Will it really happen this year

These last couple of years has been unreal really for everyone. Here on the nursery its like we have been caught in some time of time loop, groundhog day or similar.

So at the start of 2020 we were all excited to have been invited to the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show to show our specimen herb plants, heading to press days and really getting stuck into growing season, with me starting to think about going shopping for a new dress. But no it wasn’t to be, nor was 2021.

So now we are further into the year and are thinking, you know Chelsea may just go ahead this year, it will, won’t it!

Just as the time loop seems to be deviating from its previous lockdown course and a sense of normality is beginning to restore, in the U.K. anyway, the cost of everything is on the up. 

Over the years myself and Neil have been putting strives into improving our production skills so that we could produce more lovely herbs. This year we wanted to be able to give something back to our loyal and growing customer base, who have really supported us over the last number of years, both online and at markets and even from our product research car boot days back in 2008! Just as the cost of everything seems to be on the rise, everyone is going to find it more challenging this year financially, so we have decided to translate this into something more instant for all. Just a couple of days before Rishi Sunak announced the reduction in fuel duty, we too reduced our shipping costs to help us all get through these challenging times together, so you will now see a reduced shipping rate and a free shipping rate now available, so you can continue to enjoy our home grown herbs.

So, how can we do this?  We have really streamlined some of our production and are now able to grow more and grow better.  We have become speed seeders and are also master plant packers for online orders.  We no longer shovel mix our compost by the tonne or use a cement mixer to do this.  We have seen sense and gotten ourselves a dedicated mixer to get our peat free compost mix just perfect for us, and boy does this save us time, save our backs and we now have more energy to just do what we love and propagate herbs.   

Our seeding machine aka me, Niamh has gotten ultra speedy and yes perhaps a little sad does time trials to see how many seed plug trays I can fill in an hour.  

Our daughter just loves the competition between myself and Neil and our propagation competitions and joins in with her dibber in hand potting a few plants up, only to then ask for us to watch her latest skills on her swing, or to come and buy something from her shop. 

Nursery life is a whole family affair and certainly with this mild and warm Spring we have had thus far, it has really made for some enjoyable family time on the nursery.

Soon we will be back in full show season swing, starting with RHS Malvern Spring Festival, followed by RHS Chelsea Flower Show and many more events and you know, this year I think it may well just happen.