Rain Rain GO Away

Cafe flowers last week

I cant believe kids go back to school next week, where has the summer holidays gone? Not lost in a haze of summer sunshine that's for sure. As I write this it is pouring with rain, again, I was tidying the sales area, thinking it needs something to brighten it up. Sun that's what it needs, as do we all. On the way to work this morning the streams and river levels were up after all the over night rain, including our stream through the nursery and car park. I know it is far too early to be feeling autumnal, but there was a distinct feel of it the other morning, that something in the air, a coolness, just a feeling. I don't know what it is, but I feel it every year, I love autumn. Anyway I ramble.

There has been the occasional blue sky, this big sky photo was on the way home one evening

I am getting on top of the cuttings and seedling potting in the tunnel, not much more to go now and then it will just be weeding and watering through the winter over there. It's been interesting to get past the first year stage and from now on we can get a real feel for how the nursery is doing customer and sales wise and also work wise. What works, when , what doesn't, which plants were a success and sold, which weren't. What advertising works, what wasn't worth the money. So much to think about and that's before the plants! It's great when advertising pays for itself with those customers who saw it frequently coming back and spending in the nursery what we spent on the advertising that brought them to the nursery in the first place. It happened twice last week! There was good question and advice conversations too and customers from an even higher elevation that us. 

Woodwardia unigemmata at home
in the cold greenhouse

A tiny part of my book collection, but my favs

Over the past few months I've been re-reading two of my favourite series of books. Both series are made u of seven or eight BIG books, but I've really enjoyed reading them one after the other instead of as they come out with a year or so between each one. It gives you a better appreciation of the bigger epic story of each. So after Bernard Cornwall's Uhtrid series and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series I am off to work through the book mountain on my desk that' been amassing for a while.

Rogersia, Lythrum and Persicarias

As you can see from the photos there is lots of colour in the nursery at the moment. Pinks and purples dominate with highlights of deep red. Grasses compliment the tall perennials with Calamagrostis and Molinias adding height and interest. All these plants are available in the nursery so you can re-create these plant combinations.

Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'

Geranium 'Kashmir Blue'

Thalictrum 'Elin'

Dianthus 'Doris', Cerinthe and Sanguisorba 'Tanna'

Cirsium canum

Bright cheery marigolds to beat the rain

Potentilla and Ox Eye daisy

Shirley poppies and Nepeta

I love Nasturtiums

Monday was a clear the paperwork day, it reaches a point where you can't ignore it any more. I had a long lie, not many more as youngest is back to school next week, then headed into the office and got everything done, desk and email in box cleared, yeh! I then celebrated by clearing and digging over another bit of the new border I'm making along the edge of the stock beds on the top terrace. As well as demonstrating what plants will do in the ground it gives me propagating material too. I'd take a photo but it is pouring with rain again.

Jupiter Artland

On Tuesday we were quite tired and didn't fancy going far on our day off so decided to visit Jupiter Artland, at last, it's been on our to do list for a while. The weather even stayed dry until just before we were heading back to the car. We really enjoyed our wander about the estate, looking for sculptures and enjoying the Jencks landscape and a lovely lunch in the cafe. Below are some of the many pieces of art to see.

Weeping girls, these were a bit freaky hidden in the trees

Walking up to the cafe

Mirrors that make you look even smaller and dumper!

The Jencks landscape















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Comments

  1. All those pinks and purples look great together and I love the colour of your little bridge. I've never seen a red fern before - it's very unusual. The landscaped garden is very clever, and I really love the amethyst walls.
    Cathy x

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    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy, thanks, I always wanted a Monet Bridge and now I have my own wee one in the nursery. Jupiter Artland is well worth a visit if you are ever up this way.

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