THE RAINS COMETH!!

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