This week will see frantic last-minute preparations and setting-up for one of the biggest events of the gardening year – the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

We do not exhibit at Chelsea – but our own version of it is the Suffolk Show – this is the premier event for us.  The Flower Show has grown into a mini-version of Chelsea over the years – and competition is just as fierce!

The Suffolk Show is on Thursday and Friday 7th and 8th June at the Trinity Park Showground, Ipswich.

Plans for the stand have been ongoing since December – but it is only in the last few weeks that it has all started to come together.  The bizarre weather has not helped our plans – the very warm March pushed plants on – and the cold April held things back!!  Heavy rainfall tends to stain petals – so it has been a lot of moving plants in and out of the tunnels as they need it –  what fun!

We are not going to reveal all of our plans here – but it is a fairly formal design – totally different from last year – and will have a royal connection – nothing more to be said!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

What an incredible week!   We have had over 2 inches of rain at the nursery – the place is sodden – parts of it look like the Battle of the Somme!!

I suppose it was obvious that the moment the hosepipe ban was brought in – it would start raining – but this is excessive!   The nursery is also on a considerable slope – and the water runs downhill like a torrent!!

Still – we have not had to do any irrigation – and at least the soil is now well and truly moist!   There is now water in ditches and ponds that have been dry for eighteen months – but we do still need water to top up the aquifers – and that will take up to six months to seap through – so I doubt that the hosepipe ban will be lifted anytime soon.

Once this weather passes – and it will – it should be a decent growing season – we were worried in March that plants would be very short of water – but at the moment there is a good reservoir of moisture available.

This weather has allowed us to push on with potting of trees, cuttings and seed-sowing and also lots of potting on – so all is not lost – there is always something that can be done – no matter what the weather!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

What a change in the weather!!    We seem to have gone backwards!  It is now colder than most of the winter was at the nursery!

Strong winds coming straight from the Arctic have made for a bitter week outside – but on the plus side we have had some decent rainfall – hilarious that since the hosepipe ban was introduced – it has not stopped raining – and according to the Met Office we are on course for the wettest April on record!!      Of course it is not enough – and it will not stop the hosepipe ban – but those of us who have recently planted new stock will be pleased that the pressure is off.

 Apparently the long-range forecast is that it will be the same throughout May – so we shall see – May in Suffolk is usually very hot and dry – a plant-killing month they call it in the trade – so for the time being it’s on with the coats and hats – we like the rain -but perhaps it could fall at night – and it could be a LITTLE bit warmer!!

Oh well – never satisfied!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

We have managed to source a few more bare-root Asparagus – the demand has been huge this year!

Sadly we only have 10 each of the two varieties Gijnlim and Backlim  - so if you do want some – ring us quick!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

Happy Easter to all our customers.  Despite the hosepipe ban we hope you all find time to get out into your gardens over the long weekend!!   Due to local planning restrictions – do remember that the nursery will be CLOSED over the Bank Holiday Weekend from Friday April 5th to Monday 9th April inclusive.  

The nursery will reopen on Tuesday April 10th at 9am – and we will then return to our normal opening hours of Monday-Saturday 9-5.

ENJOY THE BREAK

UNTIL NEXT TIME

RICHARD

This is a very special year – not only are the Olympics coming to London – but this is also the celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee!   And what better way to mark that than to plant a tree!   Trees give a sense of permanence and are an ideal way to mark such an occasion.

To this end – here at Crown Nursery we have put together a special selection of trees in our Jubilee Avenue – they are a mix of different species – some flowering and some foliage – plus some evergreens – all priced at £60.00 each – they are semi-mature trees not thin weak saplings – we will continue this special offer right up to the Jubilee – but if you want to take advantage of this opportunity – come down to the nursery and take a look!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

We are now at our last opportunity to plant bare-root hedging and trees.  The warm weather has caused plants to race away – and they are now coming into leaf – so there are literally only a few days left if you want to get anything planted before Easter.

We will still have container-grown plants – but even these need to be planted as soon as possible.   Do not delay!!

This will also be our final week for mail-order dispatch – once the leaves and buds come out – wrapping a tree is very difficult – we pride ourselves on the quality of our packing – and would hate to think that a tree arrived with half of the buds broken off in transit – so if you are not local to us – you need to contact us ASAP if you would like plants sent through the post this coming week.

It’s all happening!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

The seasons are changing – and time is now almost out for planting bare-root hedging.   The first buds are now showing green on hawthorn – so if you really do want to get a new hedge planted this March – YOU MUST GET YOUR SKATES ON!!  We do not expect to have bare-root stock much longer than the end of next week.

Also take advantage of our SPECIAL OFFER ON BOX HEDGING PLANTS – check out the special offers page on the website!

We still have a decent number of bare-root fruit trees available – but again DO NOT DELAY.  With a hosepipe ban coming into force across most of Suffolk – getting your trees planted NOW will allow for them to root away while there is still some moisture in the ground.

If you are still not ready to plant new trees – then we still have our container-grown range – these can be planted right up until the end of April.    But again – the sooner they go in – the sooner they will root.

Do not delay!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD

So the end of another hectic week – as well as the lorry full of specimen plants on Tuesday – we also ran two grafting courses back-to-back for Otley College students.   They certainly enjoyed learning a new skill in somewhat different surrounding to their usual classroom!

Also on the nursery this week – Liz has just about finished grafting – the last of the hedging orders are being dug – the end of the bare-root season is fast approaching – it cannot last much longer – we are now very short or sold out of some items – so if you intend to plant a hedge before spring – you need to get a move on!!

An incredibly busy week on the customer front – as many of you rush to get your planting completed before it get’s any drier – I heard on the radio this morning that Suffolk is now officially in a state of drought – there is supposed to be heavy rain tomorrow – so hopefully that announcement will change the weather – and we will be reporting on floods next!!  Ha Ha!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

AN EXHAUSTED RICHARD!

A very large lorry arrived at the nursery on Tuesday – two days earlier than expected – laden with all sorts of goodies!!

We now have some very fine BAMBOOS - black and yellow stemmed – WISTERIAS – in different flower colours – GRAPE VINES – KIWI FRUITS – as well as CONIFERS in a range of colours and sizes.  We also have a number of PHOTINIAS and other large evergreen shrubs ideal for screening available – there are huge numbers of mouth-watering plants – far too numerous to mention here – so why not come down to the nursery and take a look.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

RICHARD