I’ve just taken delivery of a superb batch of Conophytum. Afraid a few are for my collection, but the rest I will get established in their new pots and hopefully make available in 2023. Very happy that we’re getting some flowers already.

I’ve also put a batch of Coleus ‘Black Dragon’ or Painted Nettles (Image Right) on the shop, they are still growing hence the lower price; although they work well in sunny outside borders, they’re not frost hardy but they do make great indoor plants for a sunny windowsill.

If you can give one a home, please pop onto the shop and order yours today!

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder despite the still relatively warm days.
In my vegetable garden the summer crops are done, tomatoes, chilli, cucumbers, gherkins, French beans and sweetcorn are all going over and the plants are going straight to compost. Getting the nutrients ready to go back into the ground next year.

The winter salads however are growing strongly, still some warm sun and good light to get them to a good size before the real cold weather arrives. Mizuna, Mustards, Lolla Rossa, Rocket, Lambs Lettuce, Spring Onions and Chinese Cabbage. My first batch are already starting to fill the pots and I’ve made a second sowing today, these will take a bit longer to get going but will provide some fresh food in the months ahead.

The cacti and succulents will be popping in and out of the warm holding area where they spend their nights under cover and on days that are a few degrees above freezing they will come out to get some winter sun but all watering has now stopped.

I have a number of Auricula and primula seedlings coming on and the cooler weather will suit them well.

Much of the stock is starting to either loose leaves or die back now and will retreat underground until spring, in their pots.

The Iris and Lily are starting to die back, however the bulbs and rhizomes will be ready to go again in a few short months. I have invested a large amount of resources and time into the lily stock so hoping that we will have a few plants to offer in 2023.

The ferns are coming along slowly, they’re slower than a Diplodocus to be fair but hopefully they will produce some plants in 2023 that we can make available.

Despite the continuing drought in the south of the country, we’ve had some wet and wild weather here in Cumbria, hopefully it will settle a bit but our plants are growing well as they’ve had both rainfall and warmth.

Added both Achillea and Iris to the shop now and we have some other stock which is also ready for sale.

Weather is warm and stock is starting to build up of seed sown plants, will definitely have Flag Iris ready for sale in 1L pots soon, they have just been transplanted so need a few more weeks to put out some good roots. They will of course die back once autumn arrives and regrow again next season.

Lots of other plants coming along which I’m hoping will be sale ready in the spring/early summer 2023 and I’m hoping to get the cacti and succulents potted on as soon as they’re ready to handle.

I also have some hybrid and species lilies coming along although they are likely to be a season or two from their first flowers.

Chilli plants are ready to go now and will be appearing over the next month or so as new plantings become available. Veg seedlings are on the way but due to a mishap with a concrete slab and my hand being temporarily out of action production is behind. There is however some limited rhubarb and herbs available on the shop now. Cacti and succulents are coming along, albeit slowly and some are ready to be moved onto individual pots to grow on a bit.

Seems like a good day to post – the first chilli seeds are being planted today so hopefully by March/April we will have a selection to offer.

I also have 45 species of assorted cacti/succulents now at seedling stage. Most however are still barely at a size to be handled so they will be staying in their nursery pots until they’ve put on some size.

I will be planting up a variety of herbs soon so please keep and eye on the shop page.

Vegetable plants will be available in a few weeks, planting will start soon and I’m hoping to get seedlings ready for planting at the start of spring.

I’m also hoping to have a selection of ferns and lillies in the future but I will post more as I progress with my plans.

Happy gardening for 2022