Wonderful Withypitts

Recently Steve and I visited Withypitts Dahlia Nursery in Crawley. We saw a piece about it on Gardeners World. I was intrigued when I heard about the taking of cuttings and wanted to know more.

It was a long drive for us but it was more than worth it. It was a small nursery well off the main road with a small sign. On the day we went we were the first people to arrive and were so lucky to have plenty of time to talk to the owners.

We got some wonderful tips about cutting:-

1. cut dahlias with a very sharp knife, if you use anything with a scissor action, the tubes in the hollow stems are squashed and can`t take up water

2. place the stems in hand hot water

3. change the water every two days

 I was particularly interested in the lifting of tubers for winter. We were shown the double polytunnel heated by oil. Down each side were raised benches divided into compartments. In the autumn 8000 dahlia tubers are lifted by three people and stored here.

When they are dried the tubers for cuttings are chosen and then spare tubers are sold.

As we looked across the field of dahlia rows we were told that none of these plants existed in March of this year which I found totally astounding.

 Then off we went to see the dazzling display of top quality dahlias. They are grown for the cut flower business

I made a list of 12 that I loved. Here are some of them.

The camera could not cope with some of the colours.

After a flask of tea and something to eat I chose myself 5 beautiful blooms.

We had a great visit. I would definitely go again, perhaps when the spare tubers are for sale.

 

 

 

In the Summertime

It is indeed high summer, despite what I said last time. Today there were many people wandering through the gardens enjoying the tranquility of the whole farm. Some get tomatoes, some get sweetpeas and some get seeds for their own gardens. It was very interesting to hear where they come from and to listen to the most welcome, lovely comments, as I remained hidden behind the jungle of plants weeding the paths. I popped my head up now and again. I loved to hear the children saying goodbye to all the animals. 

There was a lot to bring home  .... potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers and 16 beautiful verbena boniarensis plants which have all self-seeded in the path (now all potted up)

The photos today are a self-indulgence of the joy of summer. I hope you enjoy them. 

 

Winds of Change

I hate to say this but the season feels as if its changing.

It could be the excess rain and the destructive winds but it is also that feeling in the morning .... a bit of condensation, grass wet underfoot early, leaves on vines turning red.

We went to the garden today. I managed to strim all round and to prune the blackcurrants pretty hard. In the autumn I may very well move one of the bushes whose branches always grow through the wire. I might even be able to untangle it from the bramble which grows up with it every year.

Some campers were very keen to glean the last remaining currants from the branches. I was very interested to hear how the family had bought land, on the strength of what they had seen at Freshwinds Garden, thought, "we can do that" and they are now growing their own in Wales. And I wish them very good luck and happy gardening.

 

I picked sweetpeas and had to cut sunflowers as the plant had blown over. I`ve tried to rescue it twice. We are running out of stakes to save them all.

Its a lovely bunch but I would prefer them to be still growing. There were lots of side buds.

This sunflower came up amongst the sweetpeas. I let it do its own thing.

This summer the wind has been the bugbear, destroying hollyhocks, sunflowers and even blowing over dahlias.

As I trundled along with a barrowload of blackcurrant prunings to burn, the heavens opened. I had to shelter in the open-sided barn. It took a while to pass over.

One thing to be said for the rain, it keeps things going for longer.

We sheltered further in the polytunnel where huge tomatoes continue to ripen ....

......aubergines are growing in a most prolific way, along with ipomea which is perhaps out of control.....

...... and peppers coming along nicely.

Tonight its carrots, the first sweetcorn and courgettes for dinner.

Yum yum.