In article ,
says...
On 25/11/07 18:49, in article
, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:

In article ,
says...
On 25/11/07 13:09, in article , "Janet
Tweedy" wrote:

I had a really interesting newsletter from Downderry nurseries over the
weekend. They hold one of the national collections for lavenders and
they gave some interesting facts.
I never knew that people exhibiting at Chelsea and Hampton court could
source their plants from anywhere they liked so the fact that their
plants got top marks for quality meant that someone somewhere was not
getting the Accord due to them!
I assume they refer to the gardens but surely not the nurseries on
display?

I would think so, though quite how they'd prove it if a nursery stand bought
in from elsewhere, I don't know.

They also gave some interesting tips about misnamed lavenders and name
changes for marketing purposes.
Pruning they said (to quote them)


"Top Tip
By now if your lavenders haven't been pruned......don't, with the
exception of the large silver-leaved Dutch Group,*often referred to*by
it's old name*Vera. Flower stems can be removed even now, but leave the
beautiful foliage to brighten-up a winters' day. In the spring when the
saps up just trim off a hands' width of foliage to keep the plants in
shape. This is the only lavender we'd recommend pruning in spring
because it flowers too late for early autumn pruning."

If anyone would like to see the email/letter in full I'll be happy to
forward it on.It does actually make me keen to buy from them again as
they seem to care about their plants.
Perhaps we ought to have a Hill House biyearly newsletter and tips for
growing Sacha?



It's a possible for the new web site, Janet, if I can get Ray to sit down
long enough to dictate it to me *and* tell me what's going on the mail order
page etc! Now that Cormaic doesn't have time to maintain the faq and the
urg ring, I wonder if some computer whiz and gardening expert here could
take it on?? I know nothing about such things but there must be someone who
could do it? I mention it because your lavender report strikes me as
I am told (by someone in their employ) that the plants are ordered for a
show like Chelsea and are delivered for them to the show, they never even
visit cornwall, they justify this by claiming they are from "partener
nurseries" It gets worse, plants people order from them at the show are
not owned by the nursery but are sourced after and delivered direct from
the grower without ever visiting cornwall. I would not say the majority
do it, most are indeed proud of their plants but the fact that at least
one does (with the knowledge of the RHS apparently) means I have never
wanted to go.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea