Mini Blipmeet

Several times a year The Man goes down to Appley Bridge in Lancashire for a meeting. Occasionally I go along with him and continue to Mere Sands Nature Reserve.

The different, and exciting, thing about today was, we were invited to visit the commercial nursery of Stuart9613. Both The Man and I have had an interest in horticulture as he taught Rural Studies and I worked as a Lab Technician in charge of a school greenhouse.

Stuart and his wife work on, what I see as, an enormous scale in their business! A lot of glasshouses and poly-tunnels, not to mention electrical equipment.

We talked over coffee about cats, camera clubs, the RHS, the PSA, holidays and then they took us on a tour showing us how they are developing strong, resistant bedding/border plants, ultimately, without chemical intervention.

Photography went out of the window (there were plenty!), I was so fascinated listening to him I only took a few quick snaps and didn't pay heed to settings. Take my DSLR off me and give me a point & shoot on auto!

So here is Stuart showing us root development of a geranium and in Extras I've put geraniums and a few of the 24,000 primulaceae he will be marketting this year. A planned reduction on last year's 54,000.

Thank you Stuart and Helen for sparing time for us in your very busy schedule!