I think I may have mentioned before on this blog, I really must make an effort to get out more!
So Dobby and I went off last Saturday to find Hall Farm Nursery, which is owned by Christine and Nick Ffoulkes Jones
I first came across this nursery when I went to the plant hunters fair at Bodnant Gardens. It was from them I bought my lovely Aster “Lady in Black” that I mentioned in yesterdays bloom day post, together with the Rudbackia fulgida var deamii and Panicum virgatum “Squaw”
While I was buying these plants I had a brief conversation with Nick – who I found very helpful. Back home I looked them up on the Internet and discovered they had a nursery that was about an hour and a half from where I live – which, in this neck of the woods, is not too far at all.
Last week, one of my customers asked me to get a couple of grasses for her. As there are a few grasses that I have also earmarked for future planting here in “An Artist’s Garden” I thought late October would be an ideal time to visit a local(ish) nursery that stocks grasses to see how they look and how they cope with our Welsh weather.
I contacted Hall Farm Nursery to see if they had mature specimens of some of the grasses so I can visualize the finished plan. Also to check availability of the grasses for my customer. Christine was great on the phone, and reassured me that grasses do cope with the Welsh climate.
On Saturday, the weather was golden and the drive to Kinnerley was glorious. The Shropshire countryside was lit up by the Autumn foliage on the trees. The nursery is slightly “off the beaten track” in the lanes that form a triangle between Oswestry, Welshpool and Shrewsbury.
It perhaps took us slightly longer than it should have to arrive at our destination, but Dobby and I are blaming the route finder that we downloaded from the Internet and not the fact that neither of us can read a map for toffee.
When we got to Kinnerley we found the nursery quite easily and after parking, this was the first view over the nursery gate.
Well, to be honest, by the time I took this photo I had whizzed around squeaking with delight and picked out that grass you can see standing on its own.
I all-ready knew that the Ffoulkes Jones’s would not be there when we visited, but that Judy would be on hand to answer any questions. She was indeed there and was great. Although she did tell me that I couldn’t take her picture … so I didn’t. (But if you look at their website – I believe you may spot her)
I was not aware that Hall Farm Nursery has won 40 Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medals, but it is easy to understand why. Around the nursery area there are beds and borders planted up with a delicious range of perennial groupings.
Even the area between two poly-tunnels looks great planted with verbena bonariensis and grass
The nursery propagate 98% of their plants which all look very healthy, (not to mention very tempting) and it is such a treat to see the mature specimens of plants that you are contemplating for the garden.
Or, as in the case of the aster – plants that I am not interested in, looking so splendid, that I may well become interested in them!
Something that I was very struck by and would like to try at home was this mass planting of Althaea cannabina which looked fabulous silhouetted against the sky.
Dobby and I had a marvellous time amongst the plants, and yes we did come away with one or two
Oh! OK, with a boot-full
Hall Farm Nursery offer a variety of Day Classes and RHS events - more information, together with opening times and a plant list is found on their web site.
Next year if you are visiting Wales, or live nearby do check out this delightful nursery, which is open from March to October.
I think Dobby hit the nail on the head as we drove away she said;-
“it’s just like visiting a friend’s garden, and coming away with rather lovely plants”
Karen:
I am always happy to see virtual tours of garden nurseries and from what I can see, ’tis no wonder you were squealing with delight. Wonderful photography! I suppose one of these years I will have to traverse to your fair Isle and lose myself in a nursery or two or three… or…!!
Yes Teza – it is well worth traveling to this fair Isle
So glad you liked the photographs, thanks for stopping by
K
teza´s last blog ..Garden Friends- Letters Across the Miles – October 2009
Wow! What a great nursery!
Thanks for sharing. (This would be a place I’d love to visit, too!)
It was a lovely treat Shady, and I will certainly be visiting it again next year.
K
Shady Gardener´s last blog ..I Wonder if Tricyrtis Don’t Like a Little Sunshine?
These purples look very tempting!
They were tempting Tatyana – and as my garden is so full of reds, yellows, oranges – it was lovely to be considering purple again.
K
Tatyana´s last blog ..Not An Easy Post
What a fantastic collection of plants – I love that Verbena.
Hi Phillip – Verbena does look great planted in a great mass like that.
K
Phillip´s last blog ..Fountain
Oh thats looks lovely – I could have met you!!! Must go to that nursery and have a look. They exhibit at Malvern and I’m sure I have picked up their leaflet numerous times but now I know its worth the trip I shall go. Maybe we could meet the next time you venture forth!!
Really like those Verbena and grasses – do you know what grasses they are?
Hi Helen – Why how far away are you from there then? I will certainly meet you there sometime next year
I forgot to ask the name of the grass … Stipa tenuissima?
I don’t think the nursery are going to be a Malvern in the Spring – as I think they are doing something for Chelsea with Riding for the Disabled.
K
Helen/patientgardener´s last blog ..Delights of Autumn
It’s a great nursery isn’t it Karen – time for another visit methinks but maybe next year now. Now what did you buy – do spill the beans ? If you didn’t come home with a pot of althaea cannabina it grows easily from seed
Hi Anna – So you know the nursery then? Its fab – we could meet there next year with Helen as well????
No I didnt buy the althaea as I am going to grow it from seed – and I will spill the beans on my purchases – but in another post
K
Anna´s last blog ..What’s Afoot ?
The nursery looks wonderful and it’s so nice to know that they grow/propagate most of their plants! So rare to find them these days…
I’m not sure I would’ve survived the nursery…. Certainly not without spending far too much money!!!
Not only do they propagate most of their plants, but they keep them healthy with good husbandry and only use biological control when necessary!
It was moderately difficult not to spend too much money – but it was late in the year – if I visit in the summer, well that may be another story!
K
liz´s last blog ..Asters
I like that althaea. I also liked that lone little grass, standing up so straight and tall. Glad you took it home with you.
Hi Susan – The lone grass I bought for one of my customers – although I did get one for myself too – it is Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’. I took it around to her to-day and she is delighted with it – and it looks lovely in its new home.
K
Susan Tomlinson´s last blog ..If you don’t like the weather…
Did you get them out of that nasty wind the other night?
(lol) – they stood up really well to the nasty wind – so I am impressed
K
What Karen doesn’t tell you is that it was not only a bootful. Some of the grasses were so tall they reached from the boot to within about 6″ of the windscreen. If her car gets damp and warm, there will be grasses growing everywhere. Including our clothing. When we stopped for tea and cake, a prerequisit of a day out, more seeds fell from us when we got out of the car than you could hope to collect in brown paper bags:-) A great day out though.
Glad you enjoyed it Dobby – thanks for the company and the tea and cake
K
What a gret looking nursery and so well looked after lovely photos too I particularly like the Althea not come across that one.
It was pretty Joanne – I have ordered the seeds – so look out for it on the blog next year – fingers crossed!
K
Joanne´s last blog ..NERINES AND LIQUIDAMBER
Karen, I hear a challenge! We must convince you to take home a few asters? Or did you? The photo just above the Althaea cannabina…shows the asters brilliantly. I want to duplicate that scene right here…and I agree the Althaea cannabina against the sky is gorgeous! I would love to visit Wales…it looks and sounds dramatically beautiful. gail
Nooooo – wait up Gail, I have only just got used to having yellow flowers – and I definitely not ready for Asters ….. Yet!
K
(I think Wales is dramatically beautiful – but I might be slightly biased)
Gail´s last blog ..Wildflower Wednesday~ Mountain Mint
What a wonderful nursery! I especially like that they have mature specimens for people to look at so they know how large their plants will grow.
I also love to visit places slightly off the beaten track.
Hi Noelle – and thanks for taking time to leave a comment – it was a great nursery visit and I am glad you enjoyed the post.
K
Noelle (azplantlady)´s last blog ..A Children’s Flower Garden in an Unusual Place
Oh no, another one I will have to add to the list. it is practically local so no excuse not to go! Love the asters, much to my surprise as have never previously like them. I saw some rather lovely ones in my mother’s garden too. I may be having a seachange here, coming round to autumn, being tempted by asters, where will it end?
Giggle – Well its a good thing you have a bit more time on your hands so that you can go nursery visiting next year. I liked the asters too – it was very worrying – is it our age or the welsh air?????
K
(Oh – don’t tell Gail I quite liked the asters …. I think I like asters in other peoples gardens)
elizabethm´s last blog ..So what is your dream?
Lovely selection of plants and the colors are beautiful. I too love that Verbena. Carol
Carol´s last blog ..Blooming Friday
Wish I was there, but getting plants home would be a problem! A lovely place, and just my kind of day, right down to the tea and cakes.
Now, you have inspired me to get more grasses for my garden.
Looks fabulous. Also, my friends don’t charge for their plants so I wonder how far they are willing to take the analogy…
Dawn/LittleGreenFingers´s last blog ..Waiting for hedges
We stayed in a holiday cottage just up the road from there last year, and I didn’t find it – oh no! Well, we will obviously have to go back …
Juliet´s last blog ..Surprisingly Seasonal
Oh isn’t it wonderful when you find a nursery or plantsperson who does really care about what they grow and isn’t just interested in grabbing your money? Those grasses look to be in splendid condition.
blueworld gardener´s last blog ..Autumn trees – sorbus and maple
What a delightful nursery, thanks for the tour. You captured some stunning plants, I’m especially fond of the Verbena bonsariensis. Of course that is what I blogged about today too, lol.
What a gorgeous nursery, not to mention the fantastic setting and borders!
I think I may have to look at growing some Althaea cannabina. I do like a good tall almost wispy plant mixed throughout a border.
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to more!
Ryan
Ryan´s last blog ..My Australian Adventure: Sydney Botanical Gardens
Ha! I saw your aster comment Karen! …I could send you a few seeds of lovely plants. You won’t even know they’re asters since they now have a new names! gail
Gail´s last blog ..Autumn Meditation On Gold
If I had found myself in a nursery like that I would ‘ve been whizzing around and squealing too. What a lovely, lovely place. And, you’re right, its fantastic to see the mature plants so it gives yo all kinds of lovely ideas about the planting.
Sunita´s last blog ..Every little flying thing
Looks like just the place for a Sunday afternoon – I love visiting nurseries and you do rarely come away with nothing!! (more when hubby isn’t with me !) I shall lodge this one in my mind if we’re ever in Wales – looks great! There are some great ones in Cornwall when I go and visit my family – you get many more interesting varieties of plants in the UK than over in France so I usually go home with a bootfull… happy days!
Miranda Bell´s last blog ..Wonderful autumn days…