Hairy forecast

Hi,

The sun is out again which is such a contrast to the grey and wet we had yesterday. Bit nippy first thing but we can put up with that just to feel the warmth on our backs out there. A very positive weekend forecast, "not as wet and windy as the past few weekends" according to the BBC! Be thankful for small mercies.

A slightly quiet week on deliveries but it gave us a nice window to press on with the potting and other spring prep work. The mild weather is really bringing things on nicely, buds are swelling and new growth springing forth. It's so good to see in the sunshine and such a contrast to the doom and gloom in the news at the moment.

Supply anxiety started to creep in earlier in the week with stories of container ships not leaving China and so not calling in on places like Sri Lanka where our coir pots are made and coir ingredients for the compost produced. We are ok for the moment but a shortage of ships and container transport space could have big knock on effects further down the line if things go pear shaped on the virus front. Does a potential drop in people going out mean we should lower production numbers, which would help conserve material stock levels or do we chance it and press on? We are trying to be careful but when the sun comes out it is difficult to resist potting!

Exciting week coming up with the collection of the new little van on Monday. Nothing like spending loads of money is a period of potential mayhem! It's an investment they tell me. A bigger payload on this new one will mean more efficient deliveries, a cleaner engine means no Ad-blue needed to meet emission standards, a ramp built into the door means less to carry and go wrong, and a fractionally wider body means easier loading. A bargain really. Shame we couldn't go electric but not quite there yet on big vans.

Availability list highlights

A bit of a surprise this week with the Ipheion Alberto Castillo suddenly producing its first flush of bud. Simple bold white flowers on this long flowering stunner are a joy. Anemone blanda Blue and now White too are up and showing bud and the odd flash of colour. I don't have a huge number so

don't hold back. Looking fab and selling quick.

Polemonium Heaven Scent always puts on a great early show and they are currently sprouting attractive chunky bronze foliaged rosettes, and tight buds are now shooting up. The ever popular Frittilaria (snakeshead lily) are showing the occasional bud on lovely bushy pots. The Pulmonaria are budding up well with some open flower. Loving the mild start and looking really good at the moment.

The deep blue flowering Scilla sibirica are nicely emerged now, with loads of shoots bursting through flashing strong colour. More strong blues on the way with the Muscari latifolium and Blue Magic now in bud. We have a few Erythronium Pagoda in bud, a very quick selling crop for us, it will only be here a couple of weeks I suspect. Most of the Euphorbia's are now budding, with arching stems looking elegant already. Martinii and the very compact Tiny Tim are looking particularly attractive.

Bergenia Bressingham White and Diamond Drops have buds swelling, the odd flash of white is peaking through, Sunningdale looks to be close behind. A new Camassia for us this season is C. Sacajawea, not the most 'roll off the tongue' name, but it produces dramatic stripy variegated leaves around its white flowers. A stunner and looking good already.

Stems of pink buds are unfurling on the Heuchera Firefly, it must be spring. We still have a couple of late flowering small Narcissus available, just coming into bud, but not may left. There are more Erysimums budding up too, it might be a little while before colour appears but they are there. Super Bowl Mauve does now have the first buds colouring and opening. Primula denticulata showing colour now.

Brunnera are shooting through now, producing their first buds almost as soon as the leaves emerge. Just the green form at the moment, the stunning variegated form is up and ready with buds coming soon. Crocus Remembrance are well up and their little fat flower buds are there with strong purple flowers definitely in evidence. Definately the last week of these show offs.

The little deep pink Viola oderata Coeur d'Alsace are really sweet in looks and scent. Most of the other varieties are in flower now too and smelling great in any warmth. There are also quite a few evergreen plants looking strong and thrusting in this early spring period, so we can make a nice display up of stock with the promise of the good times ahead.

Best wishes for a great season, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.

Hairy News

Hi,

The sun had burst through despite a fairly wild forecast for today. The wind is strong and cool but seeing the sun certainly lifts the spirits. It's been a bit doom and gloom in the news this week with the continuing flooding issues, on coming storms and the virus worries, causing stress and anxiety for many, including the jittery financial markets. It does make you realise how vulnerable the world is to climate and medical emergencies when the rich world's economies all rely so much on output from the rest of the world. Even we are not immune to disrupted trade, with the material for making our card colour labels out of stock until the coating used to waterproof it is available again from China. Our bamboo skewer label supply could be affected and probably other items too that I hadn't realised came from that area. Luckily we do hold quite large stocks of the labels and skewers, just in case, so we should be ok, probably for the rest of this year. Hopefully by then it all should have settled back down, fingers crossed.

We will have to watch the virus development closely and probably be a bit careful on how ongoing production plans develop. If there are possibilities of people movement restrictions being enforced in some areas, such as imposed in Italy, it could have a devastating effect on our customers, demand for stock and the ability for the nursery to operate anywhere near normally. Best not think about it too much, just keep washing those hands and don't mingle too much.

In theory the oldies are most vulnerable, which initially was some sort of relief to us of a more junior age, until I saw the figures and I am in the old section already! After this morning's grocery shop I thought I'd better be sensible and start using Caroline's hand sanitising gel, post trolley pushing. I now know why the oldies are more at risk, it took me 5 minutes to work out how to open the damn tube, how come everything is so complicated these days!

Forecast for the next 10 days looks promising, less wind and rain, dry and bright quite a bit, hooray. 

Price changes for 2020

Don't forget the new prices for the new season. A very modest rise for the year of an average of less than 2% can be seen on the prices page of the 2020 flipbook catalogue which came into force on January 1st (link attached to this email). If we pre- price your deliveries, you might want to review your prices for the year and let us know of any changes so that we can adjust our records and make sure we have the printing plates and labels ready to roll for your spring deliveries.

Availability list highlights

Anemone blanda Blue and now White too are up and showing bud and the odd flash of colour. I don't have a huge number so don't hold back. Polemonium Heaven Scent always puts on a great early show and they are currently sprouting attractive chunky bronze foliaged rosettes, and tight buds are starting to appear.

The ever popular Frittilaria (snakeshead lily) are showing the occasional bud  n lovely bushy pots. The Pulmonaria are budding up well with  the odd open  flower. Going fast, so don't miss them. 

Crocus Remembrance are well up and their little fat flower buds are there with strong purple flowers definitely in evidence. Probably the last week of these show offs. The deep blue flowering Scilla sibirica are nicely emerged now, with loads of shoots bursting through flashing strong colour. More strong blues on the way with the Muscari latifolium and Blue Magic now in bud.

A new Camassia for us this season is C. Sacajawea, not the most 'roll off the tongue' name, but it produces dramatic stripy variegated leaves around its white flowers. A stunner and looking good already.

Most of the Euphorbia's are now budding, with arching stems looking elegant already. Martinii is looking particularly attractive. There are more Erysimums budding up too, it might be a little while before colour appears but they are there. Super Bowl Mauve does now have the first buds colouring and opening.

Another new one for us this spring is the pretty pink flowering, low growing Corydalis Beth Evans. Buds are already opening. Primula denticulata Rubra and Lilac/purple showing colour now.

Brunnera are shooting through now, producing their first buds almost as soon as the leaves emerge. Just the green form at the moment, the stunning variegata will be a week or two later. Spring flowering Symphytum are showing early tight bud, a strong plant with subtle pale blue flowers. The little deep pink Viola oderata Coeur d'Alsace are really sweet in looks and scent.

There are also quite a few evergreen plants looking strong and thrusting in this early spring period, so we can make a nice display up of stock with the promise of the good times ahead. Spring flowering Bergenia and Doronicum are good as are Leucanthemum, Lupin, Papaver, Stachys and Digitalis.

Best wishes for a great season, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.