Nurserymans Notes

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED ONTO THE CROWN NURSERY WEBSITE

2011-01-12T19:30:00.001Z

Hello - if you are wondering what has happened to this blog - it has been absorbed into the main Crown Nursery new website - check out the homepage - and you will see the new Blog.

RICHARD

AT LAST!! IT'S HERE - BARE-ROOT HEDGING NOW AVAILABLE!!

2010-11-26T17:13:00.003Z

Hello - finally - at long last - it's all here!!! After a herculean effort - we have got everything heeled into our hedging bays. Despite snow,frost and just about everything else - in the last two days - over 16,000 hedging plants have been processed!!

Heeling-in during a blizzard yesterday was one of the highlights for me - that lovely feel as the snow starts to get in the back of your neck is just bliss!! Couple that with the plants getting heavier - the spade getting slippery - the soil getting wetter - and you have a nightmare scenario!! But we persevered and it is now all done - and in neat rows - ready for the bare-root hedging season.

We are working through the backlog of orders as fast as we can - so we will be in touch soon if you have pre-ordered your hedging. If you are just coming to visit the nursery - then we do have a hedging section near the fruit sales area - that has a good selection of most of the main hedging plants we offer - in convenient packs of 12 - plus also most of our popular hedging packs mix (50 plants in a pack) - including the new thorn-free and painters pallette mixtures.

However - if you are looking for several hundred plants - or a lot of packs - then it is best to pre-order - since we can only lift so much in one day - and we like to keep our plants as nursery-fresh as we can.

Our full hedging catalogue can be downloaded via the website - we are here to help as much as we can - we can advise you on the selections that may be best for your soil types.

Now that the darker evenings are here - please remember that the nursery opening hours have changed - due to safety reasons - we are now open Monday-Saturday 9am - 4pm only.

Now that the main planting season is in full swing - we are also delighted to announce that we are now stockists for the ROOT-GRO MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI. Much has been said about this product in the last few years - the RHS - ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY now fully endorse it.

It is particularly useful for use with bare-root plants since it helps the plant to re-develop an active root system. Almost every gardening programme seems to be in favour - so we are very pleased to offer it here at Crown Nursery - since it sits very well with the plant range we grow.

It is available in ready-to-use handy sachets - just right for sprinkling around the base of the trench when you plant your hedging!!

After a long and cold week of digging thousands of plants into the ground - I am off for a nice long soak in a hot bath - and perhaps even a glass of something stronger!!

SO UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BARE-ROOT FRUIT TREES NOW AVAILABLE!

2010-11-20T08:49:00.002Z

Hello - Phew - what a week!! The middle part of November is always viewed with mixed feelings by the nursery staff - why - because it is the busiest time of our year - with deliveries daily, as all the new season bare-root plants come on stream.

This week has definitely been manic - there have been two more of our popular pruning courses which were hugely successful - there have been five lorries delivering new stock - over 350 bare-root fruit trees and over 10,000 hedging plants have been heeled into the ground. Our mail-order service has been in full swing with parcels going out all over the country - plus all our regular visitors to the nursery as well!!

There are actually only three members of nursery staff so to say we are a bit stretched at the moment is a bit of an understatement!!

Nevertheless - we work as a team - and we now have available - BARE-ROOT HALF-STANDARD TREES OF PLUM 'VICTORIA', 'CZAR' AND 'MARJORIE'S SEEDLING', ALSO 'OLD ENGLISH GREENGAGE' AND DAMSON 'MERRYWEATHER, PLUS PEARS 'CONFERENCE','CONCORDE','DOYENNE DU COMICE' AND 'WILLIAMS BON CHRETIEN'. WE ALSO HAVE SMASHING QUALITY HALF-STANDARDS OF CHERRY 'STELLA', 'SUNBURST' AND 'LAPINS'.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE IN A FEW WEEKS TIME - PLUM 'VICTORIA' FAN, GREENGAGE FAN, CHERRY 'STELLA','SUNBURST' AND LAPINS' FANS - AND A RANGE OF APPLE ESPALIERS!!

So as you can see we are rather busy at the moment!!

Many of you are asking when the bare-root hedging will be available - we have the first deliveries in - but it will not be available for sale until late next week - we need to get everything together first - with another 15,000 hedging plants due in early next week - please be patient and bear with us - we are going as fast as we can!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BARE-ROOT SOFT FRUIT NOW AVAILABLE!!

2010-11-20T08:42:00.003Z

Hello - our season is now in full swing - and our new stock of bare-root soft fruit is now available.

Bare-root gives you better-quality and bigger plants with the soft fruit - and are right ready for planting in the next few months - while the soil remains warm and workable.

We have Blackcurrant 'Ben Sarek, 'Ben Lomond', Redcurrant 'Rovada', Raspberry 'Glen Moy', 'Tulameen' and 'Autumn Bliss' - Gooseberry 'Invicta','Hinnmaki Red' and 'Hinnamaki Yellow' and Strawberry 'Cambridge Favourite' as bare-root plants - plus potted Rhubarb 'Brandy Carr Scarlet' and 'Stockbridge Arrow', plus Loganberry Thornless and Thornless Blackberries - 'Waldo' and 'Oregon' and Strawberry 'Elsanta'.

There now - that's an excellent selection that will get your new fruit plot - or fill in existing gaps - and get you off to a flying start - get planting!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BLUEBERRY PLANTS NOW AVAILABLE!

2010-11-20T08:38:00.002Z

Hello - we have at last got new supplies of Blueberry plants in stock - we have 2 litre pots of the variety 'Bluecrop' on the fruit sales area - approx 2ft tall - 2 year-old @ £10.50 each.

PLEASE NOTE - THIS REPLACES THE VARIETY 'JERSEY' THAT IS LISTED IN OUR CURRENT FRUIT CATALOGUE - THAT VARIETY IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

HEDGING YOUR BETS!!

2010-11-13T09:32:00.002Z

Hello - the end of a WILD AND WET WEEK here at the nursery!! Some days it has not been fit for man nor beast to be out - but we plod on!!

Fortunately, the day of our WINTER PRUNING COURSE was actually the only dry and sunny day of the week - so we could not have timed that better!! 19 gardeners had a very enjoyable morning up in the orchard learning about fruit tree pruning. Our reserve course on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 23RD only has three places left as I type this - so if you want to come on this one - GET YOUR SKATES ON!! - and contact the office on 01394 460755. I am sure we will run new courses in the New Year - but no dates have yet been set for those.

We are very close to starting our new bare-root HEDGING season - although lifting has not started quite yet - EXPECTED ABOUT 10 DAYS - we are taking orders - so if you know what you want and would like to get the pick of the crop - contact us.

We have revamped our popular HEDGING PACKS for 2010-2011 - and these include some new mixes - by popular demand we are introducing a 'BIG SOFTY - THORNFREE MIX' -many people do not want a thorny old hedge - and we have put together a pack that will give you a dense barrier - but without the prickles!!!

This has been the best autumn for leaf colour for years - and we have put together a PAINTERS PALETTE pack, which will give you an outstanding display of colour every year - combine this with our new NATURE'S LARDER pack - which has been selected to provide a stunning fruiting hedge - great for wildlife - and you!!

We also have the opposite to the 'Big Softy' Mix - and that is the 'KEEP 'EM OUT' mix - or it could be called the 'KEEP THEM IN'!!! This is the thorniest mix we can make up - and will certainly deter 'unwanted' visitors!

We are still offering our 'MIXED NATIVE' packs - a mix of traditional Suffolk hedgerow plants.

All of these packs contain 50 PLANTS which is sufficient to do a 10 metre double-row hedge. As mentioned above - these will be available in a few weeks - but can be pre-ordered to save delay.

Download our full hedging catalogue on the website.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BY DEMAND - EXTRA PRUNING COURSE!

2010-11-05T10:29:00.005Z

Hello - pruning courses have never been so popular!!!

Both of our November courses are now full - (the 10th and 18th) - but we have bowed to demand - and put on an extra course on WINTER PRUNING ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 23RD - 10.30-12.30.This will be exactly the same as the other two - RHS members are - £17.60 - non RHS members are £22.00.

Light refreshments will be served on the day. It is a fun morning - we are very easy-going - and you will learn a lot - and hopefully enjoy yourself at the same time!!

This course is already filling up fast - there is a limit of 15 people - so if you want to book - contact the office on 01394 460755 without delay!!

My guess is that we will still have to run extra courses in February 2011 - so if you do miss this one - there will be other opportunities!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

MAIL-ORDER SEASON BEGINS

2010-11-05T10:24:00.002Z

Hello - a new month - but at the moment it is so mild, it feels more like May!!

This week at the nursery, has seen the start of our 2010-2011 MAIL-ORDER SEASON. We can send out most of the items in our catalogues up to a height of about 2m to any UK mainland destination - so if you are a long way from Suffolk - but like what you see - we can get it to you!!

Those of you who have already placed orders with us - we are working through them in rotation - and will be in contact with you shortly!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

ALL GOOD THINGS.......

2010-10-30T09:58:00.003+01:00

Hello - wow what a hectic week it has been here at the nursery!! To all of you who came last Saturday and helped to make our APPLE DAY 2010 such a success - we say a big THANK YOU!! It was definitely our best yet - and with 120 apple varieties to taste - from the comments received most of you thought so too!! I would personally - like to say Thank you to all those people who made such kind comments about this blog - it is nice to know that somebody out there is reading it!!! We had over 300 people across the day - and although it was a little damp in the morning - the sun did shine in the afternoon - for those who were unable to make the day - the above photo taken early in the morning gives an idea of the vast array of apples that were on display!

I would also like to say a big Thank you to the entire CROWN NURSERY TEAM for all their hard work - and all the HELPERS who served teas and refreshments - we could not have done it without you!!

I am still restocking the fruit sales area - filling all the gaps that were made!

We have also had the first of our popular AUTUMN FRUIT COURSES - FOCUS ON FRUIT - and 15 keen gardeners had a most enjoyable morning on Thursday - learning all about the huge subject of fruit growing - our next two PRUNING COURSES are sadly fully-booked - but we are now compiling a list of interested people - and intend to run additional courses in February 2011 - so if you wanted to come -and missed out this time round - do ring the office and get your name on the list for the new courses.

This week - has seen the real arrival of AUTUMN COLOUR in the countryside - the hedges are now turning yellow and amber more and more each day - most of that colour is coming from the common FIELD MAPLE - ACER CAMPESTRE - and they really do make a stunning hedge. Combine that with the bounty of berries that are everywhere this year - and hedges have a lot going for them - we expect our NEW-SEASON BARE-ROOT HEDGING in mid-November - but if you know what you are after - do ORDER IN ADVANCE - to ensure you get the pick of the crop.

RHUBARB CROWNS are now in stock - the superb virus-free varieties we offer are a huge improvement on the old types of years ago - we have BRANDY CARR SCARLET and STOCKBRIDGE ARROW - nice fat crowns ready for planting now.

Our BARE-ROOT FRUIT TREES - plums,gages,cherries,damsons and others are also expected mid-November - so again these can be pre-ordered to ensure no disappointment - contact the office for details.

On a sadder note - we have said Farewell to two members of our nursery team recently - KEVIN and JANET - who will be known to many of you - we wish them well as they move onto pastures new - and new challenges.

As someone once said - ALL GOOD THINGS MUST SURELY COME TO AN END.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

APPLE DAY 2010 - IT'S HERE!!

2010-10-22T18:01:00.002+01:00

Hello - well - all the final preparations are made for our main event of the year!!

Tomorrow - Saturday 23rd - is APPLE DAY 2010!!

A celebration of all things apple - from fun and games - to tasting - to advice - to trees to buy - it's one of the highlights of our year.

I can confirm that there are 120 apple varieties available to taste!! - yes I did manage to squeeze in those extra two!!

We are also very excited this year to formally launch our own new variety - CROWN PIPPIN - discovered here at the nursery - ,bright red,crisp,sweet and juicy - everything you could want from an apple!!! - and proving very popular with those who have been lucky enough to try it - we will have trees for sale for the first time on the day -(and apples to taste of course) - be one of the first to grow it!!

Entry to the event is free - and the day runs from 10am to 4pm at the nursery - teas/cakes e.t.c will be available to sample in return for a small donation to charity - and various varieties of apples will be available in bags to buy as well - along with just about everything else under the sun connected with the word apple!!

The apple tasting and the games are all under cover - so no matter what the weather - the show will go on!!

SEE YOU THERE!!!
UNTIL THEN,
RICHARD

COUNTDOWN TO APPLE DAY 2010!!

2010-10-09T10:47:00.002+01:00

Hello - we are on the Countdown to our biggest event of the Year!!

Saturday October 23rd is the day - 10-4 - a free-event CELEBRATING ALL THINGS APPLE !! From apple-related games to apple tasting - this is the event to come too - if you love fruit as much as we do!!

I have just about finished apple picking - and I can reveal that so far there will be 118 different varieties available for tasting!!!!

I suppose the big question is will I make it to 120??!!

On a related subject - our WINTER PRUNING COURSES are filling up very fast - if you want to come down to the nursery - and learn all about pruning your fruit trees - then book with the office ASAP - the dates are WEDNESDAY 10th NOVEMBER - or THURSDAY 18TH NOVEMBER - 10-12.30ish.

These are always fun - we are very informal - but you will go away inspired and with bags of new knowledge!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

AUTUMN FOLIAGE AND BERRY BONANZA!

2010-10-09T10:28:00.003+01:00

Hello - autumn is well under way now - and here at the nursery, we are enjoying some fabulous AUTUMN COLOUR. The warm nights are producing some spectacular colour on trees and shrubs as the old foliage begins to decay.

One particular superb tree at the moment is the FLOWERING ASH - FRAXINUS ORNUS -this seldom-seen tree scores on two points - and also has the added bonus of excellent late spring flowers - a fluffy candy-floss type flower - but now it wears a coat of PURPLE-RED foliage - an excellent all-round tree for a small garden.

On the berry front - the SORBUS - ROWANS or MOUNTAIN ASHES - are studded with berries in every colour from red to white - we even have a dark purple one!!

Many of the ornamental CRAB APPLES - the MALUS have started to colour up - again a huge choice is available from the yellow fruits of GOLDEN HORNET to the red polished cherry-like RED SENTINAL.

But almost threatening to overshadow these all at the moment is CRATAEGUS CRUS-GALLII -THE COCKSPUR THORN - this is one smashing tree - the berries are large like rose hips -produced in great profusion - and the foliage is also large - quite unlike the normal hawthorn types - put those red berries against golden yellow autumn foliage and you have a winning combination!!

And on the shrub front - well - we are spoilt for choice!! From the incredible BLUE BERRIES of CALLICARPA to the well-known PYRACANTHAs - there is plenty of choice!!

Any of these planted in the next few weeks will establish in the warm soil and get away to a flying start in the spring - what are you waiting for?? - get out there!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - (IF WE ARE SPARED!)
RICHARD

COMING SOON - NEW WEBSITE AND ONLINE-SHOP!

2010-10-02T11:19:00.002+01:00

Hell0 - we are delighted to announce that we are about to embark on a relaunch of our website - and online shop.

With new features and user-friendly ideas - we hope that this will inspire everyone into the world of trees and shrubs that is at the heart of Crown Nursery.

All the new season 2010-2011 catalogues will be available to download as PDF files - the blog will move there - and we will also be launching a new newsletter service - offering our latest top tips on a range of different subjects. There is even a rumour that we are going on Twitter!!

Our online shop will re-appear with an expanded range of products - more user-friendly than ever before - we are very excited about all these developments - so WATCH THIS SPACE - ove the next few weeks - we should be merging into the new site.

Exciting stuff!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

AUTUMN - NATURE'S TIME FOR PLANTING

2010-10-02T10:38:00.002+01:00

Hello - what a week!! A lot of water has fell out of the sky at the nursery this week - nearly an inch and three-quarters - and parts of the nursery have returned to their 'Battle of the Somme' status!

But - it has remained pretty mild - and this is excellent planting weather - trees and shrubs planted now will root quickly while the soil remains warm - and get off to a flying start in spring.

In recent years - there seems to have been a move away from autumn planting in favour of spring - but - particularly in East Anglia - this can lead to problems of establishment when springs turn dry. Far far better to copy dear old Mother Nature - she ripens her fruits now - and as they fall onto warm soil - they swell up and often produce small root systems before the cold weather comes.

The pace is starting to quicken at the nursery, as the new planting season dawns - I have spent most of my week gathering apples for long-term storage - running on about 75 varieties picked so far - all in preparation for our APPLE DAY CELEBRATION on SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD.

If you have never been before - it is a great fun day out - we have a lot going on - from games to advice and of course there are over a hundred different apples to taste!!

Definitely one to put in your diary!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

NEW SPECIMEN STOCK NOW IN!

2010-10-02T10:30:00.002+01:00

Hello - we have just had the first of our new season stock delivered by a colossal lorry - we have now topped up the SPECIMEN AREA with all sorts of goodies.

From blue and yellow CONIFERS to three types of MAGNOLIA, black and green BAMBOOS - evergreens for screening purposes - multi-stemmed silver BIRCHES - to standard LIQUIDAMBARS,EUCALYPTUS and EVERGREEN OAKS.

We also have got in some super WISTERIAS - quality grafted plants - some with flower buds - in pink, white and dark blue.

And the ever popular evergreen Jasmine - TRACHELOSPERMUM has arrived on the shrub sales area!!!

All of these plants are now in the sales areas - plus many others just waiting for a new home - why not come down to the nursery and see them??

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

HELMINGHAM PLANT SALE - THIS SUNDAY (19TH)

2010-09-18T10:47:00.004+01:00

Hello - what a year this is proving for fruit. In 18 years in this industry - I have NEVER seen fruit trees so laden. Are your trees nearly bent double??

Mine certainly are - and that is after all the careful management and thinning I put into them!!!!

Everything is just stuffed - from plums to pears - to Quinces.

With the gales earlier in the week - there has been some branch breakage - but generally the fruit has held on pretty well - although it may look initally alarming to see some of the branches weeping to the ground - they will spring back up into shape once the fruit is picked -and if they do not - you can still remove them when doing your annual winter prune.

Why is there such a bounteous harvest this year??

A combination of strong quality blossom - followed by an excellent growing season - with just the right amount of sun and rainfall has kept things pretty rosy for them.

Tomorrow - SUNDAY 19th - we are exhibiting at the PLANT HERITAGE PLANT FAIR at HELMINGHAM HALL. This is our one and only forray into the Plant Sale world- simply being too busy to attend most of them.

This is an excellent sale - it is open from 10.00 - 4.30 - Helmingham is a fabulous site - on the B1077 just outside Debenham - it is Brown - Tourist Board Signed - an ancient mansion with a fabulous garden and park - last year there were 46 stands with different nurseries - selling everything you could ever want for your garden!!

We will be there with our fruit trees and shrubs - so do come and say Hello!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - OR SEE YOU AT THE PLANT SALE!!
RICHARD

LAST CHANCE TO PRUNE YOUR PLUMS!!

2010-09-18T10:32:00.002+01:00

Hello - have you pruned your plum trees yet?? If not - you need to get your skates on - the end of September is the latest date you can safely prune them - before winter - and still give them time to heal up the cuts.

The problem with pruning any stone fruit - and I include cherries,greengages and damsons in this - is that their wood is soft - and if pruned in winter when the sap is not actively flowing - they cannot repel infection - this will lead to the dreaded Silver Leaf Disease or Bacterial Canker getting in - and that will eventually prove terminal for any tree.

So get them done now - this weekend if poss - do bear in mind though that they do not require spur pruning like apples and pears - all that is usually necessary is to remove one or two larger branches to increase air-circulation - and help remove Brown Rot (See My earlier post on that) - and improve fruit size. The easiest and best rule with these is - to start obviously remove any broken branches - and my Victoria had broken several this year with the heavy crop - also anything that is old and thin is best taken out - other than that - take out crossing stuff - and keep the centre open - I tend to do about 8 cuts on my tree at the most.

Talking about pruning - our PRUNING COURSES are filling up fast - if you intend to come and spend a morning with Graeme and myself learning about fruit tree pruning or shrub pruning - you need to book with the office quickly - places are limited - the dates are NOVEMBER 10TH OR 18TH - this is also open to RHS members - so there will be no possibility of just turning up on the day!!!

If you have never been on a course - and are not sure about it - do come along - it is GREAT FUN - and you will learn a lot - we are very FRIENDLY PEOPLE here you know - yes really!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

AUTUMN COLOUR - IT BEGINS!!

2010-09-10T17:10:00.005+01:00

Hello - the beauty of AUTUMN COLOUR - how we love it!! There has been a subtle change at the nursery over the last week - with the cooler nights - and nippy mornings - plus the shortening days - this triggers a change in our plants - and they begin to withdraw some of the chemicals and hormones back into their trunks and branches - causing a breakdown of the green leaf into wonderful pigments of red and orange - giving us A FABULOUS SHOW.

Many of the ACERS - members of the MAPLE family are starting to colour up - as the photo at the top shows -

It is still early - and over the next month - every day - new tints and colours are revealed - in many ways it is the HARVEST period of the nursery - the farmers have their golden fields of corn - and here at CROWN NURSERY - we have our AUTUMN COLOUR and the ripening APPLES - or perhaps I am just an old romantic at heart!!

People often ask which is the best plant for autumn colour - but it really depends on what effect you are trying to achieve - and also your soil. Those on drier sandy soil - slightly on the acidic side will get far more of the orange and red tints than those on wetter clay soil - whose autumn colour tends to be far more towards the yellow side of the spectrum.

However - the creme de la creme if you have a neutral to acid soil has to be LIQUIDAMBAR - The Sweet Gum. As the photo below shows - a STUNNER!! It also has a very ornamental bark too!! This tree - unlike most - starts it's autumn colour on one lower branch and the effect then floods over the rest of the tree - giving a much longer period of colour.

The photo just above that is of AMELANCHIER - but grown on sandy soil - on a heavy clay -it will have yellow autumn colour.

Colour also seems to vary from plant to plant - and in some trees - there will always be stronger autumn colour on some types than others, for the best autumn colour on trees - FRAXINUS 'RAYWOOD' (Claret Ash), QUERCUS RUBRA (Red Oak), PYRUS COMMUNIS (Wild Pear) and even our dear common little SPINDLE - EUONYMUS EUROPAEUS - with it's stange fruit shown below - will oblige in most years.

It's an exciting time - early autumn - and certainly not a time to shut up shop in your garden and prepare for winter - there is much colour to come - from berries to bark - from foliage to fruits - come and see for yourself!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

APPLE DAY - SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD

2010-09-10T17:04:00.002+01:00

Hello, - as the season moves into autumn - we are already into our forward planning for our Apple Day - our most busy and popular event of the year!!

If you have never been before we have a lot of fun!! I think I can best describe it as a Celebration of All Things Apple!! We have apple related games - we can offer advice on selection and pruning of apples trees - and most importantly for some - we have a MEGA APPLE TASTING marquee!!!

Last year, we had 107 different varieties available for tasting - and the target this year is 110!!!

Do come down and see us - it is a totally free event - refreshments are available - and the day runs from 10-4.

SEE YOU THERE!!!
RICHARD

THE GOLDEN DAYS OF SEPTEMBER

2010-09-04T10:07:00.007+01:00

Hello - what a wonderful week this has been!! The first week of September - and we have had some superb weather - blue skies - and gentle warmth - I love September - the beginning of autumn - but still with that hint of the summer. I should think just about everyone has enjoyed this week - from holiday makers to farmers getting in the harvest - to us gardeners enjoying the lush growth.

Some difference to the weather last week - I was away on holiday in Ireland - where the weather was exactly as now - but back home in Suffolk - over 2 and a half inches of rain fell - together with gale-force winds - typhoons and goodness knows what else. When I returned to the nursery this week - parts of it looked like a re-enactment of the Battle of the Somme!!! Broken trees, damaged branches - support structures twisted and buckled - so much for August!

The beauty of September is that the soil is warm after the summer - but certainly this year - has plenty of moisture enabling an early start to autumn planting schemes. Trees and shrubs planted now will root very quickly - and establish themselves before the colder weather sets in.

We are already taking orders for hedging and fruit trees - the new HEDGING CATALOGUE is now available at the nursery - our new TREE CATALOGUE is also out - and the fruit catalogue is the next for a makeover.

A lot of plants are looking good at the moment - but one of our favourites is the ornamental crab apple - MALUS 'JOHN DOWNIE' - as the photo at the top of the page shows - this is a great tree for any garden - masses of scented apple blossom in the spring - and a profusion of large flagon-shaped orange crab apples in autumn - ideal for making crab-apple jelly!! As an extra bonus - this tree is also an excellent POLLINATOR for dessert and cooking apples.

Talking of apples - the APPLE-TASTING SHED is proving popular as always - there are new varieties ripening every week - currently we have DISCOVERY,TYDEMANS EARLY WORCESTER,BAKERS DELICIOUS,GRENADIER,REV.W. WILKS and SAINT EDMUNDS PIPIPN for customers to taste - and I will add more as they come into season.

This really is one of the best times of the year to look and plan for your autumn planting schemes - many of the trees are displaying great berries and the first signs of autumn colour will be with us soon - the late-summer flowering shrubs are still going great guns - everything is gearing up for a FABULOUS AUTUMN!!

Make sure you don't miss out!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

LATE SUMMER DELIGHTS

2010-08-21T10:12:00.002+01:00

Hello, this week we seem to have had a reminder that we are actually still in late summer!! There have been some very warm days - and we are back into the old watering regime - having had a few weeks' grace.

There has definitely been a move towards autumn though - but there are still many lovely plants about on the sales areas - that will keep the colour going right into September and beyond.

It is a record year for fruit - despite early reservations about the late spring frosts we had - most of the trees are dripping with fruit - you only have to go along the A12 - and see the ground smothered in the little red and yellow mirabelle plums that have fallen from the trees.

Wasps aside - the apples are also looking excellent - and talking of apples - what better to go with them in a pie - than the BLACKBERRY OREGON THORNLESS - as the photo shows - a delicious fruit - now coming into it's season - and the beauty of this one is that it not only thorn-free - it has a pretty divided leaf - which often earns it the nickname of the Parsley-leaved Blackberry!!

The hybrid BLACKBERRIES have come a long way from the wild types - and are no longer like some sort of trifid that will take over your plot!!

On the ornamental side - there are lots of super shrubs and climbers still full of flower and interest on the sales areas - the girls have had a bumper year on the cuttings front - and many of these are now out on sale.

Late August can be a dreary time - but there is much to see at the nursery - so why not pay us a visit!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

P.S - I am off on my hols for the rest of the month - so just a reminder that the NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND FROM SATURDAY 28TH TO MONDAY 30TH INCLUSIVE.

THE WASPS ARE BACK IN TOWN!!

2010-08-14T10:40:00.009+01:00

Hello - what a bizarre weather pattern we are into now. Several wet days at the nursery this week - some torrential thunderstorms - and next week's forecast is no better!! If you are on holiday - or a farmer trying to get your wheat harvested - then I know you would like a bit of sun - but it is providing us gardeners with early autumnal planting conditions - rather than the desert conditions that Suffolk usually experiences at this time of the year!!

You can actually get a spade into the ground - and the soil still being warm will encourage strong root growth.

There is always a downside to this sort of weather though - and as the previous blog said - the BROWN ROT on PLUMS is extensive. Also the wretched WASPS are back with us - they seem to be building up in large numbers again - attacking any plum or early apple - and they are even going for some of the apples that are still far from ripening - they will destroy fruit if not dealt with.
The old country ways - of tying a jam jar or bottle of cheap lager in amongst the trees - do still work - but you need to get them out early - ours are up in the orchard and on the fruit sales area - and have been for several weeks now.
Of course - if you can locate the nest you can destoy it - but that is often not practical or possible.

As the season moves on - they do tend to disappear - so all is not lost!!

Another skirmish with the wasps in the orchard - has allowed me to put one of my favourite apples - DISCOVERY - into the APPLE SHED for TASTING.

This is a superb variety - with a local connection since it was originally released from Thurston near Bury St Edmunds - it is a cross between the old Beauty of Bath and Worcester Pearmain - combining the best of the parents in a sweet tangy early apple.

I love it - but so do those pesky wasps!!

We are very busy in the planning stages and behind the scenes - for the new autumn season - there will be a number of exciting new changes and developments - if all goes to plan - we are having a slight 'facelift' - and changing some of our literature - and catalogues - so we hope you will like that - the first of our 'new season' catalogues - the ORNAMENTAL TREE CATALOGUE - 2010-2011 is now being printed - if you would like a copy do contact the office -or it will appear online in the next few weeks as well.

Following on from this will be the new HEDGING catalogue and then the FRUIT - again we have some exceptional quality young trees coming on for this autumn and winter planting season - and we will be launching our own variety of apple at this year's APPLE DAY on OCTOBER 23rd - but more of that nearer the time!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - AND IF THE WASPS DON'T GET ME!
RICHARD

ARE YOUR PLUMS GOING ROTTEN ON THE TREE??

2010-08-14T10:24:00.003+01:00

Hello - Several of our customers this week have brought in plums off their trees that are going rotten - and have wondered what they can do about this.

It is called BROWN ROT - and variously affects all plum varieties - although Victoria is often the worst. Sadly it is a result of the current very wet weather that we have had for the last fortnight - it is a fungal infection that quickly gets into fruit.

The sudden increase in moisture that many of our plants are encountering is causing the fruit to crack or split - and it does not take more than a few hours for this to let the brown rot in - and the whole plum will then go rotten - further wet and warm weather allows the problem to pass on through water droplets onto other fruits in the bunch - and before you know it half of the fruit has gone rotten!!

What can you do about it??

Firstly this is not a problem that can be ignored - in severe cases it can get into the wood of the trees as well - and will then be there every single year. Air circulation has a lot to do with it - Victoria is very prone to it since the fruit set is very heavy - and the fruits within the bunches are very close together so the problem quickly spreads.

Remove any rotten fruit you see - as soon as you see it - and destroy it - don't let any fall and lay on the ground since it will get pulled into the ground and remain there ready to reinfect next spring.

Fruit in large heavy clusters should be thinned at the end of May - yes - I know we cannot all reach the tops of our trees - in that case use a pair of long-armed loppers and cut one or two of the densely layered branches off.

Although there are many plum trees that fruit perfectly well without annual pruning - a well-spaced out branched tree will be better for air circulation and there will be a lot less of the Brown Rot problem. Aim for a tree - that you 'could throw a hat through the branches' and it would come through the other side!! In other words - the air can get in.

But - remember - never prune plum or gages in the winter - prune when IN LEAF ONLY!! I prune mine as soon as I have picked the last of the fruit - and definitely before the end of September. And DISINFECT those secateurs or loppers!!!

Also - do not leave any old mummified fruit on the tree once you have picked all the good stuff - they only hold the spores overwinter - knock them to the ground - pick them up - and destroy them.

One of the plums in my orchard was infested with brown rot when we moved into the house - and I cleared that problem up by using the methods above within a year - plums are too nice to lose to rots - so do something about it!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

LOOKING GOOD!!

2010-08-06T11:04:00.003+01:00

Hello - there is definitely a slight hint of autumn in the air at the moment. Unlike early July - most of the month was actually quite cool and at times wet!! Some difference to last year!! At least here in Suffolk - last year was the driest on record - and unlike the rest of the country we were seeing conditions more akin to a desert than anything else!

But not this year!! Although the rain has not been universal throughout Suffolk - most places have had something - and the grass is green again - and there is a little bit of moisture in the ground.

Some of our customers have complained of a lack of colour in their gardens - but there are still loads of different items that you could plant right now!!

The first of the seasons tree berries - the Sorbus - Mountain Ashes are starting to show their wonderful berry colour. They are always great for bringing a splash of colour at head height into the garden - and the birds will love them!! The photo at the top of the page shows the beauty of their berry and foliage.

We have a slightly more unusual variant looking real nice right now - Sorbaronia 'Ivan's Beauty' - this is a cross between two different trees - Sorbus and Aronia. They have a beautiful dark - almost purple-black berry - nicely offset by divided foliage. Guaranteed to make any garden beautiful!

Another tree now coming into it's time is the Pride of India - Koelreuteria paniculata - it has divided leaves - which are topped by clusters of yellow flowers - a tree in full flower is a striking sight - and there are not that many trees that flower in August!!

Lower to the ground - one of Kevin's favourite perennials is looking fab at the moment. A superb form of the perennial Hyssop - Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' - he has this outside the office in a stunning display right now. If you have never heard of it - then shame on you!! Aromatic yellow-green leaves make a perfect foil for the spikes of blue flowers - and they are an absolute magnet for bees!! You must get one of these - they are great in any border - in sun - and I also grow them very nicely in pots on the patio too!!

These are just a few of the lovely items we have on our sales areas at the moment - why not pop in and have a look!!

There is a lot to look forward too - there is no longer any excuse to give up on your garden in August any more!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

ARE YOU PLANNING TO PLANT A HEDGE THIS AUTUMN??

2010-08-06T10:45:00.002+01:00

Hello - are you planning a session of hedge planting this autumn??

It is now the time to begin to think autumn planting new hedges - or may be gapping up an older one. With the slightly cooler weather - there is definitely a hint of autumn in the air - it will only be a few months before our new season bare-root hedging becomes available again.

To help with this - we have often been asked about the planting and looking after of hedges - and due to that demand - we are putting on an extra morning workshop - on Saturday September 18th from 9.30 - 12.00 - entitled Hedges, living screens for your garden.

Hedges are so varied - they have so many different uses - from screening and privacy to shade, shelter and windbreaks - they provide flower and fruit for wildlife - and offer a huge benfit to the environment - how could any fence panel ever compete with that???!!!

Come and learn all you need to know from selection of different types to planting techniques to the protection they may need from those pesky bunnies - this course will leave you fully inspired to start planting. As a bonus - you will receive a 10 % discount off all hedging plants ordered and paid for on the day - what an enticing offer!!

To book on this course - please contact the office on 01394 460755 - numbers are limited.

UNTIL NEXT TIME.
RICHARD

A NEW APPLE SEASON BEGINS!

2010-08-06T10:33:00.004+01:00

Hello,

One of the delights of my job is the fruit side of the nursery - and that means apples!! Here we are, just into August and the start of a brand new season of English apples!! Regular visitors to the nursery will know that we have an Apple Shed in the fruit sales area - and from now until the end of March (or when our customers have eaten them all!!) - we have apples available for you to come and taste!

We grow hundreds of different varieties - and the choice can be a bit over-whelming sometimes - but to actually come to the nursery and to be able to taste them will make your selection so much easier!!

At this early stage - there are only two varieties in - Vista Bella (see photo above) and Beauty of Bath - none of these earlies store very well - but what could be more pleasant than picking a bright red apple - still warm from the sun - and eating it straight off the tree!!!

Over the coming weeks and months - more and more fruit will be added as it ripens - and of course we have our big apple -tasting day at the end of October - Saturday October 23rd -a date for your diary - we will have apples to buy and taste - it is simply a fun day celebrating everything apple!! Do come if you can!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

SUMMER PRUNING DE-MYSTIFIED

2010-08-06T09:47:00.002+01:00

Hello,

On Wednesday July 28th - 11 keen gardeners came to the nursery to spend a morning with myself for the latest of our short courses to learn about summer pruning of fruit trees. As with anything connected with the 'p' word - there is much mystery and confusion about the correct techniques. However - hopefully - by the end of the morning session, most people seemed to have got a grasp of the principles behind the practice.

The course began with our usual ' what are you hoping to learn' session - I always like to do this so I can make sure the course is tailored to suit exactly what is required - it is surprising sometimes how I can change the course slightly to bring in a subject that was not originally going to be covered!!

Summer pruning is of particular importance in the training and cultivation of trained fruit trees mostly -espaliers,fans and cordons. Without summer work - these trees would not retain their attractive shape and the potential cropping for next season would be reduced.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they tend to treat their espaliers and fans e.t.c. like a hedge - as soon as it gets too much growth on it - they prune it back - regardless of the time of year!! The whole point of summer pruning is that it is carried out in late summer - usually late July or early August - because the tree growth is just about finished for the year - and the tree is busily making it's flower buds for next spring. It neither has the energy or the time to produce much new growth when pruned in late summer - but if you pruned any of this growth back in May and June - it would simply regrow - since the tree is more interested in growing at that time of the year.

There is much more to be said about the joys of pruning - but that would be more like spoilers for the next course!!!

If you feel that you would like to have a bit more of an idea then our next fruit courses are - Focus on Fruit - Thursday 28th October - 10-1.00 - course fee £25.00 - this is a very general course covering a whole range of topics - or if you are really into the pruning side of it - then Winter Pruning is on either Wednesday 10th November or Thursday 18th November - from 10.30-12.30 either day. This course is specifically aimed at pruning only - and is usually split into shrubs or fruit - depending upon the numbers involved.

To book any of these courses - please do get in early - we have a maximum number - ring the office on 01394 460755.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES!

2010-07-17T10:02:00.002+01:00

Hello - they say that a week is a long time in politics - but it also seems the same with our summer weather at the moment! From 32c last Friday - to 18C this week - it has been some change! However, I think most of us here at the nursery at least - have been quite glad that it has cooled down - and we actually had over an inch of rain on last Monday - which has changed the grass back to green - and plants have heaved a collective sigh of relief. However - Thursday and Friday saw horrid gale-force winds at the nursery - gusting to 35mph - which caused a lot of damage. Broken branches - flattened plants - broken support structures - a huge tree came down missing going through one of our polytunnels by inches!

We have just about finished clearing up now - and the nursery is returning to normal.

So away from this week's trials and tribulations - onto something nice!!

At this time of year - many of our gardens can start to look a bit drab - especially with the dry weather we have had recently - but here at the nursery - our shrub sales areas are packed with all sorts of lovely items that will take your garden very nicely on into the late summer/early autumn period.

Here are just a few highlights at the moment -

Hydrangeas - these have come a long way since the huge blowsy-headed sorts of years ago - we have a couple of very nice 'candelabra'-headed ones - that look very nice at the moment.

Caryopteris - these are still not widely seen for some strange reason - masses of blue flowers on a compact shrub that is just coming into bud - and will flower for most of August.

Fuchsia - not the basket types - but the bone hardy ones - from the gorgeous 'Lady Boothby' - a mix of red and black - to the dainty tiny pink/white flowers of magellanica 'Alba' - these are stars of any late summer flowers.

Abelia - I cannot understand why everyone has not got this in their garden!! It has the most beautiful semi-evergreen metallic green foliage - and from late July into September dainty clusters of the most wonderful slighty-scented white and pink flowers - relatively compact as well - it should be a must-have!!

Spiraea 'Shirobana' - most of the Spiraeas are spring-flowering - but there are also some stunning summer performers as well. This one has a mix of pink/red and white flowers all on the same plant - changing colour as they age/

Teucriums - these Wall Germanders are just lovely - they are very dwarf and ideal for the front of any borders - evergreen - now coming into bud - very much a Sage type of flower - but a nice carmine pink and flowers throughout August.

Potentillas - these are superb low-growing shrubs - flowering from July to September - in orange to yellow.

And as well we have some superb climbers and wall shrubs - such as the lovely honeysuckle 'Lonicera 'Mint Crisp' - and also the perenial pea - Lathyrus latifolius - very much like a sweet pea in flower - but it comes back every year.

There are many more on the sales areas - so why not come down and have a look - there is always plenty to see - no matter what the weather!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

COPING WITH THE DROUGHT

2010-07-09T10:06:00.003+01:00

Hello - since my last blog - we have had a prolonged period of very hot and dry weather - often accompanied by strong winds - the absolute nurseryman's nightmare!

You may remember that in my previous posting - I suggested that this might actually be turning into an 'old-fashioned' English summer - well it does not look like it does it!!! With hosepipe bans being enacted up North - and the prospect of a weekend in the '30's - it is a typical Suffolk July!!

So - rather than bleat about it - you have to get smart - and go with the flow. We are well used to this weather in this part of Suffolk at least - and listening to customers this week at the nursery - it seems that many of them are either very worried or becoming increasingly desperate about the state of their gardens - I can but offer a few bits of advice - purely through experience.

Firstly - the usual quoted advice - forget the lawn!! Unless - of course you adore your stripes!! There are now 'drought-resistant' kinds of turf available - but generally watering the lawn is jst a waste of water - as soon as there is the slightest shower, it will green up again. It is not 'dead' when it is brown - it is simply 'resting'- and will come back.

Big old mature trees - unless they are showing signs of stress - don't bother watering those - it will more likely encourage surface rooting - their roots are down very deep - and they will find their own moisture. The same applies to mature shrubs - really anything that has been in for about 2 or 3 years should be able to fend for itself. The items to concentrate on are those items that have been newly-planted this year. These are only rooted down into the top foot or so of soil - and there really is no moisture there - so they will need water - how much - well that depends on your soil and situation - but clay soil will always hold onto moisture a lot longer than sand.

There is often conflicting advice about whether to water little and often - or only when things are really wilted - with a heavy water. Here, at the nursery - we do not do wilted plants!! Once a plant reaches the stage of wilting - it is in serious stress - and is likely to suffer long-term problems if not treated quickly - so our view - is that plants should NEVER reach the wilted stage - yes - I hear you saying - it's easy for you to say that - you have an automatic watering system - that is true - but in my own garden at home - which is very heavily-planted - I manage to keep stuff watered- all of the beds and borders have leaky pipe irrigation - which is easily worked on an alternate basis - giving something water every night - leaving the containers and baskets to be watered every day.

It is always better to water in the evening - watering in the morning in these sort of temperatures will lead to them quickly drying out - evening watering means that they have 10 hours of cool to absorb it before the heat returns next day.

Mulching - why do more people not mulch their plants?? Bare-soil will lead to mega evaporation - it gets hot and cracks - nature does not allow this to happen - bare-soil is always covered up with foliage - in our own gardens we can do the same - but in a more ornamental way - with bark - it keeps the sun off the roots - keeping them cool and holding moisture - that is how I have my leaky pipe - it keeps beautifully moist under there.

I have a big dustbin on my patio - and all of the washing-up water goes in there - and I can then use that water on my plants - why on earth pay for that water to go down the drain??!!

Fruit trees need a lot of water - but again if it is at a premium - only water those that have decent crops on - with a young tree - it will be hugely beneficial to the tree to leave only half a dozen fruits on it - that fruit is full of water - and that can be used elsewhere.

There has also been some advice about pruning back the 'softer' growth on shrubs and trees - the suggestion being that this takes most of the water - and the older growth is better able to withstand drought. This is new advice to me - but I see the logic in it - although it would need to be done with care - since the shape and potential flowering next year of some items could be compromised by incorrect pruning.

I think basically it is perfectly normal for plants to be short of water in high summer - it is how we deal with it that is important - we can still have beautiful gardens at this time of year - even if the GRASS is brown!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - STAY COOL!
RICHARD

AN OLD-FASHIONED ENGLISH SUMMER??

2010-06-26T10:11:00.002+01:00

Hello - what lovely weather we are enjoying at the moment. This is more like 'Flaming June' - than a few weeks ago!!

This whole summer so far is actually turning out to be more of a 'traditional' English summer than of late in Suffolk. The last few years have seen very extreme weather - and dry springs which in turn have caused serious drought problems later on in the summer. This year - so far at least - we seem to have been heading more towards a few showers spread nicely throughout May and June keeping everything very happy - the old country saying ' A shower in June keeps everything in tune' is very much spot on this year.

To actually still have green grass on the lawns in late June is unheard of in Suffolk lately - and I think anyone who has shrubs or roses or fruit trees can see how well they look this year - all that winter moisture is still there deep down - and these 'top-up' showers are just what the doctor ordered!! Even if we now have six weeks of heat and dry - the plants are in a far better position than they were last year.

At the nursery, we are nicely into our summer routine. Once the Suffolk Show passes - we tend to drop down a gear and nursery life runs very smoothly between irrigation, propagation, pruning and training of young stock - and generally getting on top of all those jobs that got left over the really busy spring period.

That is not to say - we do not still welcome visitors to the nursery - we have more time to talk to you now than in the winter!!

Back to the Suffolk Show - several people have commented on our stand during their visit to the nursery - and we thank them again for their generous comments. Several of you have expressed interest in how the straw bales - the original gro-bag idea came together. The use of straw bales is certainly not a new idea - but it has in the past been used pretty much exclusively for melons and courgettes and the like - and less so for other veg, it seemed to Graeme in planning the Edible Garden that this was a resource that was very under-used. In terms of wheat against barley as the source of the bale - it does not really seem to make much difference - but it is necessary to have bales that are preferably a year old - and just starting to turn colour. These are much easier to wet than new bales - and keeping them wet was one of the problems we found. It took some time and much water to get them soft to allow planting into the tops of them, but of course this also led to another problem in that disintegration of the bale would happen faster when wet - coupled with an attempt to transport them to the showground - and it became obvious that they would have to be on raised pallets.

It also became obvious that the plants to go in them needed to be of a decent size to start with - otherwise an inevitable amount of seed growth from the excess grain within the bale overwhelmed them when they were young. Holes were cut out with a very sharp knife and saw - and chicken pelleted manure placed underneath - the plants were then put in - and a little compost used to firm them in. Fortnightly liquid-seaweed extract gave all the necessary nutrients and pushed the plants on nicely. And - most importantly - the bales were all stored under an overhead watering system keeping the moisture in. After six weeks - it became evident that they were rooting well down into the straw - and the changing colour of the bale suggested that it was providing nutrient breakdown as well.

The week before the show - the final prep took place - and they made their way up the A12 to the showground - everybody was concerned they may not survive the journey - but I am pleased to report other than a rogue courgette - they got there in one piece!! We had deliberately grown and taken extra plants to cope with this possibility - so yet again - forward planning is essential - hopefully most of you out there who may want to copy this idea - may not try to transport your efforts TO a county show!!

They are still here at the nursery for people to see - although a certain amount of harvesting is taking place - particularly on the lettuces - so the bales are not as full as they were - but after all - they are meant to be functional as well as beautiful!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - ENOJY THE SUN!
RICHARD

SUFFOLK SHOW - WE HAVE WON IT AGAIN!

2010-06-12T09:58:00.013+01:00

Hello - apologies for the delay in this blog - but the last fortnight has been absolutely crazy with the Suffolk Show.

Well - we have won it again! For the second year running, our large stand in the Flower Show Marquee was awarded a Large Gold Medal and The Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Best in Show. This is the second time we have won the Cup - we were over the moon last time - and we are absolutely delighted to win it again!!

I would like to say a huge Thank You to all of you who came and saw us over the two days of the show - and thank you so very much for all your kind comments. A big Thank You to the entire Crown Nursery team - without them none of this would have taken place. And also a big Thank You to Sue Hedger-Brown - for helping me to add that extra 'twist' to our design this year.

For those of you unable to make the show - I have posted a few photos of the stand to give you an idea.

In planning this one, there were always the obvious aims - to promote the plants we sell at the nursery, to publicise all that we do - and to make as big a 'wow-effect' as we could. Any stand that we feature has to have a large emphasis on trees - and we are of course fortunate to have some huge semi-mature versions that lend themselves beautifully to show-work. This year's focus was on the 45 year-old weeping Blue Cedars - Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' that we have had at the nursery for many years.

However, being so incredibly wide and low - gave us difficulties getting them into the Flower Show Marquee - we did this by starting a week before the Show when nobody else was there - so we could take up the entire area with all our vehicles.

Then came the next problem of how to actually display them - Graeme came up with the clever idea of raising them up on pallets - and this is what we did - giving a cascade effect - and allowing underplanting beneath them. The central one was actually on seven pallets - and then the second tree on four pallets and so on - it certainly worked - and when the pallets were all hidden by a mixture of hessian netting and heavy planting - nobody could have guessed how it was done!!

Once these, and the Weeping Silver Birch, Upright Hornbeam and Copper Beech were in - the rest of the stand built very nicely. A heavy layer of shrubbery hid a multitude of sins - and then it was to the two main beds full of glorious colour from perennials. The path this year - was all within our theme of 'A modern twist on an old Design' - which meant that they were made from Spring Ring off-cuts - this is a material that we use to pot trees into. It actually worked very well.

But the main 'twist' this year was the use of the metal 'Pyramids' to punctuate the design - a rather brave idea of mine - I must admit I was unsure to start with - but it did work out in the end!!

They were 'softened' by the planting - which was a heady mix of perennials,herbs and shrubs. I used some of my favourite combinations for this - and it generally seemed to receive a good response. Alchemilla mollis with Chives - Fennel with Aquilegia studded through it - French Lavender with Purple Elder and Curry Plant - there now - I am not going to give everything away!!

Outside Graeme did his 'Edible Garden' stand - but again a twist this year was the use of straw bales - as the 'original Grow-bag'!! These generated much interest.

Along with the usual mix of vegetables fruit and herbs in the raised beds - hopefully it inspires everybody to 'get out there' and have a go yourself!

So - we have got everything back in it's place at the nursery - and we are just about recovered - it was an incredible fortnight - but so well worth it - to hear people's comments. We are only a small nursery - but for a couple of weeks - we felt like we were up there with the 'Chelsea Boys'!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

IT'S SHOWTIME!!

2010-05-27T08:06:00.002+01:00

Hello, well it is almost upon us - the Suffolk Show - it's very nearly showtime!!

The coverage of Chelsea Flower Show has been all over the papers and TV all week - but our 'Chelsea' is next week at the Suffolk Show.

Final preparations on the plants are now just about complete - there are 85 different species on the stand ranging from trees to shrubs to perennials - and just under 800 plants in total! As always it is a mammoth task - and a logistical nightmare - but we begin construction this afternoon - and will be there most of the Bank Holiday Weekend. It is only a two day - show - (Wednesday and Thursday next week - 2nd and 3rd June) but it requires a marathon effort to get everything where it needs to be.

Of course, it is not even just the plants - it is the mulch - the 'hard landscaping' features - the 'nuts and bolts' of the stand.

It takes three vehicles three days to get everything up there - and it takes exactly the same to bring it all home again!!

I freely admit to feeling rather anxious about the prospect - but if you are not feeling like that before such a major project - then you are probably not human!!

On the plus side - there are some superb plants ready to go up there - the slightly cooler weather this week could not have come better really - it has slowed down those plants that were racing away - and those that were a little behind are now in the warmth of the tunnel just 'finishing off'.

Graeme's 'Edible Garden' demonstration is also taking shape - this will be just outside the entrance to the Flower Show. Our main stand is inside the Flower Show Marquee - at the far end - near the catering department!!

Do come and see us if you are visiting the show - we would love to see you!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

NOTE - THIS WEEKEND IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - AND THE NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS.

NEXT WEEK - THE SUFFOLK SHOW IS ON WEDNESDAY 2ND JUNE AND THURSDAY 3RD JUNE - SINCE MOST OF THE NURSERY IS UP AT THE SHOW - THE OPENING HOURS OF THE NURSERY WILL BE AFFECTED - SO IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO VISIT NEXT WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY - PLEASE RING THE OFFICE ON 01394 460755 TO CHECK THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY OPEN ON THAT DAY - 'NORMAL SERVICE' WILL RESUME FROM FRIDAY 4TH JUNE ONWARDS!!

SOME LIKE IT HOT!!

2010-05-21T09:26:00.005+01:00

Hello - phew what a scorcher!! Temperatures have soared at the nursery to 25C - some difference to last week - when the best we could make was 12C!!!

It is nice if you are laying on a beach - but rather hot in the tunnels at the moment - but really we should not complain!!

As long as plants have sufficient moisture - they will make very rapid growth now. But again I stress AS LONG AS THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT MOISTURE. Soil moisture evaporates literally overnight in these sort of conditions - so it is very important that all new planting is well-watered in - and kept well-watered for at least the next few months.

On the plus side - it looks a very promising fruit set this year - uninterrrupted blossom-time has led to the trees appearing to be stuffed full of fruitlets - even despite the late frosts last week - but only time will tell - never count your chickens before they are hatched - or your fruit before the June drop!!!

Otherwise the nursery is obsessed with one project only - Operation S.S - The Suffolk Show!!! In the last week - I have allocated almost 500 plants for it alone - and there are still more to come!!

It may only be a two-day show (June 2nd and 3rd) - but it takes just as much time as a week-long event!!

If all goes as planned - (does it ever??) - then we should have something quite DIFFERENT for you to see!!

Do come and see us - we are in the Flower Tent -at the catering end - with our huge main display - and also just outside the entrance with our raised beds demonstration.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE STOP-START SPRING

2010-05-14T08:10:00.002+01:00

Hello - what a strange spring this is turning out to be. April seemed to give promise of a really warm spring - but so far May has turned that completely on it's head!

Freezing cold North-east winds - and several nights of frost this week have tested some of the new growth and all the fruit blossom that is about at the moment. Like many other gardeners- it has been out with the fleece on several nights this week - trying to protect the new soft growth. At the moment - it does not seem to have done any serious damage - but time will tell on the fruit blossom - it can affect the small fruitlets - and I expect that the plums and the pears will show some damage in a month's time. This can vary from fruitlet drop - to cracking on the skin - but again - only time will tell.

The good news is that the forecast says that it will warm up over the weekend - so that should remove the threat of frost.

Staying with fruit blossom - I do think that in 18 years in this industry I have never seen a better crop of APPLE BLOSSOM. The trees are laden with bloom - and it would seem to be of very good quality too - very large flowers - which should lead to a decent fruit set. I think this is due to weather patterns - last year's summer was excellent for setting flower buds - a little bit of dryness at the root often causes plants to produce more flowers than growth - and certainly in Suffolk last July and August when the flower buds were formed was like a desert!! Then came the cold winter - fruit trees need a period of cold to fully iniate their buds - this is called VERNALISATION. It is still not fully understood - but if they do not receive a period of cold their flowers do not iniate properly.

It always reminds me of the time when I used to work on a commercial fruit farm - and we used to open the orchards for Blossom Walks - with a small donation to charity - they were alwaya very popular. Apple Blossom is one of the highlights of spring for me - and unlike the Flowering Cherries - you know that you are going to get a bounty of fruit in 5 or 6 months time!!

I have noticed on the apple trees this week - that in amongst the blossom - PRIMARY MILDEW is starting to appear. We have all seen this before -the powdery silvery deposit on leaves. It can be very devastating - and the leaves that have it at the moment - are those that were affected last autumn - and the fungus has overwintered on the buds. It must be removed as soon as it is seen - otherwise it will spread to the new growth. Cut it off - bin it or burn it and don't forget to DISINFECT your secateurs before changing trees - otherwise you will pass it on!!!
We call it primary mildew - because it is the first of the year - and will become SECONDARY MILDEW once it reaches the new growth - and is harder to control.

It is also the time to hang PHEROMONE TRAPS for Plum Maggot Moth in your plum and greengage trees. These really do work - and are a very effective organic and non-chemical way of stopping maggots in your plums - there is one for Apple Codling Moth - but that will not be put out until after petal fall.

Otherwise here at the nursery, it has been another busy old week. Much activity on the propagation front - the girls taking cuttings of many shrubs and perennials - whilst the growth is soft and strong. If you stand still long enough at the moment - it seem as though someone will be round you with a pair of secateurs for a cutting - so visitors watch out!!

For my own part - Operation S.S is well and truly launched. No - this is not some top-secret military battle - although it could be viewed in that way- it is the plans for the SUFFOLK SHOW. Plant allocation is underway - it is always something I enjoy - pulling together plants from all the different sales area for our stand - hopefully showing the best of what we do here at the nursery.

With the show only a fortnight away - (2nd and 3rd June) - trying to work out what will actually be in flower is as difficult as ever. Interestingly though - several items that we would not usually expect to be out in flower look as though they will be - due to the cold weather at the moment that has delayed them. If it turns hot next week though - that will all go out of the window - so we shall just have to see!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY

2010-05-07T08:12:00.007+01:00

Hello - a very changeable week on the weather front. Predicting the weather from day to day this week has been as difficult as predicting last night's General Election result! Whether you could say we have a 'hung' weather pattern at the moment I am not sure!!

At times, it has felt more like March here at the nursery - the wind has swung round to the North-East, and is blowing off somewhere very cold - there is a real chill in the air! On the plus side though, most of us have seen some much-needed rainfall - I say most of us - because some people have had three times the amount others have - so again very variable.

A busy week though - a lot of potting on and propagation of shrubs from cuttings has gone on. This will lead - hopefully - to some very fine plants for later on in the year.

We are now sold out of ASPARAGUS - so if you were still hoping to get some planted this spring - then I am afraid you are too late!!

However - the sales area where the ASPARAGUS was, has now been changed for a nice little display of HERBS. These plants remain ever popular - grasses and perennials come and go - but herbs seem to hold their own. The beauty of SCENTED FOLIAGE and culinary use as well - means there is a lot to be said for these plants. Most of them are only small or compact - and fit very well into small spaces - so ideal for patio pots and planters.

From the larger shrubby items such as ROSEMARY and LAVENDER to the sub-shrubs such as SAGE - there is much to enjoy about this group of plants.

Many people adore the smaller THYMES that creep along the ground - those such as the LEMON THYME are just smashing when their leaves are crushed. Combine those with OREGANO or CHIVES and you have a winning combination!

Another highlight of this week was our course - SPRING IN YOUR GARDEN. Five keen gardeners came on a bright but blustery day to learn about those little tips and tricks of the trade that can keep your garden looking good at this busy time of the year.

Next week will see the preparation for the SUFFOLK SHOW stands step up a gear. There is already much stock allocated - but with only 3 or so weeks to go - much planning will begin to materialise into plants - hopefully!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

THE JOYS OF SPRING!

2010-04-30T08:13:00.005+01:00

Hello - what a beautiful week. It really is an absolutely glorious time of year.

It does not matter how many springs you have seen - they never fail to please. This week has seen a beautiful mix of sun and showers - which has helped to keep plants in tune a bit more - there have also been several overcast days which help that young soft growth to harden up a bit - and survive the extremes a bit better.

I think perhaps this spring - more than most - it has been noticeable how fast stuff is growing. The trees are literally coming into leaf overnight - and the new growth on climbers and perennials is quite stunning.

However - there are problems appearing - aphid is already apparent on some plants - and we are monitoring new growth to ensure there is no setback.

We are still getting a lot of reports from customers about dead or apparently dead shrubs in their gardens - these are a hangover from the vicious winter weather. It is predominantly evergreens that are mentioned - but as I have said before - the evergreens do not start producing new growth until mid-May - so it is far too early to give up on anything yet!

The BLOSSOM is outstanding this year - the PLUMS and CHERRIES are in full flower - and the early-flowering APPLE BLOSSOM is starting. I adore apple blossom - not only for the lovely scent - but also that beautiful mix of pink and white - as the buds unfurl.

Talking of APPLE BLOSSOM - the Malus - the FLOWERING CRAB APPLES are now starting their season of glory. They nicely follow on from the PRUNUS - the FLOWERING CHERRIES. We grow many beauties - but what is so much better about the Crab Apple versus Cherry conundrum is that the Crab Apples will all have decorative fruit in the autumn - which sadly the Flowering Cherries will not have. This put together with their small size - and the ability to grow well on most soils score them a lot of brownie points in the tree stakes.

As to which varieties to grow - well it depends on what you want them for. Since they are all superb in blossom - it comes down to those with larger fruits - if you want to make Crab Apple Jelly those like JOHN DOWNIE are your best bet - there are more ornamental types like the purple-leaved forms - and then there are some that just outstanding all across the board - like 'WHITE STAR' and MALUS TRANSITORIA - they have it all - wonderful blossom - and great fruit.

There now - if you had not realised it - I quite like CRAB APPLES - why not take a closer look at them yourself - you may be pleasantly surprised!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

REMEMBER - THIS IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - AND DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS - THE NURSERY IS CLOSED OVER THE WHOLE WEEKEND - FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE.

THE GREAT WATER GAME BEGINS!!

2010-04-23T08:13:00.002+01:00

Hello - what a week!! It has felt more like July here at the nursery than April.

For the most part, we have had blue skies and a blazing hot sun - that chilly wind has still been about - but even that should disappear in the next few days.

There have been several quite sharp overnight frosts - which with the blossom and young growth has been a bit of a concern - but it does not seem to have done any serious damage at the moment.

Of much bigger concern though is how dry it has become - yet again!

It is incredible to think that after one of the coldest and wettest winters on record - we are now finding a number of plants are starting to run short of water. We have not actually had any rain for three weeks in Suffolk - Easter Saturday was the last really wet day.

There is plenty of moisture down below - but the top of the ground has got very hard and really dried out - mostly due to a lethal combination of hot sun and strong winds - the old NURSERYMAN'S NIGHTMARE. Anything newly-planted or newly-potted must be kept well-watered for successful rooting.

After last summer - when it did not rain for 6 months in East Anglia - the signs are ominous that it is going exactly the same way this year. Great weather if you are laying on a beach - but if you are a serious gardener or running a nursery with thousands of plants - you may not be quite so happy!!

So we have had to bring our irrigation programme forward - and we are now running a full summer schedule - all the trees and all the stock areas have been brought online - and the bore hole is churning out water left, right and centre. It is still far too early to say what the summer is going to bring - but the early signs would suggest it could be a scorcher!!

Whatever the outcome - we must always stay ahead of the game - water is one of the most difficult operations to manage on the nursery - too little and plants will quickly go backwards - too much and they will also suffer. We change our irrigation programme daily to suit the weather - and the many different environments on the nursery - but it is a headache to be sure. With no decent rainfall on the horizon - it will occupy a lot of my thoughts - probably for the next six months!!

Something else that is starting to occupy our thoughts as well is the SUFFOLK SHOW. We will again have two stands there - one outside the flower show made up of edible stuff - from fruit to herbs - to vegetables - and our usual huge display inside the marquee.

Although the show is eight weeks away - preparations are well underway - and we are starting to get some serious items allocated in advance. Although it is only a two-day show - it takes up an enormous amount of time and energy - so forward planning is all important.

We have also begun our SHRUB CUTTINGS programme this week. Certain items do very well from cuttings at this time of year - so the girls are busily harvesting the young growth - a little time spent now will provide hundreds of new plants for the autumn season.

Other than that - there is much potting on of young stock preparing for the autumn planting season - there look at that - we are planning for autumn already - and it is only just spring!!
But you have to get ahead in this game - there's no prize for being behind!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE CURSE OF THE BLACKTHORN WINTER

2010-04-16T08:14:00.005+01:00

Hello - well it has happened again!! What you may ask is he on about this week? - I am talking about the old Blackthorn Winter. The Suffolk countryboys always say that when the Blackthorn or Sloe is in flower - the weather is cold. In hedges everywhere - the white blossom is appearing - and we have had a nagging cold North-easterly wind - and chilly old nights - all week long.

It is a strange - but true fact - that whether the Blackthorn flowers in late March as in most years - or as this year 3 weeks later than normal - in 9 years out of 10 - it will be cold when it is in flower.

Luckily - it only flowers for 7-10 days - so hopefully this chilly wind will not last long.

So - here on the nursery - another busy old week. A lot of customers are very busy getting their final trees and shrubs into the ground before they really start to grow away. It loooks like being another vintage year for blossom - the photo above is of another impressive tree at the moment - or often seen as a bushy shrub - that is AMELANCHIER CANANDENSIS - the SNOWY MESPILUS. This is a tree or shrub that is much more widely seen now - it is creeping into many of the council plantings - and for good reason. It has much going for it - superb spring blossom which contrasts beautifully with the bronze young leaves - edible berries in June - and superb orange and red autumn colour - no wonder it is so popular!! The tree form we have is AMELANCHIER 'ROBIN HILL' - a slightly pinker blossom - but it is definitely a tree and not a shrub - nice and straight - but not too big for a small garden.

We are busy potting on a lot of potential new FRUIT items for next season - we have selected and potted on new CORDON APPLES and some of the larger rootstocks that are in demand at the moment. These will be grown on - and hopefully some of them will be available for sale in the autumn.

We still have ASPARAGUS CROWNS for immediate planting - along with potted SOFT FRUIT - SUCH AS RASPBERRIES - GOOSEBERRIES- RHUBARB - BLACKCURRANTS - and FIGS.

On the shrub front - the girls have been busily restocking the shrub sales area with all sorts of lovely items - there are some superb CLIMBERS coming through the system - the new growth on the HONEYSUCKLES is really coming along. We also have some nice CLIMBING HYDRANGEAS about to go out on the sales area - it is a busy and wonderful time of the year with new growth pushing on - it is just that it would be nice if this horrid cold wind would go away since it is devastating on the new growth.

There are many nice shrubs about - but one of our favourites is in full glory now - if you think all of the FLOWERING CURRANTS are pink or red - or smell of cats - then you are in for a surprise!! There is a cracker - a little -known plant called RIBES ODORATUM - THE BUFFALO CURRANT. (SEE THE PHOTO OF THE FLOWERS ABOVE) This has yellow flowers - not red - and it has a WONDERFUL SPICY SCENT - these are followed in some years - by BLACK BERRIES - so with the glossy shiny foliage as well - you have a highly desirable shrub - I think everybody should have one!!

A lot of customers coming into the nursery this week - are asking about winter damage to their EVERGREEN SHRUBS. I mentioned this once before - with the harshest winter weather for 30 years in Suffolk - many of the evergreen shrubs are still recovering. In my own garden - there have been lots of broken branches and twigs - and twisted stems - on the evergreens where the snow and ice has been bearing them down. A little snipping here and there will sort those out - but other less sheltered areas have seen people lose plants completely.

While it is not surprising that sub-tropical plants such as Yuccas and Cordylines have perished - some gardeners are telling us that they have lost large specimens of Viburnum tinus and Mahonias even! I think that it is worth waiting until the end of May before condemming anything totally!! It may well resprout - but until the weather changes totally - they will remain in dormancy - so give the poor old things a bit longer!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

BARE-ROOT ASPARAGUS NOW IN!

2010-04-09T09:09:00.003+01:00

Hello - the Asparagus has arrived - and is now on sale!!

We have excellent quality F1 Male Hybrids - two varieties - GIJNLIM and BACKLIM. These are really so much better than the old varieties we used to have.

Being male only - they do not have to spend their time and energy producing berries on the female fern.

The photo here shows how large the crowns are - ideally they should not have any spears pulled in their first year - but many of our customers tell us that they sneak a few!!

By getting your crowns in during the next few weeks - look at the photo of these lovely spears you will soon be enjoying!!

We do also offer a full AFTERCARE and HOW TO GROW leaflet - as well as RECIPES - so the full package!! Demand always outstrips supply - so if you would like to have a go at growing ASPARAGUS this spring - get down to the nursery and grab them while you can!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

NEW SPECIMEN STOCK IN!!

2010-04-09T08:52:00.002+01:00

Hello - a busy old time here at the nursery at the moment!! We have just had an extra delivery of SPECIMEN shrubs and conifers onto our sales areas.

The cold winter has meant that many people have lost prized shrubs - and are looking to replace them - but with a sizeable plant to fill the space!!

We have got some nice mature CONIFERS -particularly CUPRESSUS 'GOLDCREST' -in a range of sizes - as well as the lovely blue JUNIPERUS 'SKYROCKET'.

Ther are some new BAMBOOS - and LAURELS in two different sizes offer instant evergreen hedging or screening or space-filling.

We are also very excited about some lovely PITTOSPORUM that we have managed to find. We have the sought-after PURPLE-LEAVED form - this really is an absolute beauty!! It does need a sheltered spot though - so does the other one we have - 'IRENE PATTERSON' - this has creamy-green wavy leaves - just so pretty!! Both of these are evergreen reliable shrubs - that are excellent for flower-arranging and general planting.

There are large specimen EUCALYPTUS TREES - excellent for screening purposes - and we also have other large evergreen shrubs such as the ever-popular PHOTINIA 'RED ROBIN' - and the Portugese Laurel - PRUNUS LUSITANICA.

Back by popular demand are the large specimen CEANOTHUS - these are always snapped up!! Also another of our popular lines are the instant SPECIMEN WALL-FANS of CLEMATIS, CEANOTHUS AND HONEYSUCKLE. These are ideal to pop-in if you want to clothe a wall or fence overnight!!

All of these are now on our sales areas - so while the ground is still in good condition for planting - get forward - and restock your garden!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

END OF THE MAIL-ORDER SEASON

2010-04-09T08:50:00.004+01:00

Hello - with the warm weather - and plants now considerably advanced - our mail-order service is about to come to a close.

We can still send out ASPARAGUS and the odd dormant tree or shrub - but particularly FRUIT trees are now so forward in leaf and blossom - that they are likely to suffer damage in transit. If you are desperate to get a tree - do give the office a ring - BUT EVEN WE CANNOT HOLD BACK NATURE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BLOSSOM BEAUTIES!!

2010-04-09T08:01:00.006+01:00

Hello - what a lovely week! Here in Suffolk - it has been an absolutely gorgeous week on the weather front - blue skies and warm. It is typical of course that it improved after the Easter holiday - when we had all gone back to work!!

But - never mind! The recent warmth has prompted the Prunus and the many other blossom trees to begin their season of glory. There are so many beauties in this family - it is hard sometimes to know which to go for - but the few below are some of the favourites of the Crown Nursery staff.

The one above here is the gorgeous PLUM-APRICOT HYBRID - PRUNUS X BILIRIANA. A superb blossom - very large and semi-double - but with the added bonus of purple summer foliage - so it has everything you could want!!

If you favour white blossom - then the photo on the left here is PRUNUS 'UMENIKO'. Another cracker - I particularly like the pink 'eye' to the flower - nice!! It is one of the new generation of cherries - with a longer lasting flower - and excellent autumn colour.

We actually have a SPECIAL OFFER on these this spring!! Normally they are on at £36.00 - for approx a 6ft tree - but at the moment they are just £28.00!! A BARGAIN FOR SURE!!

Another tree that is in full flower at the moment is PRUNUS DULCIS - the ALMOND. The blossom is as pretty as you can get - and of course - if it is a good summer - you will also actually get some ALMONDS in the autumn!!

The colour of the flowers of these is just wonderful - and they so stand out against the sky on a sunny day.

But I have left my favourite until last!! The lovely photo on the left here is PRUNUS 'ACCOLADE'. If ever a plant deserved it's name - it's this one!! It has won many awards over the years - and is one of the most reliable cherries of them all. Just look at this lovely photo taken the other day of a tree on the TREE WALK - against a typical Suffolk Blue sky. Gorgeous dark pink buds open to large single pink flowers - which hum with bees on a warm day. If you are really lucky - you will get small red cherries in late summer - for the birds rather than for us - and then orange and red autumn colour - it is one of the new generation cherries that have been bred for a longer flowering season - since it flowers first on old wood and then on the younger branches too. THERE WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR IN A TREE???

With the ground full of moisture - and the season running behind - you can still plant a container-grown tree of one of these crackers this spring - just try and get them in by the end of the month if you can.

FILL YOUR GARDEN WITH BLOSSOM THIS SPRING!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

HAPPY EASTER!!

2010-04-01T16:58:00.003+01:00

Hello - We would like to wish all our customers - both old and new a very HAPPY EASTER!!

The weather seems more like winter than spring - but that is just typical of the time of the year! Just when we all have some time off to do stuff in our own garden - it looks like being a wet one!!

Never mind - we can only hope they have got it wrong!!

REMEMBER - DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS - THE NURSERY IS CLOSED OVER THE BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - FROM FRIDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE - AND WILL REOPEN ON TUESDAY 6TH APRIL AT 9AM.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

IT'S OFFICIAL - IT'S SPRING!!

2010-03-29T08:21:00.004+01:00

Hello - well the clocks have gone forward - we are past March 21st - by every method -old country folklore or official - it is now SPRING!!

After the long cold winter - we are all perhaps looking forward to spring more this year than any other. The DAFFODILS on the verge outside the nursery are superb again - as the photo shows. Yes, of course everybody seems to have them - but what else gives such a bold early show and is so weather resistant??

With the rising temperatures - and the odd shower - the ground is superb for work in the garden at the moment. An excellent time to get those plants in the ground before it gets too dry for them to establish properly.

Here at the nursery, we remain extremely busy - and on all fronts - the last few pieces of HEDGING - the last of the BARE-ROOT SOFT FRUIT PLANTS -not to mention the many wonderful ornamental blossom trees and shrubs that are now starting to enter the scene.

We are all working hard at the nursery - trying to get the sales area restocked as fast as we can - but we are out of stock of many items now - so don't leave it much longer if you want that special plant from our catalogues - we may no longer have it available!

This is a fabulous time of year - yes - of course there will be cold spells and bad days - but the calendar is firmly heading away from winter - and no cold spell will last long any more. The extra hour of daylight gives us all the opportunity to get out in our gardens after work - and push on with those final tasks before another growing season really sets in!

Get out in your garden and ENJOY IT - I CERTAINLY INTEND TOO!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BUSY - BUSY - BUSY!!

2010-03-20T08:53:00.002Z

Hello - talk about March madness - more like March mayhem!! We have just come out of the busiest week at the nursery so far this season!

A cracking combination of good weather - and the need to push on and get all those trees and hedging plants in the ground - has led to a manic time here at the nursery.

There have been a couple of days this week - when I have not really been certain whether I have been coming or going (some people think I am like that all the time!) - but we have certainly seen an enormous amount of stuff going out of the gates.

We have had some lovely days this week too - Monday and Tuesday particularly - the temperature reached the balmy heights of 15c - incredible when you think how cold it was last month - and a little overnight rain has kept things in form - and the ground in a workable condition.

I have said constantly over the last few weeks - that if you want to plant a new HEDGE - then you need to crack on - before we sell out. This will be THE LAST TIME I shall say it though - since I do not imagine we will have much stock after next week.

We also are now SOLD OUT of PLUM 'VICTORIA' - - again!!! We managed to get some new stock in - but it sold out in 10 days - so it just proves the demand for this old favourite. We still have a FEW trees of OULINS GOLDEN GAGE though - but again - I doubt they will last long!!

However - it IS now time to think about ASPARAGUS!! We will have our usual superb BARE-ROOT CROWNS available soon. Two varieties - BACKLIM AND GIJNLIM - these are quality F1 Male Hybrids - that produce superb thick spears. These can be pre-ordered now - they are always very popular - and we only ever have LIMITED STOCK.
I will do a post on them when they are available - but if you definitely want some - don't leave it too late - or they will all be gone!!

The long-range weather forecast suggests another mild week coming up - it's just what we all need to encourage us out there - and make this the year of the garden of our dreams!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

MARCH MADNESS!!

2010-03-12T08:06:00.002Z

Hello - a mostly dry - if chilly - week, here at the nursery - has helped us push on with some of those jobs that have been waiting for a long time.

MARCH MADNESS - Most people who know me think I am mad all of the year - but it is not me that I am talking about!! This madness is the great pressure to get all those outstanding jobs completed before a new gardening season really starts. Customers are pouring in - and our stock is flying out - so if you are planning a major planting session this spring - don't leave it too late - otherwise you will not get the plants you want!!!

I have almost finished pruning the orchard - the trees have been there about 7 years now - and are really starting to look the part. The shapes of many of them are now set - and it is incredible to see the difference between the different rootstocks - and the bushes and half-standards.

There seems to be a huge amount of flower bud potential on them all this year - which should hopefully lead to a decent crop.

FRUIT TREES continue to be extremely popular - as does the SOFT FRUIT - we are now sold out of all currants - but still have decent stock of GOOSEBERRIES and RASPBERRIES. However, the stock situation is changing all the time - so by next week they may all be gone!!

We have a delivery of FERTILISER this week - and we now have a range of products available for you to feed your garden plants this spring. After such a wet winter - many of our plants are jolly hungry!! The cold and wet has leached many of the essential nutrients out of the soil - and they need to be replaced to ensure strong new growth.
We have got both organic and artificial feeds available - which applied now will get into the soil over the next few weeks.
While not wanting to push one product over the others - the ORGANIC types such as Chicken Pelleted Manure do tend to offer a SLOW-RELEASE of nutrients - over a 6-8 week period - while the artificial types tend to be more immediate.

It is a great time to clear beds and borders of the last of the debris from the winter - as well as pruning shrubs,roses and fruit trees - so why not do what I do - and clear the area - prune - and then feed - job done!!

It's a busy old time - but effort put in now, will lead to a wonderful summer display - so get out there!!

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

A TOUCH OF SPRING!

2010-03-05T08:51:00.004Z

Hello - what a lovely week!! A hint of spring - and the joys to come. We have actually had a whole week without rain - I believe the first since mid-November!!

We have enjoyed blue skies and sun for the most part - yes - there are frosts at night - but that is normal for this time of the year.

It just makes everybody feel so much better!!! And the plants love it too!!

The photo above is a little-known shrub that is looking good at the moment and that should be seen far more often - it is Cornus mas - the Cornelian Cherry. An early flowerer - but late this year due to the weather - the photo above does not really show how profuse the flowers are!! They are smothered in yellow starry flowers - with a musty scent - and the bonus of edible red fruit - although the birds will probably get there first!!

Out on the nursery this week - we have all been enjoying the warmth of the sun. Liz has completed the GRAFTING PROGRAMME - the Robinias are always the last item - and these are also one of our most popular trees - particularly the lovely Robinia 'Frisia' - the yellow and lime-green foliage tree that so many of us have in our gardens!!

Our new SHRUB CATALOGUE is now available online - and at the nursery - it has had a bit of a revamp - and now lists our range - and also all the Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Well worth a look!

We have also been busy POTTING UP new trees for growing on for the autumn/winter season 2010-2011 - yes - with trees we always need to be at least six months ahead of the game!!

Due to demand - we have managed to source some more VICTORIA PLUMS AND GREENGAGES - but these will definitely be the last of this season!! So come and grab them - once they have gone - they are gone - and it will be autumn before we have any more!

It is also LAST-CHANCE SALOON on the bare-root hedging - we are very close to being sold out of many items - so again - if you want to plant a HEDGE this spring - DO IT NOW!!

The long-range forecast suggests that next week will also be dry - so let us all get out in our gardens and make up for lost time!!

Get out there - and enjoy your garden!!

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

FAREWELL TO FEBRUARY - BRING ON MARCH MADNESS!!

2010-02-26T08:18:00.010Z

Hello - a changeable week on the old weather front - but one thing does stand out - it is much milder!! We actually reached the dizzy height of 10 degrees yesterday - and the plants are already starting to respond!

The buds on many of the Prunus are starting to swell - and also the Quinces are showing signs of life again. The Hawthorn hedging is beginning to think about coming into leaf - so they do soon change once the temperature goes up.It has however been a very,very wet week - almost 2 inches of rain has fallen here over the last four days.

THE PHOTO ABOVE IS OF VIBURNUM BODNANTENSE 'DAWN' ENJOYING A RARE MOMENT OF SUN!

But we push on regardless - and Liz has almost completed grafting the ornamentals - and has just about wrapped up the apples too - so we are ahead on that one. Hedging orders are flying out - and we are really starting to run low on stock.

With the warmer temperatures - and longer days - we are getting a lot of visitors to the nursery, and they all remark on how cheerful and positive I am - and wonder why!! - well it is very simple - either you are going to get depressed by all this weather and take a bleak outlook on life - or you take my side - and be cheerful and positive- and look forward to all the lovely things that will happen in the next few weeks in the garden!!!

A BRILLIANT SPLASH OF COLOUR FROM MAHONIA JAPONICA - ENJOYING A SECOND SET OF FLOWERS AFTER THE COLD WINTER.

Life is far too short to be miserable -because you are a long time dead!!

So, we say farewell to February - and hello to March madness.

Why is March so mad?? On the nursery front, it is the great rush to get all those plants in the ground that you had not been able to plant over the winter - and it is also the time when nature really starts to wake up - and make up for lost time.

Make sure you don't get swept away in the rush!! Get ahead as much as you can!

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME -

RICHARD

UPDATED SHRUB CATALOGUE AVAILABLE ONLINE SOON

2010-02-26T08:10:00.002Z

Hello - we have just about finished updating our Shrub Catalogue. This should be available to download from the website in the next few days.

We have spent some time revamping it - and have included all of our Climbers and Wall Shrubs in a separate section for the first time.

The list of shrubs we have is a glorious mix of old-favourites - one or two new kids on the block - and one or two seldom-seen chaps as well.

Our climbing plants and wall shrub range has expanded considerably over the last few years - so is well worth a look!

Do have a browse through our shrub catalogue - you may be pleasantly surprised - Crown Nursery is not just about trees!!

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE!

2010-02-19T08:17:00.008Z

Hello - another grotty week on the weather front. I think most of us are well and truly fed up with this winter - customers coming into the nursery this week, speak of the frustration of not being able to get jobs completed that should have been done before Christmas - and it is starting to get them down!

It is easy to feel rather negative and down-hearted about this weather - but there is much to look forward too - and things are happening and starting to come into flower out there - so let's put the weather to one side and cheer ourselves up with some nice winter-bloomers here on the nursery at the moment!!

These photos are of three shrubs looking - and smelling - particularly good at the moment. The first on the left is WINTERSWEET - CHIMONANTHUS PRAECOX - if you have never smelt the flower of this plant - then you really have not enjoyed the fullness of winter gardening!! It has a scent unlike any other plant I know - sweet,spicy and heavy - an astonishing scent really from such a small flower!

The photo below is of one of my favourite winter-flowering shrubs - CHRISTMAS BOX - SARCOCOCCA CONFUSA - a delightful evergreen - flowering a little later than normal due to the cold weather - but again - a really strong scent - quite pervasive and lingering in the air on still days.

The last photo below left is another handsome evergreen - the SILK-TASSEL BUSH - GARRYA ELLIPTICA. This is one on the lovely CATKIN side of the plant world - people are strangely snobby about catkins - but I think they are jolly pretty!! Just look at all the HAZELS in the hedgerows at the moment - again in winter 2009 - they had all finished flowering by now - but due to all that white stuff - they are only now starting to get going this year. And you know what the very best thing about them is?? - six months after those catkins - edible nuts will appear - so you can't go wrong!!

THERE NOW - WHO SAID CATKINS AIN'T PRETTY!!

The snowdrops and the aconites are approaching their peak - and the little dwarf Cyclamen coum has been in flower for weeks -and very soon the Hellebores will be starting - so as I said earlier - there is much to look foward too - just stay positive!!

On a more practical note - we are now SOLD OUT of plums,greengages and damsons - and our HEDGING stocks are reducing daily - so if you are going to get any BARE-ROOT HEDGING OR SOFT FRUIT planted this winter - THE CLOCK IS TICKING - AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

SO UNTIL NEXT TIME - STAY POSITIVE!

RICHARD

OH NO! - HERE WE GO AGAIN!

2010-02-12T08:20:00.004Z

Hello - well I knew it!! In last week's blog - I talked about getting out and about, making up for lost time - now milder weather has arrived!!

And - a week later - here we go again - the wretched white stuff is back!!

Suffolk is now a carpet of white for the fourth time this winter - as I type this - it is a whiteout - with visibility down to about 50 yards. It seems to come from nowhere - that is one of the disadvantages of being so close to the coast - the showers just come in off the North Sea and hit the colder air overland - and dump a load of snow on us!

But life goes on - and this week at the nursery - we ran a GRAFTING COURSE. Four brave souls battled through the roads and conditions to enjoy a morning with Graeme learning about one of the oldest methods of propagation around.

At first sight, the idea of cutting into branches and wood with a very sharp knife - and then attempting to 'splice' them together, so they may make a new tree, seems daunting. But, by the end of the morning, four happy people trekked back up the drive through the snow, clutching their Ornamental Hawthorn - Crataegus 'Paul's Scarlet' - that they had themselves grafted - to grow on in their own garden - and hopefully be admired for years to come!

Next week - weather permitting - we have our extra WINTER PRUNING COURSE - on Thursday 18th - from 10-12.30. If you would like to come to this course, please ring the office as soon as possible to book - since places are limited.

Also at the nursery this week, hedging orders have been moving out fast. Two loads of fresh hedging stock have come in - and basically gone straight out to customers - so again if you are going to plant a NEW HEDGE this winter - you need to get your skates on!! (That is not a pun in the current icy conditions either!!)

So yes, it may be snowing - and yes, it may be grim on the roads, but when the sun does come out, it has got a little bit of WARMTH in it now - because after all we are almost into mid-February - and better weather has to be around the corner - - doesn't it!!!????

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

ARE YOU CONFUSED ABOUT PRUNING??

2010-02-05T08:45:00.003Z

Hello - does the word PRUNING fill you with dread?? Do you spend ages staring at your fruit trees or shrubs wondering what to do to them??

If the answer is YES - and for a great many people, it is - then we may be able to help you!! Due to popular demand, we have added an EXTRA COURSE to our programme this winter - and on THURSDAY FEBRUARY 18TH - you can spend a morning with us here at Crown Nursery - and let us help you to take some of the mystery away from the subject!!

The course will run from 10-12.30 - @ £22.00 per person. We will be looking at fruit and shrub pruning.

ALL PLACES MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE RING THE OFFICE ON 01394 460755.

OUR ENTIRE 2010 PROGRAMME OF COURSES IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE - CHECK OUT THE COURSES AND EVENTS SECTION ON THE WEBSITE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

FANCY A GARDEN MAKEOVER??

2010-02-05T08:23:00.003Z

Hello - DO YOU LOVE YOUR GARDEN? - but are never quite sure about the design side of it?? DO YOU LONG FOR A CHANGE - but don't quite know how to go about it??

Well, here at Crown Nursery, we may be able to help you!! We are offering a couple of SPECIAL OFFERS this year, in conjunction with our well-established professional LANDSCAPING TEAM.

OFFER 1 - Use our Landscaping Service and get a free garden-design and plan, and then a 10% discount off the cost of all of the plants as detailed in the plan.

OFFER 2 - Or would you rather do the work yourself?? Let us design the garden for you - and then get a CROWN CARD valid for three months giving you 10% off all plants with every design purchased.

These offers are only valid until MARCH 31st 2010 - and HTA NATIONAL GARDEN VOUCHERS are not accepted in conjunction with this offer.

Our Landscaping Team has many years of experience, and can create the GARDEN OF YOUR DREAMS. From HARD LANDSCAPING features such as patios, ponds, decking and terraces to SOFT LANDSCAPING features such as gravel gardens, shrub borders,trees and orchards - we can help you - or anything else you like.

With over 3,000 plants at our disposal , we can create your own little piece of PARADISE!

WHY NOT GIVE THE OFFICE A CALL ON 01394 460755 AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY?!! YOU CAN HAVE THE GARDEN YOU HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF THIS SPRING!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

IT'S FEBRUARY - AND THE PACE QUICKENS!

2010-02-05T08:12:00.002Z

Hello, a NEW MONTH and a step closer to the end of winter, and the beginning of spring. By the end of this month, we will have gained nearly an extra hour of daylight, compared to the beginning of the year.
The plants are slowly beginning to stir - buds are starting to swell, the bulbs are really pushing through now, and before we know it, a new gardening season will be upon us.

The Victorians were always banging on about getting ahead with work - and they were so right. If you do not make progress this month, come March and higher temperatures the garden will run away with you.
Many of us have not felt much like gardening in January - and in some cases it was not physically possible due to the weather - but decent weather is forecast for this weekend , so now is the ideal opportunity to get ahead with planting those trees,shrubs and hedge plants before they start to come into leaf.
GRAB EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND GET AHEAD!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

GOODBYE JANUARY - AND GOOD RIDDANCE!

2010-01-29T09:05:00.002Z

Hello, this is the final blog of January - we are sailing on into February next week. All of us here at the nursery will be extremely glad to see the back of January. To say it has been a hideous month on the weather front would be an understatement!

From snow to freezing rain, from fog to flooding - this has not been a month to remember. Let us hope that February is better!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

A GREAT TIME TO PLANT A HEDGE!

2010-01-29T08:49:00.003Z

Hello - now is the time to get your bare-root hedging plants into the ground. If you need a screen, boundary marker or noise or light barrier, a hedge is so much better than a fence panel!! We have a huge range of bare-root hedging plants, bare-root gives you stronger and better plants - and they are so much cheaper than pot-grown plants!

If you need a hedge - but just do not know what to plant - then we have MIXED HEDGING PACKS available. These are packs of 50 plants - a mix of basic Suffolk Hedging Plants - Hawthorn,Blackthorn, Field Maple e.t.c - check out the hedging section of the website - you can even purchase our hedging packs in our ONLINE SHOP - and we will send them to you through the post.

What are you waiting for??

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

A LITTLE BIT OF PROPAGATION GOES A LONG WAY!

2010-01-29T08:31:00.005Z

Hello - well, the weather remains hideous - yes, the snow has gone - but we have flooding on the nursery now - and the drizzle is just about horizontal!

So, we have swapped some of the jobs around - and in between digging orders out of flooded heeling-in beds - we have been doing some propagation. Liz, the Grafting Queen is busy grafting new ornamental trees. She has an incredibly fast rate of progress, and since I collect all the wood for her to graft, I struggle to keep up sometimes! - so far we have done all the Nuts,Crab Apples,Mountain Ash,Beech,Hornbeam and Ornamental Hawthorn.

It still is wonderful that splicing two pieces of wood together can lead to them growing together - and forming a new tree. We will be moving onto grafting fruit trees next week - so if - like a lot of our customers - you have an old frut tree in your garden that is on it's way out - why not bring us some shoots in and we can graft them onto one of the new dwarfing rootstocks for you!
So, saving the tree's genes - we call it our TREE RESCUE SERVICE.

We have also done a whole load of HARDWOOD CUTTINGS of a number of lovely shrubs. We are all familiar with the coloured stems of the Dogwoods - and Willows - and these go very readily from a length of stem pushed into a sandy soil - or grown in a pot. They will soon root in a few months time - and you have a lovely new plant!!

Just out of interest we do run a GRAFTING COURSE - so if you fancy spending a morning at the nursery, learning how to do this ancient art - give the office a ring on 01394 460755 - the course in on Wednesday February 10th - 10.00 - 1.00 - all places MUST be pre-booked.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

STILL HAUNTED BY THE WEATHER!

2010-01-29T08:13:00.002Z

Hello, here we are a couple of weeks on from the snow and frost - and many of the shrubs are only now showing signs of weather damage.

The evergreen Viburnums seem particularly badly affected - their flower buds are all bent over and still twisted from the heavy snow and frost that settled on them. Many of the soft growths on evergreen shrubs have gone brown - this is normal - and it will soon regrow in spring. The best thing is just to nip the tips off back into the slightly older wood - and the shrub will look much better.

Conifers are a bit mishapen where heavy snow has weighed them down - a bit of wire carefully placed around them will pull them back into shape - and they will then set to that shape in summer.

It just goes to show that we have enjoyed so many mild winters - that our plants - and us - were caught rather on the hop!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

A THAW AT LAST!

2010-01-18T16:49:00.003Z

Hello, at last the weather has relented - and we can see green grass again! It seems a long time since we last saw our green and pleasant land - over the last three weeks it has seemed pretty white!

Of course, the thaw has led to flooding - but you win some, you lose some! All the staff here at the nursery are mightly glad to see the back of the white stuff I can tell you. Most of us have been in this industry for many years - and we would all say that the last fortnight has provided some of the most difficult conditions we have ever experienced!!

Of course it has also been fun - but sometimes the novelty can wear off!! We were totally unable to lift any hedging or bare-root orders - the ground was frozen down to a good foot's depth - and the drive down to the nursery was great fun - it sits on a considerable slope -and a deep mix of snow and ice meant several of the staff - yours truly included - had to be towed up the drive in their cars behind a tractor to get home!! A novel way of seeing the nursery if nothing else!!

The few brave souls who ventured down to try and buy something, also had this experience - but one jolly young lady said it was the most fun she had enjoyed since Christmas!!

But I am pleased to report we are just about back to normal now.

The first hedging orders of the New Year have been dug and collected - and we restart our Mail-Order Dispatch season tomorrow. So, all in all - it is great to be able to resume some of the nursery tasks that have been on hold since mid-December.

January is often viewed as a pretty dull time by many gardeners - but it is the beginning of a New Year -and if you look really closely - there are some signs of the seasons to come.

In my own garden - around the base of a purple-leaved Hazel - the snow melted on Sunday to reveal a super little circle of snowdrops - just bursting into flower. They really are amazing little things having survived the weight of snow on them - but in many ways that has probably acted as an insulation blanket - protecting them from the severe frosts we have had.

So you see, there ARE reasons to be cheerful - no matter how harsh the weather nature will overcome it!! THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE MOST WONDERFUL SUNSETS!

2010-01-07T16:09:00.005Z

Hello - have you seen the skies in the morning and at night?
I don't think I have ever seen finer sunrise and sunsets as we have at the moment. I suppose it is a combination of the clear sky and atmosphere - and the angle of the low winter sun - but it is a treat.

I call it the 'burning sky' - it looks just like someone has set fire to the clouds - we only get about a dozen a year - and they seldom last long - but boy just look at this photo.

Here at the nursery, we are fortunate to lay in a valley - and it provides us with some quite incredible skies.
Suffolk is renown for it's huge wide skies - and they really do show at the moment. The Lombardy Poplar below - just cries out for such a sky - to show off it's wonderful shape.

We are fortunate in having so many large trees that shine out when framed against these dramatic skies.

With the continuing wintry weather - the nursery opening hours are subject to change - so please - if you are intending to come and visit us - no matter how close you live - do ring us first on 01394 460755 - to check that we are open. These blizzards can be very localized and being close to the coast - we often catch the weather worst - so save yourself any disappointment - and ring first.

UNTIL NEXT TIME - STAY WARM!
RICHARD

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-07T15:30:00.010Z

Hello - and Happy New Year!!

We would like to pass onto all our customers - both old and new - the very best wishes for 2010.

Well, we returned to work on Monday January 4th after our Christmas break - and the nursery was just as we had left it - white! Five days of snow just before Christmas was bad enough - but on New Year's Eve, another load appeared - and the trees and shrubs all wore a very pretty white mantle - pretty that is, unless you have to work out in it - and then it is jolly cold!! Just look at these MALUS 'RED SENTINEL' fruits covered in snow!!

The ground is frozen rock-solid down to about a foot or so - meaning it is impossible for us to lift bare-root orders - be that hedging or fruit trees.

Work outside is pretty difficult all round - but it does allow us to get on with some of those hedge-cutting jobs that are often missed in the madness of the busy season.

And here is ROSA CANINA - DOG ROSE -fruits - what a lovely piccy.

The snow is wonderful to look at - and these few pics do illustrate how beautfiul it is.

The weather forecasters tell us that we are going to have to put up with this weather for at least another week - we have got so used to mild, wet winters in Suffolk - that this more traditional weather comes as quite a shock!!

Still, on the bright side - at least it should kill off all those nasty bugs - and it will help to initiate some fantastic flower buds on plants to gurantee an unforgettable spring of blossom!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - STAY WARM!!

RICHARD

IN THE BLEAK MID-WINTER.......

2010-01-07T14:25:00.004Z

Hello - you may remember that the weather played quite a starring role in many of the blog entries of 2009 - and it looks like it is rolling on into 2010!
As the picture of the tree sales area shows, Crown Nursery remains firmly under a covering of snow - I suppose we have about 4-6 inches - yes, I know that other parts of the country have a lot, lot more - but it is causing us a considerable headache - even if it does look so pretty!

We have to keep a regular eye on the irrigation pipes around the nursery - the ice tends to get inside and can cause significant damage to solenoids and the like if it expands too fast.

The evergreens in particular are taking a real bashing in this weather - the snow must have fallen on some very wet branches - which have then frozen - meaning that there is a considerable weight on their tops.

Several brave members of the nursery staff have been out 'shrub-bashing' to prevent these evergreens losing their attractive shapes - and stopping the branches snapping with the weight of snow.

The deciduous shrubs do come into their own in that sense - and you can almost hear them laughing at their evergreen colleagues groaning under the weight of snow.

I could not resist putting in this pic of EUONYMUS ALATUS 'COMPACTUS' - it just looks so wonderful!

It is a great time to get out into your garden with a camera - and record this event - it may be years before we see another winter like this - and there is not much else you can do - so take those snaps - it is another moment of history - make yourself a part of it!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME - STAY WARM!!
RICHARD

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

2009-12-18T11:14:00.002Z

Hello - this is the last blog entry of 2009 - so I would like to take the opportunity to wish all our customers and friends a very Happy Christmas and all the very best wishes for the New Year!

The nursery will close at 1pm on Wednesday December 23rd - and re-open on Monday January 4th 2010 at 9am.

UNTIL NEXT YEAR,
RICHARD

THE SNOWMAN COMETH!

2009-12-18T10:52:00.002Z

Hello - the world of Crown Nursery is very white just now!! Between 4 and 6 inches of snow fell on most of East Suffolk causing the usual traffic chaos.

It does look pretty as a picture - but shows little sign of going anywhere fast. Underneath it there is quite a thick layer of ice making for some very slippery roads.

Outside work is difficult at the moment - but it does give us time to step back a bit - and take stock of the past year. It has been an interesting year!! Again, as so often in this part of the UK, it is the extremes of weather that give us headaches.

Early snow in February did not last very long - and it was an excellent spring - with some of the best blossom I have ever seen after the cold spell. The real headaches set in about the end of March when it stopped raining altogether for pretty much the next 7 months!! While most of the country had a fairly wet and dismal summer - Suffolk enjoyed conditions similar to Tuscany - hot,dry and windy!!

This set some plants back - especially those that were planted late in spring. It does go to prove that autumn planting - which gives them time to establish has huge advantages over spring work. It is strange in that there seems to have been a move away from autumn planting lately - which us nurserymen find very odd - in favour of the spring option. While accepting some items do prefer spring planting - from a moisture and establishment point of view planting at nature's time in autumn does convey huge benefits.

The Suffolk Show back in May gave us a real opportunity to show the locals what we are all about - and we were both proud and honoured to receive the Nottcutts Cup for Best in Show.

But back to the drought - it carried on right up until October. The watering burden dragged on for longer than I have ever known. Autumn colour was excellent though - as it often is when plants are a little stressed - and our Apple Day was an incredible success.

Now here we are under the white stuff - but prior to that it had really turned very wet.

As we look foward to 2010 - we are now planning our grafting list. It has always been a case of looking at least 3 years in advance on a tree nursery - but trying to guess what people will want to buy in several years time can be quite a guessing game!!

We know the items that remain ever popular - but it is always worth having one or two new ones up your sleeve - and with the ever changing climate here in Suffolk - particularly in terms of drought - one or two old favourites may well have to disappear.

All in all - 2009 has been a good year - but full of challenges - still at least it keeps us on our toes!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BUSY - BUSY - BUSY!!

2009-12-16T08:56:00.003Z

Hello, we are enjoying an extremely busy period on the nursery at the moment. With the weather changing, everybody is rushing to get their plants in.

There are large numbers of parcels going out all over the country daily - the girls are working very hard, busy packing and wrapping as fast as they can! Fruit trees again proving very popular.

The hedging is going out - and plums and greengages are selling like hot cakes!

If you are still not sure what to give a loved one for Christmas - why not give them a living gift?

A fruit tree will get better year - after year - and what could be nicer than when those first fruits are picked!

Failing that - we have some lovely items in the shrub line - and if you still cannot decide we can offer a Crown Nursery Gift Voucher that can be exchanged at the nursery for a plant of their own choice.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

BARE-ROOT HEDGING AND SOFT FRUIT NOW AVAILABLE!

2009-12-16T08:48:00.004Z

Hello - we have just about got all our bare-root stock in now.

We have a wide range of bare-root hedging - from Hawthorn to Beech and much more besides. Our popular Mixed Hedging Packs are proving just as good as ever - if you are not really sure what to plant - but you want a hedge then this is the answer. A pack of mixed native English hedging - 50 plants - will give you a good colourful effect - in both berries and density.

We also have a wide selection of Soft Fruit - from raspberries to currants to gooseberries to blackberries.

And just in last week - we have a selection of plums,damsons, almonds,pears and greengages.

These are going very fast - so if you want to get a fruit tree into your garden pop in and grab one!!

The nursery is open Monday-Saturday - 9-4.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

IT'S PLANTING TIME!

2009-12-16T08:41:00.003Z

Hello - I am back!

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed that there has been a long gap since the last entry - and that is because I have been recovering from an operation in hospital - but I am back on the road of recovery!

Well, we have had one of the wettest November's on record in Suffolk - I know it is small fry compared to our friends up North - but we have had nearly 5 inches of rain since the end of October - that is a lot for Suffolk - especially when you think that it is actually more than for the entire previous 7 months.

It has meant that the ground is now perfect for planting - before the weather gives in - trees and shrubs and hedging plants can now be planted - they will make a lot of root growth while the soil remains warm - and be partially established by next year - giving them a head start on spring plantings.

What are you waiting for - get out there!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

CROWN NURSERY ONLINE STORE NOW AVAILABLE!

2009-11-06T08:13:00.002Z

Hello - we are very excited here at the nursery this week - our first set of products is now ready and available to buy online!!

We have waited a long time to be able to offer our customers the option of buying online through the website - we know there is a demand for it - and now at last we have got the ball rolling. At this stage, it is only our popular hedging packs that are available to buy online - but if this proves as successful as we think it will - then more items will follow in the future!

Do have a look at our online store - and do let us know what you think!

You can follow the link on our home page - or click below.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE JOY OF AUTUMN COLOUR!

2009-11-01T13:02:00.002Z

Hello, - what a superb season this has become for autumn colour. A combination of blue skies - and mild nights have provided the ideal weather in Suffolk for the leaves to change in the last few weeks.

Outstanding at the nursery at the moment has got to be Liquidamber - the name alone just describes it so well. A gorgeous mix of red-purple and orange - and back to green - and each branch changes colour at a time - no wonder it is one of our most popular trees.

Also great is the Persian Ironwood - Parrotia persica - Kevin has been finding some superb specimens to put outside the office - and they have been selling like hot cakes! This has a glorious mixture of yellow through to reddy orange - a most beautiful tree or can be kept as a large shrub.

The Prunus - the flowering cherries - have also been very good lately. Their fiery orange tints give them a much-needed second moment of glory after the blossom in spring.
It has been a very good year for the Red Oaks too - Quercus rubra - those large flat leaves look simply stunning when bright red. The Pin Oak - Quercus palustris - is looking the best at the moment - a smaller much more lobed leaf - but it gives a really bright shiny scarlet-red colour - a joy as a specimen with plenty of space.

One of my favourites is the dear old common Spindle tree - Euoynmus europaeus. This has lovely autumn colour - but it is those strange fruits - pink on the outside - splitting to reveal orange seeds - that is the eye-catcher on this one.

We are selling trees fast now - there has been decent rainfall in the last few weeks - and a lot more is forecast - it is an ideal time to get trees planted - while the soil is still warm - they will establish quickly - and provide you with years of colour.

Go on - Get Out There!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

RHS FOCUS ON FRUIT COURSE REPORT

2009-11-01T12:52:00.002Z

Hello, on Wednesday October 28th - 8 adventurous gardeners joined Graeme and myself for the Royal Horticultural Society's Partnership Nursery Course 'Focus on Fruit'.

Still on cloud-nine from Saturday's Apple Day - an excellent day was had by all. Unlike Apple Day - the sun shone - blue skies - 20c - an astounding temperature for late October - the colours just standing out.

As usual the course followed our tried and tested format - first of all we had a session in the classroom - learing the theory - tools for pruning - the complexity of pollination - and the problems of pest and disease.

Then it was onto rootstocks - and some theory on pruning. After lunch - and with everyone's heads hurting with too much technical stuff -it was time to get out in the orchard - and actually put that theory into practice. I pruned a couple of trees first- and then it was the usual 'Ask the Panel' job - with one person pruning - and the rest of the group watching - or critiscising - the operation.

After that - a quick nursery tour - and back to the classroom for apple tasting. All in all, another excellent day - Graeme and myself both enjoy doing these courses - you get to meet such a wide range of people - all with different questions and ideas - great for stimulating the mind!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

APPLE DAY 2009 - THE BEST YET!!

2009-11-01T12:41:00.002Z

Hello - well we have survived another Apple Day for another year - and this one was the very best yet!

Although the weather forecast spoke of heavy rain - we only really got drizzle at the nursery - and the heavy rain stayed inland - and the people came down in their droves!! We had over 120 cars - and over 500 people - we were almost snowed under!

To all of you who came down - a big thank you - for all of your kind comments on how good the nursery looked - thank you.

We sold countless trees - not all apple - and a lot of very happy people played the games and won prizes.

A true team effort - our thanks goes to Brian and Jak for a sterling job parking all those cars - to Max,Janet and Sue for the superb fun that people had with the games - and also to Sue for her excellent 'meeting and greeting people as they came in' - to Liz - the top salesperson of the day for selling and constantly restocking the apples -to Kevin - for being his usual brilliant self - just calmly selling trees left right and centre despite queues of people everywhere - to Graeme for helping me to fend off constant questions and queues of people - to Jill and Karen for battling on with teas and cakes - and to Dick - our superb maintenance man for all his behind-the -scenes work.

Together as a team - we all made the day as special as it was for everyone - a big WELL DONE and an even bigger THANK YOU!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

APPLE DAY 2009 DAWNS!

2009-11-01T12:37:00.002Z

Hello - we are almost there - it is very nearly time for our annual Apple Day Celebration 2009!
The nursery has been spruced up - not that it is not always! - and all is ready.

We have put up the Marquee - and we are now just crossing our fingers on the weather forecast - it does not look good - but the apple tasting and games are all undercover - so do come down and see us - we have 80 varieties of apple for you to taste - there are games to play - and prizes to win - our experts are here to help answer your questions - there is a 10% discount on all apple trees ordered or bought on the day - there is ample parking - and tea and apple refreshments will be available.

The day is Saturday Ocotber 24th - 10-4 - signs everywhere!

SEE YOU THERE!
RICHARD

STARTING THEM YOUNG - SCHOOL VISIT TO NURSERY

2009-11-01T12:22:00.002Z

Hello, I had a lovely day the other Wednesday. 12 9-10 year-olds from the local Montessorii school came over to the nursery for the day to further their education on fruit. Yes, at first thought the prospect of 12 9-10 year-olds seemed a bit daunting - and indeed, it was rather noisy at times - but I was so impressed by their enthusiasm and their interest.

They are doing a project on fruit and all had the most wonderfully-illustrated journals of their project so far - they had visited a fruit grower the previous week - and picked a few apples - and now they were at a commercial nursery to learn a bit more.
I started their day with herbs - looking at all sorts of different items - all taken from the companion planting in the fruit sales area - so a nice link in with the fruit. They knew most of them - but again how nice to see real interest in the different types - with Chives and Lemon Thyme definitely the favourites!!

After lunch - we picked a load of Pear 'Doyenne du Comice'- 48 pears picked in record time - and only ONE without a stalk - how's that for efficient picking! A tour of the nursery followed - and then back to the classroom - for some apple tasting. I had picked out 5 very different apples for them to taste - and they had a little chart to rate each one for flavour, juiciness, sweetness e.t.c - great fun - and a very mixed set of results - the boys favouring sharper apples than the girls. The day was almost over - but there was just time for me to show them one or two other fruits - they were all impressed with Quince 'Vranja' - we had found a particularly huge one - but none of them had ever seen a Medlar before! One young lad describing it as a 'tree turnip'!!

After a few photos for their workbooks - it was back to their school. I would like to thank their teachers for bringing them over and looking after them - but mostly to the youngsters themselves for their incredible enthusiasm.

In an uncertain world - it made a refreshing change!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

COUNTDOWN TO APPLE DAY 2009 BEGINS!

2009-11-01T12:18:00.002Z

Hello, well I congratulate the brilliant girls in this blog - Sue and Janet. With me laid low with 'flu - they stopped their usual shrub area work - and picked all the apples in the orchard ready for the apple tasting on Apple Day.
And of course - Janet and Sue have labelled and stacked the Apple Store with military precision - with 78 varieties in - they really have done a superb job - it took them two days to do - but it is a huge weight off my mind as I return to full fitness after the 'flu - well done to you both!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

NEW SPECIMEN STOCK IN

2009-11-01T12:04:00.002Z

Hello, - we have had a whole load of smashing new specimen stock in at the nursery recently. Graeme's shopping trips have paid off - and we have stacked our sales area with loads of goodies ready for the autumn planting season.
We have specimen crab apples - Malus 'Red Sentinel' - and 'Evereste' loaded with fruit - we have Liquidambers now starting to colour up - we have some cracking shrubby Arbutus unedo - the Strawberry Tree. There are some very nice bamboos - both in the green and the black variety - just coming into flower is Osmanthus aquifolium - a Holly-like shrub - but not prickly - and producing the most wonderfully-scented flowers at this time of year!!

We have a number of Eucalyptus gunnii cones - nice and bushy with that lovely juvenile rounded foliage - as well as specimen trees. Graeme has managed to get hold of some lovely Magnolia grandiflora - really luxuriant leaves - so glossy - and with that furry,felty brown underside - just gorgeous! Some large specimens of the more usual spring-flowering Magnolias as well.

We have several upright conifers in - from the yellow Cupressus 'Goldcrest' to the blue Juniper 'Skyrocket' - these really come into their own in the winter months.

On the evergreen standard tree front - we have some very large Privets - both the variegated and the ordinary green - these are excellent for providing height without getting too tall - there are just so few evergreen trees - we also have a few Quercus ilex - evergreen oak standards - this is such a tough chap -so we also have these as multistemmed shrubs - rather nice for screening.

On the smaller front - a delicious batch of Callicarpa 'Profusion' - dripping with those peculiar purple berries - and loads of Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price' - stuffed with flower buds for a few weeks time - yes, there is a lot to see - why not come and have a look for yourself - if you are looking for instant evergreen screening we can help!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

THE DREADED 'FLU STRIKES

2009-11-01T11:58:00.002Z

Hello, welcome to our blog.

You may well have noticed a lack of blogging on this site lately - primarily down to yours truly going down with a nasty bout of 'flu for three weeks! Apparently it was not swine flu - a very similar thing to it though - and it laid me low for a long time. As many people will know I don't do ill - and I don't do laying in bed - but I was forced to do both!!
Where did I get this? - I had been up in the Lake District on the Saturday before Helmingham -and got very wet on a cruise across Lake Ullswater - but I get wet all the time -so who knows but I am jolly glad to be rid of it - I would not wish that on anyone!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME (HOPEFULLY)
RICHARD

PLANT SALE SUCCESS!!

2009-11-01T11:49:00.002Z

Hello - well we enjoyed an excllent Plant Sale at Helmingham Hall. The weather simply could not have been better - and several thousand people took full advantage to stock up their gardens for autumn planting.
Interesting though - the topic of conversation remained the same - everybody bemoaning the lack of rainfall in Suffolk. There were over 40 different nurseries attending - and it was surprising that very few people were selling the same thing!! - a definite problem of a few years ago.
The organisation by Helmingham and the NCCPG (Plant Heritage) was excellent - well-advertised in advance - and it did pay off for them. We took a very general range of plants - I got out far more than could be taken of course - but we had a mix showing all of the Crown Nursery range.
And what was the top selling item you may ask? - well there were two really -anything with autumn colour - particularly Viburnum sargentii 'Onadonga' - and Acer ginnala 'Flame - and also Figs!! We sold every fig we took - both Graeme and myself were quite surprised by that.
Most of the standholders seemed happy by the end of the day - and no doubt so were those wives who had dragged their husbands round each stand weighed down with bag and bags of plants!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

ALL READY FOR THE PLANT SALE!!

2009-09-18T17:05:00.002+01:00

Hello, a busy couple of days here at the nursery - preparing for the Suffolk Group of the National Conservation for Plants and Gardens (NCCPG!!) Autumn Plant Sale at Helmingham Hall.

This is an annual event - well-supported by local gardeners and nurseries alike. I have been busy collecting together as much nice stuff as I can - a very easy task with all the lovely stuff on the sales areas!!

If you are in the local area do come and see us - I am sure you will find something nice for your own garden!! The sale is from 10.30 - 4.00 - at Helmingham Hall which is on the B1077 near Debenham.

Hope to see you there!!
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

RAIN AT LAST!!

2009-09-15T17:13:00.002+01:00

Hello - well, I got my wish! Obviously the raindance paid off!! We have had a very nice dull wet day here at Crown Nursery - I think the first for many months. It has been a steady rain too - just right to penetrate the ground and not run off.

As I type this, it is pouring down - hooray, hooray!! Of course, we need a lot lot more -but it is a start - and it has eased our watering burden considerably - for a few days at least!!

The strange nature of our weather sysyems nowadays was illustrated by a couple of customers from Gloucestershire - on holiday in Suffolk - who visited the nursery this afternoon - they were astonished by how dry and wilted everything is up here - compared to a very wet summer they have experienced in their beautiful part of the world - it just goes to show how a few hundred miles makes all the difference!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

STILL CRYING OUT FOR RAIN!!

2009-09-12T16:57:00.002+01:00

Hello - I do not know what we have done wrong in Suffolk this year - but we are seriously suffering in drought conditions at the moment. It is ridiculous - because the rest of the country has had nothing but rain all summer - but any visitor to this part of the world - will see that we are in deep need of that liquid gold!

The rivers are dried up - even larger trees are showing stress - many of the Hazel nuts are about to lose their leaves - and autumn is definitely coming very early to East Anglia this year. As I write there is a Tuscan blue sky - and 20C - yes, it is lovely to sit in - but I am a plantsman and countryman through and through - and I want rain - and lots of it!!!

Anybody know a good raindance?!!
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

PLUM PRUNING TIME!

2009-09-12T16:41:00.002+01:00

Hello, - now really is your last chance to get your stone fruit trees pruned before they shut down for winter.
Ideally, they should have been pruned at the end of August - or as soon as the last fruit has been picked - but there is still just about time. The critical thing is that the tree still has leaves on it - and is still actively working so can heal the pruning cuts before the bad weather. It is worth bearing in mind that plums,gages and damsons crop perfectly well without pruning - but the crop is better when the branches are thinned out - as with other fruits -the best crop occurs on 2 year-old wood - and at the base of 1 year-old stuff - so a thin-out will promote the new growth.
I did my trees last weekend - and I suppose that over half the foliage has gone - but the cuts do heal in the warm sun - and the tree will bear better fruit next year as a result.

There still remain a lot of brown mummified fruit on people's plum trees - a left-over of brown rotted fruit from early on in the summer - this must be removed - not left on the tree - otherwise it will cause re-infection next year. The other final thing I do with my plums is to rake up and dispose of the old leaves as they fall - they are frequently smothered in rust - and will simply cause problems next year.

There now - my plum trees are ready for winter - but luckily my freezer is full of Czar and Victorias - so I can still enjoy the fruit of the summer in pies for a long time yet!!
Until next time,
RICHARD

THE JOY OF SEPTEMBER!

2009-09-05T10:45:00.005+01:00

Hello - here we are - it's September - my favourite month of the year! It is amazing how the weather seems to change from the August Bank Holiday Weekend - the nights are definitely pulling in now and there is a slight nip to the morning air.

But, that should not be a reason to shudder and think winter is on the way! September - at least in Suffolk - often has beautiful warm afternoons - and is the beginning of the autumn colour on many trees and shrubs. It also is the real kick-off for apples and pears - every week now a variety will be ready for picking - it is one of the real pleasures of my job!

At last - after weeks of drought - we did actually have some rain the other night - yes, only a quarter of an inch - but it is a start! And amazingly it did make a difference - (if you are reading this and are under floodwater - you have my sympathy - but it is like a desert here in Suffolk) - the grass actually has a tint of green - and the leaves are slightly plumper. That was until we caught the tail end of Hurricane Bill on Wednesday -a real Gale-Force 7 wind - which of course dried up some of that moisture - and we have had to put up with that wind all week - knocking things over - but hey - that is nursery life!
Time moves on - and a lot of members of staff are on holiday -but we have an excellent addition to our ranks for a few weeks - young Harry is with us on work experience. A smart lad - and very enthusiastic - he is spending time with all the members of nursery staff - to get a flavour of nursery work. During his day with me yesterday - we picked several more varieties of apples - and a few pears for the Apple Tasting Shed. The huge apple in the photo above left fascinated Harry - such a large apple hanging from such a small tree!! It is Charles Ross - a seldom seen old variety - used as a cooker or a sharp dessert apple.

That is in stark contrast to the photo opposite - this is one of our popular local apples - SAINT EDMUND'S PIPPIN - raised in Bury St Edmunds. Techically an early russet type - it is extremely sweet - if a little dry. As with so many of these early types - they will not keep - maybe a month in the fridge if you are lucky.

We also picked James Grieve - that classic Scottish variety - and a few GREENSLEEVES - plus RED DEVIL. The latter has been very popular at Crown Nursery recently - the red-stained flesh is very attractive. We also had a few of the early pears - namely BETH and WILLIAMS BON CHRETIEN. It is a superb year for pears it seems - with bumper crops on all varieties. These are all in the apple shed for tasting - along with DISCOVERY and TYDEMANS EARLY WORCESTER from last week. Do come along and try them!!

We are currently proof-reading our new fruit catalogue - which should be available in a few weeks time. From now on, I will be picking and storing the apples as they come into season - also picking for long-term storage - and for our annual APPLE DAY on OCTOBER 24th - hope to see you there!!

Until next time,
RICHARD

LATE SUMMER COLOUR!!

2009-08-28T09:36:00.019+01:00

Hello, well here we are - August Bank Holiday Weekend - and with the dry conditions many of our gardens look rather parched. Don't worry about the lawn though - that will recover with cooler temperatures and rain - but there are still a number of shrubs and also a few trees coming into their season of berry that can keep your garden looking good far into September and beyond.

Firstly there are the Mountain Ashes or Rowans - ( see photo above) - their berries seem to have coloured early this year - possibly due to the drought - but they are always one of the first trees of the year to ripen their fruits - blackbirds adore them - particularly the red or orange berried forms. We have a huge range here at the nursery -you can also get yellow, white and pink berried forms - and these tend to retain their fruits long after Christmas.

Also looking fab is another one of my favourites - the first Crab Apple to colour up - MALUS 'JOHN DOWNIE' - these fruits are like little shiny flagons - a lovely orangey-red colour - and produced in great profusion. ( see photo below)

As well as this - remember in blossom it would have also looked wonderful too ! The blackbirds also adore that one!

Many of the other crab apples do not start to colour up until a little later.

All of these are relatively small trees - suitable for small gardens and bring good value - providing a long season of interest.

But now into the shrub world -

There are still plenty of good-looking items about - the lovely little BLUE SPIRAEA - Caryopteris 'Heavenly Blue' is one of them - ( photo above) - a small sub-shrub with aromatic grey-green leaves - and clusters of small blue flowers loved by bees and butterflies. This flowers right into September.

I have always adored Abelias -( photo below )but they are still not widely seen -

I don't know why because they are lovely semi-evergreen dwarf shrubs - that flower right into October. With glossy leaves and small pink-white flowers with a slight scent -they really are jolly nice!!

Another seldom seen plant we have at the nursery looking really stunning at the moment is the so-called Wall Germander or Teucrium lucidrys. (Photo below) This is evergreen - and smothered with small purple-pink flowers - not unlike Catmint in size and shape - lmuch loved by bees - and also makes an excellent hedge.

There now, that little selection will bring colour to any tired borders!!

Into the apple shed - and I have picked a few more varieties - so new in for tasting this week - are Tydemans Early Worcester and Summered. These are all wonderfully shiny red - although they are a little lacking in flavour but that is always the way with the early apples. Just to pick a red apple off the tree- still warm from the sun is one of the late summer pleasures, so perhaps August is not so bad after all!!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

P.S - REMEMBER THIS IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - AND DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS - THE NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED FROM SATURDAY 29TH TO MONDAY 31ST AUGUST INCLUSIVE. WE RE-OPEN ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER IST.

OH FOR SOME RAIN!!

2009-08-28T09:21:00.003+01:00

Hello - what a dry old time we are having at the moment. It is good for the farmers to finish their harvesting - but here at the nursery we would love to have some rain!

We are fortunate in having an excellent irrigation system - and with some 5,000 trees and plants we need it! In the last few days - we have had temperatures up to 29.5C and nicely accompanied by a strong gale-force wind - the old NURSERYMANS' NIGHTMARE again!! Here in this part of Suffolk - we are used to drought - the average rainfall is just 19 inches - but most of that seems to come between November and March - I would not really say we have any decent rainfall since the end of March - and some of the plants in the ground - and in our gardens are really beginning to suffer. The Limes and Silver Birches seem to show it first - we think that is due to a relatively shallow root system - and a thin leaf- although again birch is a native of dry sandy soils. I recently saw some newly-planted trees in Peterborough that were virtually in full autumn tint - and on a visit to London the other day- 45 newly-planted Plane Trees along the M25/M11 corridor were completely bare of leaf.

I know it is obvious -but do give your poor old trees a couple of buckets of water in these testing conditions. They also love to have their foliage sprayed over with water late at night - it refreshes them and they can absorb a lot of water through their leaf - we love a shower at the end of a hot day - and so do they!!

Until next time,
RICHARD

THE 'DOG DAYS' OF AUGUST

2009-08-28T09:14:00.003+01:00

Hello, I hate August!! - it is as simple as that. Anybody who works on the nursery knows that Richard does not like the month of August! I never seem to be at my best- the long hot sultry, heavy days - tend to bring on my migraines - and it makes me feel tired and sometimes rather irritable!

The Romans thought much the same - they called the middle of August - the 'dog days' - when it was too hot for anything but a dog to go out in the midday sun - bit harsh on dogs I think - but otherwise I am in total agreement!

We all seem to have a particular month we do not enjoy - for all sorts of reasons. Here on the nursery Kevin always seems to dislike January for it's long dark days - Janet and Liz seem to hate July for different reasons - and Miss Potter - well she seems to thrive in any month and any weather!!

One good thing about August though - it leads onto September - and that IS my favourite month of the year!!
Until next time,
RICHARD

APPLES - A NEW SEASON DAWNS!

2009-08-12T08:17:00.003+01:00

Hello, - despite the wretched wasps - one of my favourite events of the year has just taken place. The first pickings of the new season apple crop. Today apple DISCOVERY has gone into the apple shed - bright scarlet skin - superb aroma - and a pink-tinged flesh.

Actually - there were two other varieties before the DISCOVERY ripened - but both fell to the wasps and I was not able to save any apples for our customers to try. There was VISTA BELLA - a small red apple - with a delightful strawberry scent to the skin - rather insipid flavour - but for an apple in July - what more could one expect?

The other one that fell to the critters before I could get to them was the old BEAUTY OF BATH. This used to be the first English apple for many a moon - but was very prone to pest and disease before DISCOVERY came along.

The apple shed is situated in the fruit sales area - and is open for anybody to come down and sample the apples that are in season - subject to them all being eaten by customers of course!! We grow nearly 200 different varieties of apple - so actually tasting them for yourself can make it a lot easier to make your selection!!

Over the coming weeks and months - I will add each variety as it comes into it's season of ripening - that is of course assuming the wretched wasps don't get there first!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

WASP CITY!!

2009-08-12T08:10:00.003+01:00

Hello, first it was ladybirds then it was butterflies - now it is wasps!! We are plagued with them - I have been up in the orchard surveying the promise of the new apple crop - and almost every tree seems to have a cluster of the beasties munching away at the fruit.

They seem to be following on from peck marks made by our feathered friends - this is occuring on even unripe fruit. Trouble is it leads to brown rot if they do not hollow the apple out first!!

We have jam jars of sweet stuff hanging from several trees in an attempt to trap them - we are trying various mixes from treacle to raspberry jam to lemon curd - they seem to prefer the lemon curd - actually come to think of it - so do I!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

IT'S BLUEBERRY MUFFIN TIME!!

2009-08-07T17:12:00.005+01:00

Hello, well into August we go - and a couple of really hot, heavy stifling days here at the nursery. I loathe days like that - everything seems to be an extra bind - and the high humidity just makes everyone feel lethargic.

But - there is always a flip side - and with us it is the beginning of another crop - BLUEBERRIES!! These remain as popular as ever! Despite having been around a few years now - they still feature regularly in magazines - and are considered by some people to be the greatest thing since sliced bread!

I personally would not go that far - but they certainly do taste great in the famed muffin!! We grow several different varieties - from the compact evergreen 'SUNSHINE BLUE' to the upright 'HERBERT' through to the old but popular variety 'BLUECROP' - they are now starting to ripen. We find they pretty much look after themselves - their only requirement being an acid soil or container of ericaceous compost - and some protection from our feathered friends - who do not care whether they are in a muffin or not - and just scoff the lot!!

Wow - doesn't this photo of a blueberry muffin make your mouth water?? Sometimes a photo never really seems to do something justice - but this one captures the very essence of a tasty muffin!!

Just look at that lovely moist centre!!

I really must stop - and concentrate on something else that we have had a bumper crop of here at the nursery this year - and that is MULBERRIES!! So many people have never tasted a mulberry - let alone seen a tree - but they are one of the most under-rated fruits going. You can get black and white varieties - and if you have the space it is one of those quintessentially english trees that you must have!! (The photo below is of BLACK MULBERRIES). They have a strange sort of dry texture - very sweet in the white form - a larger fruit in the black - you always know when they are beginning to ripen - as the trees will seem to rock backwards and forwards with the weight of blackbirds attempting to feast on the crop! We have a pair - who I swear check the fruit every day from late July onwards!! - they certainly frequently beat me to the first ripe fruit - just leaving a little purple 'stain' on the ground below the tree to inform me of their skill!!

Ah, well such is the joy of fruit growing. You know what, that muffin picture has made me peckish - it's time for tea!!

Until the next time then,

RICHARD

THE WORKING LIFE!

2009-08-07T17:05:00.002+01:00

Hello, we have been delighted to have an extra pair of hands on the nursery this week. Tom - 15 years old - has been with us for a bit of work experience - sampling the delights of the many different tasks we do.

From getting soaking wet on irrigation testing to potting and weeding - and of course endless hours of watering!! - it is all great fun - and just goes to show there is a lot going on here no matter what the time of year.

We hope we did not frighten young Tom too much - the world of work is a very different life to school!!

Until the next time then,
RICHARD

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SUMMER

2009-07-31T17:08:00.003+01:00

Hello, what a topsy-turvy summer this is turning out to be! One minute it is pouring with rain at the nursery, the next it is blue sky and sweltering heat. Now that the Met Office have revised their prediction for the rest of the summer - perhaps we can simply take it as it comes!!

Here at the nursery, the air is heavy with the scent of LIME trees in flower - if you have not experienced this before - it is a rather musty scent - very sweet - produced from a very small yellow flower(SEE PHOTO ON LEFT). Bees adore it, and get quite hooked on it - definitely one of the high points of late summer.

On the down side - a lot of customers are reporting problems with pest and disease on their plants - particularly MILDEW on apples and roses. This is linked in with the weather - predominantly caused by dryness at the roots - so always worth giving your plant a good soak and a mulch - and removing as many of the worst affected leaves and destroying them. Another continual problem is that of the poor old conker trees or HORSE CHESTNUTS - they are now starting to suffer very badly again with that wretched leaf-miner. I have already seen trees that are almost completely defoliated - we were rather hoping that this year would not be so bad - but that does seem to be a false dawn now - although the problem has appeared later than normal. It does not seem to kill the trees - they re-leaf in the spring as normal - but it must weaken them with a reduction in their food source. This can often leave them open to the other more serious BLEEDING CANKER menace - when the trunk oozes black resin - this is often fatal for the tree. I was reading an interesting piece in a magazine that a compound based on a garlic compound is being trialled by the RHS and FORESTRY COMMISION as a prevention for the dreaded canker - and has the side-effect of making the leaves smell of garlic putting off the leaf-miner - can you imagine us all spraying our conker trees with garlic in the future!!??
Until the next time,
RICHARD

FLIGHT OF BUTTERFLIES!!

2009-07-24T17:33:00.005+01:00

Hello - well, I am back from Scotland - after a glorious week - when the weather up in the Highlands was actually better than in Suffolk - and that must be unusual!!

One of the first things to strike me, upon my return to the nursery - apart from how good everything looked - was the amount of butterflies around. We seem to have everything from Red Admirals to Peacocks and Painted Ladies to Commas - and of course the dear old Cabbage White.

They seem to simply be everywhere - on the Catmint - and all over the Buddleias as you would expect. We are, of course lucky on the nursery to have large quantities of some of their favourite plants such as the Buddleias all concentrated in a small place - so that undoubtedly helps - but many of our customers also report large groups in their gardens. They do seem to favour one particular Buddleia above the others here at the nursery - and that is 'LOCHINCH'. (Pictured Above) This must rank as one of the best - with silvery leaves and mauve-violet flowers with a lovely 'eye' to the flower.

To watch one of these delicate creatures sipping the nectar on a summer's evening is surely one of the delights of the horticultural year - it seems an absolute world away from all the worries over swine flu and the recession.

Let's just sit back and enjoy it while we still can!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

A SUMMER'S EVENING

2009-07-24T13:48:00.007+01:00

Hello - on one of the few decent summer evenings in the last few weeks, we were very pleased to welcome the Great Glemham Ladies Gardening Club for an evening visit to the nursery.

The sky was Tuscan Blue - actually really nice and very warm, with the last rays of the sun still warming the sales areas. A great night was had by all - Graeme and myself took the group on a nursery tour - taking in many of the areas that are not normally open to the public. There was much interest in the new shrub cuttings - and also in our compost mix -one of the many 'trade secrets' that just give commercial nurseries 'the edge'. The large range of shrubs and trees available also drew many comments - particularly the climbers - with the Honeysuckles and Potato Vine looking at their best.

As often, the size of Crown Nursery surprises people - as does the amount of the site that is actually behind the scenes. Following on from the tour, there was still time for the ladies to browse the sales areas - which they certainly did with relish!! The favourite plant of the night was most definitely the Russian Sage - PEROVSKIA 'BLUE SPIRE' - closely followed by the delightful honeysuckle - LONICERA 'MINT CRISP'.

All in all a very enjoyable evening - here at Crown Nursery - we are proud of all that we have - and we enjoy sharing it with other people too!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

HIGH SUMMER

2009-07-11T10:01:00.002+01:00

Well, we are almost into the middle of July - and it's High Summer at Crown Nursery. What an incredible change in the weather as well - from last week when the temperature in one of the tunnels topped 42c - to this week when the mercury is stuck on about 22c - it's a topsy-turvy summer.

One thing is for sure though - the plants appreciate the cooler weather (and so do the staff!!). The plants can slow down a bit (and so can the staff!!) and are not gasping for water every minute of the day. Nursery life moves on all the same - the girls are still ploughing on taking cuttings of shrubs for the autumn - the mist unit is really starting to fill up - and many of the earlier items have already been potted up. Tree care - pruning and feeding - occupies the rest of the time.

We have just completed a couple of our morning courses - 'The Magnificent Garden All Year Round' and 'Summer Pruning of Trained Fruit Trees'. The first course was held on a scorching hot day - sun hats and cold drinks all round. This course had a detailed look at plants - and how to extend the season of interest in your plot. Graeme demonstrated various techniques from the 'Chelsea Chop' on perennials or plunging pots of Dahlias and Lilies into the gaps in your borders to foliage colour and winter flowering plants - very useful and informative were the comments from those who attended.

Wednesday July 8th saw myself taking the Summer Pruning course - a much cooler day. We looked at the techniques involved with training and pruning fruit trees to maximise cropping potential - and the effects of pruning at different times of the year - again very favourable comments from the attendees.

We have a bit of a break on courses for the summer - but restart in September with 'The Best Tree For Your Garden' - if you have never been on a course before - why not give it a go?? They are only for a couple of hours - hugely informative and great fun - check out the listing on the website.

This is holiday time - and I am off to Scotland next week- but it can also often be a difficult time to maintain colour in the garden - though there is plenty on offer here at the nursery. The Russian Sage - PERVOSKIA 'BLUE SPIRE' is senstional at the moment - spikes of dark blue flowers above serrated silvery foliage. It is a wonderful plant particularly in combination with one of the dwarf POTENTILLAS. Several are looking good at the moment - particularly PRIMROSE BEAUTY and ELIZABETH - they rank as one of the longest-flowering dwarf shrubs about - flowering almost constantly from July-September. And of course mid-July is the start of the BUDDLEIA or BUTTERFLY BUSH season - a gorgeous set of plants - often dismissed as 'common' - but what else flowers at this time - and attracts so many butterflies??
Modern breeding has produced plants that flower over a longer period- and in a range of colours from white to red to purple - there are even dwarf forms that will not get too high - so no excuses - get one in the ground!!

Until next time,
RICHARD

CLIMBER CITY!!

2009-06-26T08:36:00.004+01:00

We are all enjoying the nice weather at the moment - yes, it creates work by increasing the amount of watering - but it is nice to feel the sun on your back.

The nursery is looking great - particularly the SHRUB SALES AREA. This area is one of the most popular with our customers at the moment - and it is easy to see why. As well as many wonderful ornamental shrubs and hedging plants - a large section is devoted to those upwardly-mobile plants - the CLIMBERS AND WALL SHRUBS. So many people have fences and walls or even trellis - that they fail to utilise in their garden schemes. This is where climbers or wall shrubs come into their own - they do not take up much space - and many are as beautiful as any border shrub. A number are also deliciously scented - like the SUMMER JASMINE - JASMINUM OFFICINALE - in the photo above. A smashing plant for a seating area - or over a pergola where the scent can waft about on those warm summer evenings.

For something a little different, no scent but a simply beautiful flower, why not try the WHITE POTATO VINE - SOLANUM JASMINOIDES 'ALBUM' - a semi-evergreen scrambling/climbing wall shrub - covered in sumptuous white blooms from July to the frosts.

Usually this plant is seen in it's more popular blue form - SOLANUM CRISPUM 'GLASNEVIN' - you can see why it is called the POTATO VINE! Each little blue flower is very much like the flowers of your spuds!! Again very long-flowering - and dead-easy to look after - just take the shears to it in the spring if it gets out of hand.

Of course, many of us have a wall or fence in the shade - usually North or East facing - and need something other than Ivy to grow on it. Well, again on the sales area - there is the lovely climbing

HYDRANGEA PETIOLARIS. It has many of the attributes of it;s more familiar shrubby friends - but will grow in far more hostile conditions - particularly good on North or East aspects. Lovely bloom now, and peeling flaky bark in the winter.

These are just a few of the lovely things we have at the nursery at the moment - why not pop down and see them yourself - the nursery is open Monday-Saturday 9-5.

Until next time then,

RICHARD

BACK DOWN TO EARTH!!

2009-06-16T08:14:00.008+01:00

Well, after all the excitement of the SUFFOLK SHOW - life at Crown Nursery has just about returned to normal. All the show plants are back in their correct places. The nursery is back in it's normal routine. The girls are busy working on the shrub area - taking cuttings of many of the items required for the autumn season. Potting on of the younger trees continues apace - as does the ongoing care of the new grafts. Many of the plants on the specimen area are being potted on - when a plant is held in a pot for a number of years, it does tend to get somewhat restricted - and the constant irrigation leaches out nutrients very fast - so both granular and liquid feeding is also taking place on the nursery at the moment.

Many of us at the nursery have been concerned at the plight of our bee population. A worldwide infestation of mites, and constant damp springs and summers have not helped these little chaps - and they are an essential item for pollination - particularly of food crops. We can help, as gardeners by planting as many of their favourite food items as possible. The companion planting beds on the FRUIT SALES AREA contain many items that are ideal for their food source. Bees particularly bumbles, favour blue flowers - and the catmint NEPETA 'WALKER'S LOW' and 'SIX HILS GIANT' are particularly good. - the lovely blue flower shown in the photo top left. There is one bed of pure catmint - and I counted 37 bumble bees on the flowers one day last week - they just dance and flit from flower to flower. Many of the herbs - such as Thyme, Sage and Oregano have flowers that are rich in nectar - so you can help the bees and yourself by planting those!!

On the shrub front - they are particularly fond of Cotoneaster - these have incredibly small flowers, but are very rich in nectar - and they appear over a lengthy period. In my own garden I have a large plant of COTONEASTER SIMONSII which last night, had 49 bees on it - that is no exaggeration - just a constant hum!! And of course, the big bonus is that all that buzzing will lead to a bumper crop of berries in the autumn for the birds - a DOUBLE WHAMMY!! The gorgeous HONEYSUCKLES are also a treat - they just love the deep-throated flowers - and the photo below just shows why!! ( This one is LONICERA JAPONICA 'HALL'S PROLIFIC') And if you have ever watched a bee in a bed of LAVENDER, then you just know that they are enjoying themselves!!

For the honey bees, which are actually in a worse position than the bumbles, their requirements are similar - although they seem to favour flatter flowers - in my own garden again - CALLISTEMON PALLIDUS - a yellow Australian Bottlebrush shrub is in full flower - and last night the honey bees were all over it. In early spring, they adore the catkins of pussy willows, and in late summer, they thrive on the many varieties of BUDDLEIA - the so-called BUTTERFLY BUSH. Finally for their autumn treat, they are especially fond of IVY - so it is not always wise to remove it from all your trees and fences.

We must look after our flying friends - without them the world would be very different. Here at Crown Nursery, we are certainly trying to do our bit - what are you doing in your plot??

Until next time,

RICHARD

SUFFOLK SHOW TRIUMPH!

2009-06-02T17:24:00.008+01:00

Well, we did it!! After several 13 hour days - CROWN NURSERY scored a great victory at the SUFFOLK SHOW!! Our stand in the flower tent - was awarded a LARGE GOLD MEDAL - and to cap it all - the PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP FOR THE BEST TRADE EXHIBIT IN THE SHOW!!

The certificates below for the medal and the cup are a testament to all the hard work put in by everybody. The PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP that I am holding is for every member of the CROWN NURSERY team. Every single person on the nursery was involved in some way - from growing the plants - to designing the stand - to producing the countless labels and literature - to moving plants up to 5 times in some cases, so ensuring they did not go over too quick. The brilliance of Brian and his landscape gang - ensured that the decking area built into the stand was superb - and also the considerable logistical headaches of transporting hundreds and hundreds of plants to the showground - and back again - were achieved in an incredibly short timescale.

Out of those hundreds and hundreds of plants - in true CROWN NURSERY style - 20ft trees were also included - all moved around - also pallets of turf - and countless barrows of mulch - all coming together to make the stand the sucess it deserved to be. To all those of you who came to see us - a big THANK YOU for your kind comments! And to those of you that did not come to the show - a range of photos of the stand will be appearing on our website very soon.

The name of our stand - was 'THYME FOR TEA' - a deliberate play on the word time. A cottage garden effect with a mature backdrop of large trees and shrubs - a woodland glade at one end - and a decking area with a seat - surrounded by scented plants at the other. A real garden for relaxation after a hard day. Such a range of plants were used - far too numerous to mention - but the CUPS AND SAUCERS filled with herbs drew much admiration.

In reality though, it was probably our ALTERNATIVE HANGING BASKETS that caused the most comment. A quite brilliant idea of Graeme's - we used a roll of turf in the bottom of the basket instead of the usual boring liner - and after just three weeks it had grown through to hide the basket completely. Compost was then added in the normal way - and we used EUONYMUS 'EMERALD GAIETY' as the main plant in the top - incredibly simple - but so many people could not believe their eyes!! You can see them in the photo - mounted on stands - and surrounded by typical cottage garden style planting.

Not content with all this - we also produced yet another incredible stand - this time outside the tent - this one was really GRAEME'S BABY - and he did himself and the nursery proud, despite having to put up with the most incredible gales on the first day of the show. This was the 'EDIBLE GARDEN' - 4 raised beds incorporating a glorious mix of herbs, fruit and easy-to-grow vegetables in the smallest of spaces. Again, thank you to so many people for all the interest shown.

These photos are just a taster of an incredible fortnight at Crown Nursery - at times the task seemed endless - and the days never-ending - but in the end we got there - and every single member of the team deserves a huge pat on the back. We are still sorting out the returned plants from the show - and getting them back into their rightful positions on the sales area - it is another whole year - before the next Suffolk Show - but we are already planning what we are going to do!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

FULL STEAM AHEAD TO THE SUFFOLK SHOW!!

2009-05-22T09:04:00.006+01:00

It's all systems go here at the nursery. We are shipping plants up to the Suffolk Show daily - starting off with the bigger items - and now onto turf, decking and some of the hard landscaping materials. The stand is starting to take shape - but it will be Tuesday before the 'pretty' bits go in. If you are coming to the show - do come into the Flower Show Tent and see us - we are at the far end next to the teas and cakes. We also have an Edible Garden stand - just outside the Flower Show entrance.
The show is on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th May at the Trinity Park Showground on the outskirts of Ipswich. It is a real showcase for Suffolk - featuring the traditional elements of the old agricultural show - and many other elements besides.

Back at the nursery, on the shrub front, now is the season of CEANOTHUS - often simply called the CALIFORNIAN LILAC. There are a lot of different varieties - from the large to the dwarf types. They are such useful plants - being evergreen and also jolly tough. The photo at the top shows just how profuse the flowers are - almost smothering the foliage.

On the tree front - in my last post - I talked about the tree of the moment - the MAY trees - ornamental forms of HAWTHORN. They really are looking very fine here at the nursery - there are so many varieties to choose from - but here are a few real crackers with piccs as well!!

CRATAEGUS 'PAUL'S SCARLET' -

I particularly like this one - it is very profuse in flower - and has the most attractive button-like flowers - scarlet-red with just a hint of white.

The flowers are fully double - so of course it is not going to set any berries - that is perhaps the only drawback - but if you are looking for a small tree for your garden - that will make a mushroom like shape - what better could you ask for?

Another of my absolute favourites - and very well-named is 'CRIMSON CLOUD'. This has a similar colouring to 'PAUL'S SCARLET' - but it has a single flower - with a beautiful white centre - and of course that means that you get MASSES OF BERRIES in the autumn. Possibly an even better tree than 'PAUL'S SCARLET'.

There are loads of other types - many with the more normal white blossom - particularly good for autumn berries is the aptly-named 'CRATAEGUS AUTUMN GLORY' - with fruits like small red glace cherries. For large leaves - totally different to the usual small types - you cannot fail to be impressed by CRATEGUS MOLLIS - a leaf more like a Hazel in size - and stuffed with red berries in the autumn. If space is really tight - there is even an upright form - ideal for putting in a small corner - called 'CRATAEGUS 'STRICTA'.

There is also a variegated form - 'CRATAEGUS MONOGYNA 'VARIEGATA' - a very subtle variegation - not at all vulgar!! It is such a versatile family - there must be one for your garden!

There, now I really must stop - and get on with getting some more plants out for the Suffolk Show!

HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE SHOW - IF NOT UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

NOTE - THIS IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - AND DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS, THE NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY. NEXT WEEK THE NURSERY IS AT THE SUFFOLK SHOW - AND ON WEDNESDAY 27TH AND THURSDAY 28TH MAY - WILL BE ON REDUCED OPENING HOURS - BEST TO RING THE OFFICE ON 01394 460755 TO CHECK OPENING HOURS ON THOSE DAYS.

THE RAINS COMETH!!

2009-05-15T10:49:00.013+01:00

Hooray, Hooray, Hooray!!! At last, after SIX WEEKS OF DROUGHT, the rains have come! We have had just over three-quarters of an inch of rain at the nursery over the last two days - a nice steady rain - mostly at night. The difference is incredible - plants look so much fresher and plumped up. It does not matter how much watering you do-NOTHING BEATS A GOOD RAIN-it wets the whole garden, not just small pockets. As you can probably tell I am a VERY HAPPY BUNNY!!!

A couple of nice shrubs for the season - the one above on the left is a plant often called the SILVERBERRY or technically ELAEAGNUS COMMUTATA. A very nice plant indeed - seldom seen and beautiful in two distinct ways - SUPERB SILVER FOLIAGE - and tiny yellow flowers that have a KNOCK-OUT SCENT. They are just starting to come out, they may not look much - but boy do they scent the air - I think the fragrance is best described as a heady mix of jasmine and vanilla - quite heavy on a warm evening.
The other shrub on the left is the BEAUTY BUSH - KOLKWITZA AMABILIS 'PINK CLOUD' - again another under-rated beauty. This has very soft foliage - and a real cloud of blossom - with the most delicate markings inside the flower as the photo shows - wonderful when the bees are inside!! On the tree front - this is the season of the ornamental Thorns - better known as MAY TREES. If you want a small ornamental tree for your garden, you will struggle to find anything better than one of the CRATAEGUS types. There are those with double red flowers in great profusion such as 'PAUL'S SCARLET' - or if you prefer pink, then CRATAEGUS 'ROSEA FLORE PLENO' is for you. The only disdvantage with these double types is that lacking stamens - they will set few, if any berries. If berries are your thing - 'CRIMSON CLOUD' is the one - pretty red flowers with a white middle - and being single - masses of berries in the autumn.

I am going to focus on these lovelies in my next post - but I can't resist mentioning them now!!

Otherwise - the nursery is heavily involved in planning for the SUFFOLK SHOW STAND - we have pretty much finalised the plants - but trying to work out what will be in flower in a fortnight is proving tricky!! The show is at the TRINITY PARK SHOWGROUND on the outskirts of Ipswich on WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY 27TH AND 28TH MAY. If you are coming to the show - pop into the FLOWER TENT and see us - we are at the far end -near the tea and cakes!!!

Until next time,
RICHARD

THE NURSERYMAN'S NIGHTMARE - HOT AND WINDY!!

2009-05-12T17:06:00.006+01:00

No, not a really good curry - but the WEATHER at the moment! Blue skies and BLAZING HOT SUN - sounds great, but for the last two days, it has been accompanied by a 30 mph GALE-FORCE WIND. It comes swooping down the valley into the nursery, knocking everything flat, and sucking the moisture out of the fresh new leaves of all our lovely plants. I HATE IT - AND THE PLANTS HATE IT TOO! The sales areas look like World War 3 - and the nursery staff all seem to have hoses permanently attached to their arms! As a customer very kindly told me today, you do seem to have a wind problem!!! Yep, great, thanks!!

It is actually fairly normal in this part of East Anglia at this time of the year- but it does not help my mood - I do feel for my plants when they are battered left, right and centre.

On a more POSITIVE NOTE - there are some very nice shrubs in season at the moment. I mentioned a dwarf LILAC in my last entry, and here is a piccy.

SYRINGA 'PALIBIN' - a nice LILAC - smaller-leaved than it's bigger cousins- but with the same delicious SCENT - and a rather nice colour too. They tend to be much easier to look after as well.

I often find, that they flower again in September - if they are kept well-fed and watered.

This is also the season of another of my favourite shrubs - VIBURNUM PLICATUM 'MARIESII'- a superb horizontal tiered plant - with a simply gorgeous flower - consisting of bracts and a central disc - as seen on the right - all against a fresh green leaf - what a cracker!! A wonderful plant for the edges of beds and borders - in my own garden at home, it is sited on the bend of a path - and the effect is simply breathtaking!!

There now, you see I'm starting to feel better already- I almost forgot the gale blowing outside! The weather forecasts suggest that we will actually get some much-needed rain on Thursday and Friday - plus the winds will die down - and then I REALLY WILL BE A HAPPY BUNNY!!

Until next time,

RICHARD

THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY

2009-04-30T20:21:00.002+01:00

What a fantastic SPRING we are having this year! Have you ever seen plants looking so good?

A combination of constant night temperature - and a cold period in January have set fair to produce a WONDERFUL SHOW. Here at the nursery, we are still incredibly busy, with many people in a LAST-MINUTE RUSH to get their plants in before the ground get's too dry.
Those of you who came to our SPRING OPEN DAY last Saturday - thank you very much for your kind comments on how good the nursery looked - they were very much appreciated!! Considering the weather forecast, we were incredibly lucky to have sun for most of the day - and it does make a big difference - all that hard work seems just that little bit more worthwhile!!

Attention now begins to turn towards our stand at the SUFFOLK SHOW - this will be at the end of May - and always occupies a lot of time. We have been planning and setting aside plants since the end of January - but even then, you are never actually sure what is looking good until the last moment.
On the subject of looking good - early May is LILAC TIME - and this is proving to be a good year for them - two of our favourites looking good at the moment are 'Firmanent' - with a lavender blue single flower and delicious scent - and the dwarf 'Palibin' with a reddish-pink flower. One particularly nice shrub now flowering in the 'impulse area' outside the office door is a seldom-seen shrubby Honeysuckle - LONICERA SYRINGANTHA - a delicious little plant - I often feel it would be equally home listed as a member of the Daphne family - it has small glaucous-blue leaves and the most HEAVENLY-SCENTED clusters of fresh-pink flowers. Yes, I know you have never heard of it! - most people have not - but it is one of those gems that should not be missed at this busy time in the garden.

On the tree side - the MALUS - THE CRAB APPLES - are still giving a good show. The purple-leaved varieties such as LISET and RUDOLPH are particularly good - and one of our favourites - 'VAN ESELTYNE' is just sumptous with buds like inflated hot-air balloons! Oh, and did I mention that Prunus 'SHIROFUGEN' is looking great - with long stalked clusters of soft pink flowers that hang from bronze leaves??

I think I need to stop now since I am starting to drool at the thought of all these lovely things!!
Until next time,
RICHARD

P.S. = REMEMBER THIS IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - SO DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS, THE NURSERY IS CLOSED FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE.