment, just too tall for us to flower in the pot but a stunner in the garden.
Eucomis autumnalis coming into bud now, a compact summer display of its delightful pale yellow columnar flower spikes.The summer flower stems of the Crocosmia are now emerging, pushed on by the high temperatures. Lucifer has the best scarlet colour making it the most popular although it does get very tall in the pot, Emberglow is tidier yet still impressive. Summer colour from the Lobelia Fan series already just showing. Burgundy is stonkingly bushy and a great colour.The pastel yellows and oranges of Kniphofia Flamenco are showing nicely but not many left.
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and some blue flowers opening. The popular dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit is in bud now (isn’t there a film out again?)
The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with colour showing on many. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic cottage garden flowers. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud and flower.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue, white and posharskyana)
The hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of bud and flower.
Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant, colour on the Sunfire and plenty of bud on the feathery leaved golden flowered Zagreb and the lovely pale yellow Moonshine. Just a few Sunray left but with masses of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud and flower are our great range of Leucanthemums. Snow Lady and Lacrosse have flowers now open. All stonkingly bushy plants, Banana Creme has masses of bud, very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Last few plants of the pale yellow Real Dream left to whoever is quickest. Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now. The dwarf dark red, Pardon Me looks fab.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 29 June 2015
Hairy and Ancient
Morning all,
Still plenty of colour and fab looking stock so definitely don’t hold back!
That was a heck of a week. Mega party weekend preceded the National Plant Show set up on Monday and then two nights away and two days of chat and enthusiasm. Not sure which was most exhausting, probably the over excited sustained enthusiasm. Loads of orders on the nursery on top of everything else, even before any new customers and piles of young plants coming in for next year’s output. By the time I got to Thursday evening I wasn’t really sure if I was coming or going, but now the weekend is here I can pause gather my thoughts and breathe again.Naturally the highlight was meeting all our lovely customers at the show and pressing the flesh with prospective new ones who might be reading this pap for the first time, so hello to you all, and on with the important stuff.
The combined emotional impact of such an intensive week is scary, you can see how some less lucky souls might throw a bit of a wobbly. Luckily the combination of friends and family scattered through it all kept my feet reasonably close to the ground. The weekend saw 90th birthday lunch, 25th wedding anniversary and 21st birthday feast and dancing and Sunday drinks with the villagers. Excesses all over the place and very achy legs for the next day or two after serious dad dancing by many aging souls. I must have caught the sun too because something gave me a pretty sore head along the way. For the few days of the plant show we were lucky enough to stay with friends nearby, very relaxed with fantastic home cooking and challenging entertainment thrown in. I am now initiated in the basics of discoidal technology and very excited about it too! Our host and tame archaeologist has located a very rare site nearby with what he believes to be a collection of very old scattered flint cores, flakes and tools, but not ‘modern’ new (5,000 years ago) and middle stone age stuff (7,000+ years ago), which he has already recorded, this is pre-human Neanderthal kit (40,000+ years). The flint is knapped using different techniques (discoidal) and has a deep patina quite different from the ‘new’ stuff. Handling these artefacts is just mind blowing, what a lucky chap I bet you’re thinking. Let’s hope our technology keeps us going as long as flint did.
Back up to date with our current availability highlights
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and a some blue flowers opening. The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers.
Our dwarf strong pink Verbascum Pink Kisses are looking great, showing colour and loads of bud coming too. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud. Veronica have colour showing now. Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud and showing colour, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers.
The short Campanula's are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue and posharskyana) Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds. Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant, colour on the Sunfire and plenty of bud on Zagreb and the lovely pale yellow Moonshine. A few Sunray left with masses of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls. Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums Snow Lady and Lacrosse have flowers now opening. All stonkingly bushy plants, Banana Creme has masses of bud, very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our lovely short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show. Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come. Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too. Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Still plenty of colour and fab looking stock so definitely don’t hold back!
That was a heck of a week. Mega party weekend preceded the National Plant Show set up on Monday and then two nights away and two days of chat and enthusiasm. Not sure which was most exhausting, probably the over excited sustained enthusiasm. Loads of orders on the nursery on top of everything else, even before any new customers and piles of young plants coming in for next year’s output. By the time I got to Thursday evening I wasn’t really sure if I was coming or going, but now the weekend is here I can pause gather my thoughts and breathe again.Naturally the highlight was meeting all our lovely customers at the show and pressing the flesh with prospective new ones who might be reading this pap for the first time, so hello to you all, and on with the important stuff.
The combined emotional impact of such an intensive week is scary, you can see how some less lucky souls might throw a bit of a wobbly. Luckily the combination of friends and family scattered through it all kept my feet reasonably close to the ground. The weekend saw 90th birthday lunch, 25th wedding anniversary and 21st birthday feast and dancing and Sunday drinks with the villagers. Excesses all over the place and very achy legs for the next day or two after serious dad dancing by many aging souls. I must have caught the sun too because something gave me a pretty sore head along the way. For the few days of the plant show we were lucky enough to stay with friends nearby, very relaxed with fantastic home cooking and challenging entertainment thrown in. I am now initiated in the basics of discoidal technology and very excited about it too! Our host and tame archaeologist has located a very rare site nearby with what he believes to be a collection of very old scattered flint cores, flakes and tools, but not ‘modern’ new (5,000 years ago) and middle stone age stuff (7,000+ years ago), which he has already recorded, this is pre-human Neanderthal kit (40,000+ years). The flint is knapped using different techniques (discoidal) and has a deep patina quite different from the ‘new’ stuff. Handling these artefacts is just mind blowing, what a lucky chap I bet you’re thinking. Let’s hope our technology keeps us going as long as flint did.
Back up to date with our current availability highlights
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and a some blue flowers opening. The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers.
Our dwarf strong pink Verbascum Pink Kisses are looking great, showing colour and loads of bud coming too. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud. Veronica have colour showing now. Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud and showing colour, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers.
The short Campanula's are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue and posharskyana) Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds. Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant, colour on the Sunfire and plenty of bud on Zagreb and the lovely pale yellow Moonshine. A few Sunray left with masses of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls. Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums Snow Lady and Lacrosse have flowers now opening. All stonkingly bushy plants, Banana Creme has masses of bud, very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our lovely short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show. Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come. Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too. Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 22 June 2015
Hairy Show
Morning all,
Still plenty of colour and fab looking stock so definitely don’t hold back!
Even more hectic this week. Not only lots of lovely orders but several fetes to sort out, more young plants arriving, Caroline’s dads 90th lunch to prepare (120 close friends around), Richard & Pollyann’s 25th Anniversary bash to dad dance at and the National Plant Show to prepare for. Nothing like a bit of pressure to get you going! We knocked up a border style display of flowering stuff at the party marquee entrance last night so everyone will get a dose of hairy pots on entry just before the far less welcome glass of lemonade. There’s been quite a build up to this weekend and I’m sure everyone else is far better prepared than me, I have just an hour or two before getting tarted up and I’m not even sure I can still get in my suit. It is so old I’m told the style has come back in fashion, and any way the retro look is always trendy isn’t it?
So we are setting up our stand on Monday for The National Plant Show which runs over Tuesday and Wednesday, not much to do there either. Plants are ready but couldn’t start our printing catalogues until the updated logo came through for our 2015 Carbon Smart Gold Award on Thursday so still got a few of those to feed through the printer and hand tie across the thighs of Hampshire maidens. The old ways are the best. Casually slipped in there that we got our third Carbon Smart Gold Award did you notice that, very pleased, nice to get noticed sometimes.
That’s it, must get the printer going then get cleaned up and prepare to be jolly, it’s a tough life. Maybe see some of you at the show next week.
Availability highlights
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and a some blue flowers opening. The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud.
Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic growth, lots of bud and a first taste of colour. Don’t miss these beauties. Purple, Purple Eye and White Eye are the first three showing actual colour in the bud and the others are close behind. Veronica buds on lovely compact plants and colour beginning to show.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers in a great colour range. We lots of Achillea varieties this year, with flower shoots and buds most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact and showing plenty of colour, the others are less compact but all are really strong plants. The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue and posharskyana) Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds.Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant especially the Sunfire. The odd open flower and loads of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classic Snow Lady. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each. Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream and Banana Creme both carry very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our lovely short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show.Astilbes all have masses of bud showing with some just beginning to open. Dark red (Fanal) and dark pink (Rhienland). Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers. A new Eupatorium (Baby Jo) for us this year, strong compact growth and now showing bud. Not many left. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Still plenty of colour and fab looking stock so definitely don’t hold back!
Even more hectic this week. Not only lots of lovely orders but several fetes to sort out, more young plants arriving, Caroline’s dads 90th lunch to prepare (120 close friends around), Richard & Pollyann’s 25th Anniversary bash to dad dance at and the National Plant Show to prepare for. Nothing like a bit of pressure to get you going! We knocked up a border style display of flowering stuff at the party marquee entrance last night so everyone will get a dose of hairy pots on entry just before the far less welcome glass of lemonade. There’s been quite a build up to this weekend and I’m sure everyone else is far better prepared than me, I have just an hour or two before getting tarted up and I’m not even sure I can still get in my suit. It is so old I’m told the style has come back in fashion, and any way the retro look is always trendy isn’t it?
So we are setting up our stand on Monday for The National Plant Show which runs over Tuesday and Wednesday, not much to do there either. Plants are ready but couldn’t start our printing catalogues until the updated logo came through for our 2015 Carbon Smart Gold Award on Thursday so still got a few of those to feed through the printer and hand tie across the thighs of Hampshire maidens. The old ways are the best. Casually slipped in there that we got our third Carbon Smart Gold Award did you notice that, very pleased, nice to get noticed sometimes.
That’s it, must get the printer going then get cleaned up and prepare to be jolly, it’s a tough life. Maybe see some of you at the show next week.
Availability highlights
Don’t miss out on a great fresh crop of Geranium Black Beauty, masses of bud coming and a some blue flowers opening. The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus shooting all over the place with masses of bud.
Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic growth, lots of bud and a first taste of colour. Don’t miss these beauties. Purple, Purple Eye and White Eye are the first three showing actual colour in the bud and the others are close behind. Veronica buds on lovely compact plants and colour beginning to show.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold very quickly last year so took a gamble on extra this year, don’t miss out. Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers in a great colour range. We lots of Achillea varieties this year, with flower shoots and buds most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact and showing plenty of colour, the others are less compact but all are really strong plants. The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue and posharskyana) Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds.Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant especially the Sunfire. The odd open flower and loads of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classic Snow Lady. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each. Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream and Banana Creme both carry very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our lovely short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show.Astilbes all have masses of bud showing with some just beginning to open. Dark red (Fanal) and dark pink (Rhienland). Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers. A new Eupatorium (Baby Jo) for us this year, strong compact growth and now showing bud. Not many left. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 15 June 2015
Hairy Righthand Star
Morning all,
Very busy still which is great. Slightly scary that next year’s plants are arriving already, looking to be fed and nurtured through the seasons until a sales opportunity arrives. Slight hiccup this week when the big van windscreen needed replacing after getting walloped by something while out on deliveries. Luckily much of the cost is covered on the insurance and the replacement went pretty smoothly once we had limped home. Despite the initial panic that wells up in me when something like happens, it turned out to be quite a reassuring exercise. We were reminded by AutoGlass of the clever construction of windscreens nowadays, two layers of glass sandwiching a sheet of plastic results in a screen that very rarely fall’s out when broken. Much safer and more practical so well done all you windscreen manufacturers out there (who I’m sure regularly read this guff).
Village barn dance tonight. Not an event I feel I ought to look forward to with my universal desire not to do what everyone else does. The thought of regimented dance routines generally sends shudders down my spine but I have to admit they are usually chaotic enough to be good fun, especially if like me and you are not afraid of everyone laughing at you!
Availability highlights
Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic growth, lots of bud and a first taste of colour. Don’t miss these beauties.Purple, Purple Eye and White Eye are the first three showing actual colour in the bud and the others are close behind. Veronica buds are appearing on lovely compact plants and colour beginning to show.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold out very quickly last year, but took a gamble on extra this year so don’t miss out.
Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers in a great colour range. We lots of Achillea varieties this year, with flower shoots and buds most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact and showing plenty of colour, the others are fairly compact but not quite as ground hugging. All monster plants.
The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue, carpatica white and posharskyana)
Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds.
The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers.Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant especially the Sunfire. The odd open flower and loads of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classics of Snow Lady and Silver Princess. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each, Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream and Banana Creme both carry very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our nice short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show. The dwarf upright Polemonium Bambino Blue is now in bud, blue flowers now showing well.
Fabulous crops of Gallery Lupins, Delpiniums on stream for just a few more weeks.
Astilbes all have masses of bud showing with some just beginning to open. Dark red (Fanal), white (Deutschland), dark pink (Rhienland) and delightful pale pink of Peach Blossom.
Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers.Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus with lots of bud.
A new Eupatorium (Baby Jo) for us this year, strong compact growth and now showing bud. Not many left. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Very busy still which is great. Slightly scary that next year’s plants are arriving already, looking to be fed and nurtured through the seasons until a sales opportunity arrives. Slight hiccup this week when the big van windscreen needed replacing after getting walloped by something while out on deliveries. Luckily much of the cost is covered on the insurance and the replacement went pretty smoothly once we had limped home. Despite the initial panic that wells up in me when something like happens, it turned out to be quite a reassuring exercise. We were reminded by AutoGlass of the clever construction of windscreens nowadays, two layers of glass sandwiching a sheet of plastic results in a screen that very rarely fall’s out when broken. Much safer and more practical so well done all you windscreen manufacturers out there (who I’m sure regularly read this guff).
Village barn dance tonight. Not an event I feel I ought to look forward to with my universal desire not to do what everyone else does. The thought of regimented dance routines generally sends shudders down my spine but I have to admit they are usually chaotic enough to be good fun, especially if like me and you are not afraid of everyone laughing at you!
Availability highlights
Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic growth, lots of bud and a first taste of colour. Don’t miss these beauties.Purple, Purple Eye and White Eye are the first three showing actual colour in the bud and the others are close behind. Veronica buds are appearing on lovely compact plants and colour beginning to show.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems and buds appearing on both colours. Very attractive plants and very popular when buds and flower are showing. Sold out very quickly last year, but took a gamble on extra this year so don’t miss out.
Digitalis Dalmatian varieties all now in bud, strong compact plants with spotted foxglove flowers in a great colour range. We lots of Achillea varieties this year, with flower shoots and buds most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact and showing plenty of colour, the others are fairly compact but not quite as ground hugging. All monster plants.
The short Campanulas are in bud, a real taste of summer (carpatica blue, carpatica white and posharskyana)
Our hardy Fuchsias are just beginning to produce their seemingly endless supply of buds.
The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers.Summer sunshine in a pot, Coreopsis are looking brilliant especially the Sunfire. The odd open flower and loads of bud. Stunning amounts of bud and flower on both Oxalis varieties, great pot fulls.
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classics of Snow Lady and Silver Princess. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each, Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream and Banana Creme both carry very attractive large daisy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Our Daylily range is throwing up its flower shoots now, summer must be just round the corner. Loads of Hemerocallis Black Prince this year, but likely to still disappear fast so don’t dither, get it quick!
Our nice short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show. The dwarf upright Polemonium Bambino Blue is now in bud, blue flowers now showing well.
Fabulous crops of Gallery Lupins, Delpiniums on stream for just a few more weeks.
Astilbes all have masses of bud showing with some just beginning to open. Dark red (Fanal), white (Deutschland), dark pink (Rhienland) and delightful pale pink of Peach Blossom.
Great ground cover plants in a good range, the Ajugas are topping their lovely foliage display with their late spring flowers.Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus with lots of bud.
A new Eupatorium (Baby Jo) for us this year, strong compact growth and now showing bud. Not many left. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of flower colour to come.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 8 June 2015
Hairy Luck
Morning all,
Plenty of great looking stock so don’t hold back!
Another very busy week with a few extra challenges thrown in. My computer has been going on a steady decline so I updated it with a newer version earlier in the week, same model just a bit quicker and bigger storage. Usual easy change-over of course, no issues with any of the old programmes we use! Sod all works at the moment. After a long week I gave up in a huff last night only to step outside the office and get deposited on by a passing bird. Caroline seemed to think this was lucky, I’m not so sure, I had already washed my hair this month and it was back to square one. Luckily I bounced back later after a couple of glasses of Bath Ales Dark Side (like barbequed Guinness) and the loud output from the new Virgil and the Accelerators CD (went to see them last Sunday).
We had our quarterly NBIS (Nursery business improvement scheme) meeting last week with a trip to the excellent David Millais rhododendron nursery. A lovely site with a fantastically efficient small nursery unit on it, quite a few new ideas to bring home, spend money on and develop our own enterprise to the next level. It never ends all this improvement stuff and it always seems to be that thing of investing more now to save later! One encouraging aspect was that everyone in the group was feeling a bit more positive than in recent years after a good spring, but margins are still so tight and there is already a feeling of ‘what if’ for next year so I don’t think there will be too much expansion going on. Caution seemed to be the general feeling, with doubts about the directions plant sales are going in, as the markets continue to change. An exciting and challenging time for all.
Availability highlights
We have several more Veronica’s this season which are looking fab, Buds are appearing on nice compact plants although not sure yet how long before the colour appears. The best varieties are Inspire Blue (very blue), Red Fox (deep pink/red) and Baby Doll (lovely flouncy pink and short!).
The Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic bushy growth and lots of bud now beginning to show.
Delightful Catananche looking lush with flower stems appearing on the white form and stirrings of activity in the blue. We lots of Achillea varieties this year, with flower shoots and buds most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact and showing a bit of colour, the others are fairly compact but not quite as ground hugging. All monster plants,
A new crop for this spring is Digitalis Silver Fox. Lovely silver/grey foliage which is showing strong multiple flower shoots (white/cream flowered). It doesn’t get too tall and looks perfect just now but not a huge number left.
The Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are beginning to bud up nicely with the odd open flower. Most of the varieties we grow have a delicious scent, classic garden flowers. Incarvillea has suddenly leapt out of the compost and started producing flower shoots and colour. Exotic in appearance.
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classics of Snow Lady and Silver Princess. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each, Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream and Banana Creme all carry very attractive large dasy flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow.
Our nice short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show. Salvia’s Sensation Blue and Sensation Rose are producing strong bud and good colour.
The dwarf upright Polemonium Bambino Blue is now in bud, the odd bold blue flower showing.
Fabulous crops of Gallery Lupins, Delpiniums and Digitalis Dalmation will be on stream for just a few more weeks. Astilbes all have masses of bud showing with some just beginning to open. Dark red (Fanal), white (Deutschland), dark pink (Rhienland) and delightful pale pink of Peach Blossom.
Geum’s are in bud and flower, Lady Stratheden and Mrs Bradshaw have buds and flowers opening on strong stems looking fantastic. The dwarf orange Koi is in colour and a fresh chunky batch of Queen of Orange is just budding up. Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus. Other Erigerons are approaching flowering too.
Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of colour to follow.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. The Basils are starting now as the temperature begins to rise. Lavenders are coming into bud, and some of the pretty and tasty thymes too.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 1 June 2015
Airy Hairy
Morning all,
Still plenty of fabulous stock coming along this week, so still not much room for rambling again this week.
Looks like it’s going to warm up a bit later next week which should bring out a bit of colour and hopefully the wallets. Birthday celebrations for Caroline went well, just finished wading through the Danish pastries left over from the big day. Went out for a pizza with some friends on the day and there’s still birthday tea to come with all the family on Sunday. I did better than spinach this year, I succumbed to years of pressure and gave her the latest i-spinach, or something like that. The nursery continues to whizz along, lots of sales, still potting and already getting the stock started for next year’s sales. It’s certainly all go. At least the run of bank holidays has come to an end and we can get back to fitting it all in over a full week rather that a short one, that will leave the two of us to do a bit less over the weekends and maybe even take a day off. Actually we did take a few hours off last Sunday for an emergency retail thrash, I sadly lost my favourite most comfy work trousers when my toe caught one of the numerous holes and ripped a huge gash rendering them unwearable. I know Caroline thought them overly shabby before but I like a bit of character in my workwear and although possibly a little too much flesh was on show they did the job. Needless to say the opportunity was not missed to pick up other essentials but with my March birthday vouchers in hand it shouldn’t have proved too costly. I got the coffees in while C paid, she was chuffed to bits at all the ‘offers’ and savings she made but slightly embarrassed at the sight of the vouchers still in her purse afterwards. Just wait it’ll happen to you all!
Availability highlights
We have a lot more Achillea varieties this year, there are flower shoots and buds on most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact, the others are short but not quite as ground hugging. All monster plants,
A new crop for this spring is Digitalis Silver Fox. Lovely silver/grey foliage which is showing strong multiple flower shoots (white flowered). It doesn’t get too tall and looks perfect just now, although not a huge number left.Incarvillea has suddenly leapt out of the compost and started producing flower shoots and colour. Exotic in appearance. Candelabra primulas (x bullesiana) in bud, Mixed colours putting on a lovely show but needs a damp planting spot. Just a few Stokesia left in bud. The big flowers always surprise me on such short plants. (Memory of a goldfish)
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classics of Snow Lady and Silver Princess. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each, Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream, Banana Creme and Broadway Lights all carry very attractive flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Our nice short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show.
One of Carolines favourites is Sea Lavender (Limonium) which often gets overlooked. Perhaps just too subtle for some, but it has lovely reddening foliage as it ages as well as it’s wafty summer flowers. Just throwing up its flower shoots now. Salvia’s Sensation Blue and Sensation Rose are producing strong bud and good colour.
The dwarf upright Polemonium Bambino Blue is now in bud, the odd bold blue flower showing. Fabulous crops of Gallery Lupins, Delpiniums and Digitalis Dalmation will be on stream for just a few more weeks. Hollyhocks (Alcea) are also strong and bushy, ideal condition to sell and plant before they shoot for the stars.
Astilbes all have masses of tight bud showing, Dark red (Fanal), white (Deutschland), dark pink (Rhienland) and delightful pale pink of Peach Blossom. Geum’s are in bud and flower, Koi is particularly floriferous at the moment with its short stemmed orange blooms.
We have several more Veronica’s this season which are looking fab, Buds are appearing on nice compact plants, Inspire Blue (very blue), Red Fox (deep pink/red) and Baby Doll (lovely flouncy pink and short!).
Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus. This year’s crop is much bigger and we have several batches to see us through the next couple of months. Other Erigerons are approaching flowering. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of colour to follow. The Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic bushy growth and lots of bud now beginning to show.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. Still not warm enough yet for those basil plants, they really need some warmth to get going, looks like they might start in another week..
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Still plenty of fabulous stock coming along this week, so still not much room for rambling again this week.
Looks like it’s going to warm up a bit later next week which should bring out a bit of colour and hopefully the wallets. Birthday celebrations for Caroline went well, just finished wading through the Danish pastries left over from the big day. Went out for a pizza with some friends on the day and there’s still birthday tea to come with all the family on Sunday. I did better than spinach this year, I succumbed to years of pressure and gave her the latest i-spinach, or something like that. The nursery continues to whizz along, lots of sales, still potting and already getting the stock started for next year’s sales. It’s certainly all go. At least the run of bank holidays has come to an end and we can get back to fitting it all in over a full week rather that a short one, that will leave the two of us to do a bit less over the weekends and maybe even take a day off. Actually we did take a few hours off last Sunday for an emergency retail thrash, I sadly lost my favourite most comfy work trousers when my toe caught one of the numerous holes and ripped a huge gash rendering them unwearable. I know Caroline thought them overly shabby before but I like a bit of character in my workwear and although possibly a little too much flesh was on show they did the job. Needless to say the opportunity was not missed to pick up other essentials but with my March birthday vouchers in hand it shouldn’t have proved too costly. I got the coffees in while C paid, she was chuffed to bits at all the ‘offers’ and savings she made but slightly embarrassed at the sight of the vouchers still in her purse afterwards. Just wait it’ll happen to you all!
Availability highlights
We have a lot more Achillea varieties this year, there are flower shoots and buds on most. The lovely Desert Eve range are very compact, the others are short but not quite as ground hugging. All monster plants,
A new crop for this spring is Digitalis Silver Fox. Lovely silver/grey foliage which is showing strong multiple flower shoots (white flowered). It doesn’t get too tall and looks perfect just now, although not a huge number left.Incarvillea has suddenly leapt out of the compost and started producing flower shoots and colour. Exotic in appearance. Candelabra primulas (x bullesiana) in bud, Mixed colours putting on a lovely show but needs a damp planting spot. Just a few Stokesia left in bud. The big flowers always surprise me on such short plants. (Memory of a goldfish)
Just coming into bud are our great range of Leucanthemums. Several varieties this year running alongside the ever popular dwarf classics of Snow Lady and Silver Princess. All stonkingly bushy plants, Lacrosse has pretty white petals with a little spoon shape on the end of each, Sante is a stunningly frilly double and Real Dream, Banana Creme and Broadway Lights all carry very attractive flowers of varying shades of cream/pale yellow. Our nice short Tiarella (Foam Flower) are showing plenty of bud and flower now, a very pretty cream show.
One of Carolines favourites is Sea Lavender (Limonium) which often gets overlooked. Perhaps just too subtle for some, but it has lovely reddening foliage as it ages as well as it’s wafty summer flowers. Just throwing up its flower shoots now. Salvia’s Sensation Blue and Sensation Rose are producing strong bud and good colour.
The dwarf upright Polemonium Bambino Blue is now in bud, the odd bold blue flower showing. Fabulous crops of Gallery Lupins, Delpiniums and Digitalis Dalmation will be on stream for just a few more weeks. Hollyhocks (Alcea) are also strong and bushy, ideal condition to sell and plant before they shoot for the stars.
Astilbes all have masses of tight bud showing, Dark red (Fanal), white (Deutschland), dark pink (Rhienland) and delightful pale pink of Peach Blossom. Geum’s are in bud and flower, Koi is particularly floriferous at the moment with its short stemmed orange blooms.
We have several more Veronica’s this season which are looking fab, Buds are appearing on nice compact plants, Inspire Blue (very blue), Red Fox (deep pink/red) and Baby Doll (lovely flouncy pink and short!).
Still plenty of fresh Erigeron karvinskianus. This year’s crop is much bigger and we have several batches to see us through the next couple of months. Other Erigerons are approaching flowering. Delightful little flowers of Erodium’s are showing well with months of colour to follow. The Phlox Flame varieties are showing fantastic bushy growth and lots of bud now beginning to show.
Herbs coming along nicely as the range begins to grow. Still not warm enough yet for those basil plants, they really need some warmth to get going, looks like they might start in another week..
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
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