PLANTS WITH PURPOSE NURSERY
Newsletter June and July 2005.
It's been a very busy month, so I'm making this newsletter cover June and July while I give myself a chance to catch up!
In the Nursery
Everything is growing really well, giving me cause for optimism that I have finally got the compost mix right. The weather, which has veered between continuous downpours and bursts of hot sunshine, has helped of course, although it has made for some unpleasant sloshing about in mud and some tedious drowning behind stalls at Highland Games events watching men in skirts chuck heavy stuff about. (Once you've ascertained the colours of every contestant's boxer shorts, the novelty of Scottish Beef wears off.) There have been some nice new arrivals on my sales benches, to name a few:
- Clove Pinks
- Persian Hyssop (actually a Thyme)
- Echinacea White Swan
- Vipers Bugloss
- Oregano Acorn Bank
- Thyme Anderson 's Gold
- Eryngium yuccifolium (Yucca-leaved Sea Holly)
- Clary Sage
- Cape Gooseberry
- Foxglove 'Apricot'
- Elecampane
- Yellow Loosestrife
I am telling myself I'm not taking any more cuttings or sowing more seed this season though, so some popular lines will start to sell out. HOWEVER! If you're quick you will still get French Tarragon, and there is currently plenty of Lemon Verbena. Ring me or email to check.
The Garden
Thank you, I'd rather not think about it. Well, OK, it is throwing up some beautiful stuff and everything looks great given the weather. Especially the weeds. While my favourite form of weed control remains to eat them, other methods have to be employed at times if only to keep buttercups and bindweed down (you can't even eat these). Flame weeders, the hoe and a wonderful heavy duty tool of the Mediterranean called an azada (I got mine from www.getdigging.co.uk ) all help, but one tip - when you've strained your back and you are sure your garden will disappear under a sea of weeds, even cutting/pulling off the top growth will slow them down and create an impression of control that will make you feel much better!
Elderflowers
June is the month for elderflowers. Midsummer's morning you should pick them with the dew still on them for the best elderflower wine or cordial. You don't need many - a pint or so per gallon of wine, plus a lemon, a bag of sugar and of course wine yeast. It's easy and delicious, but if you can't be bothered or want a guaranteed result, there's a wonderful winery up here in Perthshire called Cairn O'Mohr wines whose elderflower and other wines are legendary.. If food rather than drink interests you, try elderflower fritters - recipe on our recipes page!
Wildlife
We've had broods of baby robins, the house sparrows of Bankfoot are on their second brood, and thrushes and starlings have bred successfully too. Birds flock to the garden, and the bees are very busy already around the Welsh Onions. Our honey bees have been industrious between showers, and there are three supers on the hive. Inspecting them has been a challenge, getting decent weather when we are both at home, so I am a bit neurotic about the potential for a swarm. They have already tried, but then it rained for three days, during which they cut down the queen cells themselves. Hopefully it put them off. One great thing - no sign yet of varroa this year.
Shows in June and July
- Gardeners Market Perth 18 th June
- Open Day The Herbalists Garden Pitnacree 25 th June - do come if you are close, it will be a brilliant day with lots going on to see and do.
- Victorian Market, Letham Angus 3 rd July
- Blairgowrie Market 23 rd July
That's all for now - have a good summer. |
