April News from Galloway Flowers

  Spring is springing all around us now, isn't it?  A flight of Swallows was swooping over the lochan on Friday (VERY early), lambs are racing round on the other side of the wall as I weed & birds are busy in the nest boxes. I love these bright mornings when every day some new plant or flower reappears from it's winter sleep. A few have been lost (strangely all my Achillea 'The Pearl' seem to have been zapped) but I'm surprised by other slightly tender plants that have made it so far. Annual Rudbackia for example - a real bonus as this will give earlier flowers than seed sown a couple of weeks ago.
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  But I'm not complacent. The weather forecast for the coming week has cold night temperatures, as low as we've had all winter. While no precious tender plants are outside yet, this could damage soft new growth on the perennials (especially the Delphiniums, Lupins & Phlox). Even the Alstroemeria in the polytunnels could be damaged so extra layers of fleece will be out tonight... Is there anything you need to protect?

  I had a bit of a mishap last month & broke my arm. 3 days before Mother's Day, the busiest day in the Florists calendar & I was at DGRI having an operation. That's when I truly appreciated having good friends. Maybelle Thomson (the inhouse Florist at GG's Yard) saved the day by helping make up bouquets. Ken had a crash course in bouquet wrapping & delivered them all to the Mum's as scheduled. Together we got through & crashed in an exhausted heap on the Saturday! The arm's mending well (fortunately it's my left one & I'm right handed), I can wiggle fingers & manage to sow seeds, plant out etc. But I've no strength in it yet & it'll be a while before I can lift much or drive. Very frustrating when there's so much to do!

  I love my early morning 'patrol' around the greenhouses at this time of year.. It's exciting to see which seeds have germinated overnight. Little specks of green confirming a packet of seed was good & these have a chance of making it into a bouquet later this year. The March sown seedlings will need pricking out into their own space soon & their places on the heated benches are quickly filled with the next batch of seed. 

  The Chrysanthemum cuttings ordered over the winter have arrived & potted up to grow on. I hope to discover good varieties to thrive outside here as these would be a great addition to our Autumn bouquets. They have wonderful names, often obviously after somebody - I would love to know more about the people whose names they bear! Who is/was Tom Pearce? Denise Oatridge? Ada Evans? It's easier to remember plant names when they're human...

  We've finally begun to cut our own flowers again now - in the past few weeks Pieris, Hellebores & Forsythia, now Narcissi & the first Tulips. These will be mixed with beautiful Sussex-grown Alstroemeria in the April bouquets. I'm able to arrange the weekly bouquets again now & Ken is helping tie, wrap & deliver them.  

  Slowly, everyday life is beginning - from this week we'll be able to offer 'click & collect' at the gate again. The Kirkcudbright Farmers Market will be back in late April for food businesses only. Fingers crossed, we'll be back at both Kirkcudbright & Castle Douglas Farmers Markets in May.

  The next delivery day will be Friday 9th April & orders can be placed online now. Order online or by telephone 01644 420407

   Enjoy the freedom to get out & about again this month & the beautiful Spring sunshine. It's a joyous, uplifting season & heaven knows, our spirits all deserve a little bit of that!
Jobs for the Cutting Garden in April;

• Sweet Peas sown earlier in the year are ready to ‘harden off’ by gradual exposure to cooler temperatures outside, & then planting in the ground. Plant 2 to an upright, tie in & pinch out the tips for sturdier, bushier plants There's still time to sow more for a late Summer display
• Plant bulbs now for Summer colour. Particular favourites are Lilies (really good in pots), Gladioli & Ranunculus. Divide your bulbs into batches & plant at intervals of a couple of weeks so they spread out over the season. Doing this I'm able to cut the last sweet smelling Acidanthera in early October
• Sow another batch of Hardy Annual seedlings (try some of the new softer Calendula shades such as ‘Pink Surprise’ or ‘Touch of Buff’, Dill, Poppies for a change) this month, either under cover or outside direct in the soil. These flower their socks off, giving you lots to cut but will tire. This second batch will keep blooms coming into late summer & September
• The Half-Hardy Annuals can be sown now too (such as Cosmos) ready for planting out after the last frosts.
• It’s time to get weeding as buttercup, bittercress, nettles & more are germinating in the warmer soil. A few minutes with a hoe on a dry or windy day or pulling as you spot them pays big dividends later – so much easier to remove while small & before they set seed
• Give support to your plants before they need it. The plants might seem tiny now but it’s much easier to put them in place before the lush growth begins to flop
• Don’t give up too soon on shrubs & plants that look dead. After this winter some plants will be slow to begin growing – give them a little longer & you might be surprised. 
• Sow easy veg seeds for super-fresh (& very reasonably priced) salads - Lettuce leaves, Rocket, Beetroot & Spring Onions are all quick to reach picking stage & thrive in pots or a small patch of ground . Broad beans are good sown this month & always taste better than any you'll find in a supermarket

  And the last word this month?
 
‘Where Flowers bloom so does hope'
Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the United States of America
1912 - 2007

Until next time, 
Rosie 
Galloway Flowers