There’s something about the snow that makes me smile. It’s not the thought of my poor husband trudging up the hill from Chrishall Grange in a blizzard after he had to abandon our car there. It’s certainly not the thought of paying twice the price per litre for central heating oil or when the snow starts to thaw and turn grey. More simply, it is the verification that Mother Nature will have her way and bless us with her seasonal splendour and beauty. The concentrated awe of so many stunning views both as entire landscapes and close ups, took my breath away with further jaw dropping sights around each and every corner through countryside walks.
Of course, when you are tucked up inside on a long evening, what better way to pass a few hours than browsing the seed catalogue? As well as the usual Suttons, Thompson and Morgan, Unwins etc, and they are all good merchants, there are other less well known companies that offer unusual varieties.
‘Franchi’ (otherwise known as Seeds of Italy) is one such company and have given me excellent results particularly with their courgettes (dark green, light green, stripy, round, long – one for every day!) and particularly carrots (orange, yellow, short fat, long, thin and every type in between). The carrots seem untroubled by carrot fly and have a fantastically high germination rate which always seems to be a problem in my garden. I tried sowing them later in the season last year and I think delaying their planting by a couple of weeks, really helped the soil to warm enough to prevent them from rotting. Franchi seeds also come in large packets offering a good quantity of seeds if you want to sow successively. As a very different experiment I’m going to try some truffles this year. How long it will take or if it will work I have no idea but I’ll give it a go.
Chiltern Seeds are another seed company worth taking a look at, offering a hugely comprehensive range of unusual and rare seeds as well as popular ones. They have a particularly good range of flower seeds and enable you to embark on a few personal challenges by trying some exotic flora! The downside of their packets the last time I ordered from them was the limited growing info and no helpful picture on it.
My own personal favourite is Marshall’s seeds. They offer a full range of fruit and veg not only in seed form but plants too. Again, I have had excellent germination results with them and would heartily recommend their onion and shallot sets. It would also be worthwhile to check out their wide selection of seed potatoes. It always pays to get your order for these in early to take advantage of the full varieties available.
If you are a member of the RHS you will also be offered a limited range of free seeds from their gardens to grow for yourself. Worth giving this a go too methinks. Contact the RHS for details.
As an aside, I read recently that the upsurge in grow your own fruit and veg may be partly responsible for the decline in bee numbers. It seems that the decline in growing pollen rich flowers and in particular wildflowers, ties in with the reduction in bee numbers. If you have a spare few metres of land, some annual flower seeds thrown down and tended minimally could help bring up the numbers in your area. In some areas in France, farmers plant the headlands of their fields and strips along odd shaped areas of land and verges with a colourful mix including marigolds, zinnias, cornflowers, Californian poppies. They look great and are alive with bees and butterflies through the summer. I think I’ll try that too.
So all best wishes for a very happy 2011, order those seed catalogues, put your feet up in front of the fire and browse to your hearts content.