Thursday 31 January 2013

New plant Launches for Chelsea 2013

Nepeta grandiflora 'Summer Magic'
Chelsea is a hotbed of new plant varieties.
These 3 beauties are all English born and bred......


Nepeta grandiflora 'Summer Magic'

Gaillardia 'Fanfare Blaze'

Gaillardia 'Fanfare Blaze'

Leucanthemum 'Real Neat'

Leucanthemum 'Real Neat'



So be some of the first people to see these plants in the flesh and visit us at the Chelsea flower show 21st - 25th May 2013

hardys-plants.co.uk

Friday 18 January 2013

The off season?

So what does a nursery woman do in her spare time?
"What spare time Rosy are you talking about? Well you know when the nursery is closed for the winter months..."
This of course is when a lot of the preparation occurs for the next year. Okay so I am not out at plant sales or manning the sales area at weekends but I have to do blogs! get the plant orders finalised and many other things. From November until the end of February I am also not doing garden talks, as I prefer to do live plant demonstrations rather than powerpoint.

But also there is time to play in the water..
I am an avid scuba diver and whenever possible I will try to go out and get wet...
This can involve getting cold diving in the UK both in the sea and inland.
Or somewhere just that bit warmer such as Egypt or Lanzarote.


Uk dive boat off Swanage

Egypt

Egypt

Uk diving

Egypt

Inland dive site Vobster Quay

So there you go a little taster with my very amateur photos from the depths,
not too deep it gets too dark!

Friday 11 January 2013

Is it really a plant nursery?

Bramble
I do not have a dog any more but get the best of both worlds by allowing my staff to bring theirs in with them. I do not have to feed them, pay any extortionate vets bills or even go out in all weathers to exercise them.....
Milly "I do really like alpine strawberries"

Little things Grow up


I am intelligent really
If the NZ sheepdogs can drive why cant I



















There is one more in this dog line up but she is camera shy and that is Maisy.

So who else do we have in the menagerie?


Oh dear I am not so well camouflaged as my sister!
Clydicus!
Bonny and Clyde the feral beasties
Bonny hiding just after being the star on TV for Chelsea. Unfortunately 2 weeks later she went missing....



There have been others but they are no longer with us.
Visitors to the nursery are welcome to bring their dogs too as long as the keep them on leads.
We do seem to get a wide range of varied breeds visiting.



Wednesday 2 January 2013

Radio appearaces

Radio Berkshire with Ann Diamond is the program you are most likely to hear me on as a regular on her morning chat show. Recently when I have been on it has been Tony Blackburn doing the presenting and it is always a hoot...

At Chelsea flower show we are on many of the local radio stations as they have many reporters there looking for local exhibitors. Guernsey radio is also a yearly appearance due to links with the Channel Isles having exhibited at floral Guernsey and also doing lectures over there. All of these are done live so you do have to be aware that language should not be too colourful!