July 2011 News from the Nursery

I have been trying hard to find something positive subject to write about in my monthly ramblings. The conditions have been challenging to everyone. Rain has been the obvious problem for most stopping us gardening. The high rainfall has caused plants to grow rampantly and then fall about with the weight of water, urged on its way by winds ranging from gale force to constant changes in direction. Lawns have gone from dried out in some areas to overgrown and tufty due to not being able to get the mower out.

Well that’s enough winging and stating the obvious. Now for the positive things:-

Trees – They are bursting with new growth. After such a long period of insufficient ground water they are having as much water as they want.

Planting – When an opportunity arises such as a dry day there is nothing to stop you planting new shrub or tree – moving odd smallish thing and knowing the ground is wet and warm, ideal for root establishment.

Tubs – Not such a worry when they are left to their own devices over a weekend, likewise hanging baskets. My lemon in a pot has never looked so good; I obviously have not been watering it enough before!

March 2011 News From The Nursery

It’s the first of March and the nursery is engulfed in a thick mist – no view to the estuary and no breeze to shift it. The important thing is that its mild and the plants are getting that perky spring look.

We have started supplying wholesale orders to local garden centres. Where their customers are venturing out of the tearooms and looking at plants. This phenomenon happens suddenly every year at the same time! There is probably a mathematical formulae for it!

Our http://www.seasideplants.co.uk/ customers seem a keener bunch and have been buying that special plant steadily since the New Year. Brightening our duller days, of which last week there were many.

Pulmonaria Blue Ensign is a spring delight also the scented Violet Viola odorata gives pleasure this time of year. The unusual Arisarium pro. Looks good the foliage, which dies down when it gets hot, is excellent low ground cover for planting with small spring bulbs and the flower is amusing. We still have a few Ribes laurifolium and Ribes speciosium for spring colour.

This is the time of year when many over wintered 9cm plants are potted into 2 or 3 litre pots, so there may be some gaps in this range until the next batches of plugs are established into 9 cm pots.

Callistemon

All the Callistemon's that we grow (except C. Littlejohn) seem to be fairly robust. Through trial and error, we have found it best not to put plants outside that have soft new growth late in the season - as it gets damaged by frost.
If however the wood is hardened they are fine.
In the late spring, this years plants outside in 3 litre pots withstood 5-7degrees of frost with no damage.
A well drained soil to stop water-logging and a sunny site is required. If soft growth is caught by frost, it can just be pruned out, with no detrimental effect to the plant.

SEPTEMBER NEWS FROM THE NURSERY

The inclement weather continues, with strong winds and heavy rain at times; sometimes with thunder. Perhaps we should be positive at least the lawns have remained green throughout the summer.
Now that the summer holidays are a distant wet and windy past, plant sales are increasing - as it is indeed an excellent time for planting. The ground is warm and moist - what more could a plant want?
Many grasses are looking lovely, adding interest to the late summer border. Miscanthus also look good throughout the winter, with their dried flower heads catching the low winter sun.
Late flowering shrubs are a bonus and the Ceratostigmas are a good example - with bright blue flowers, popular with moths and other insects, followed by autumn leaf colour, they really lift the autumn garden.
For year round colour and strong shape in the border or container, Phormiums can be useful as summer colour fades.