Welcome to our first news letter. For a change we’ve had a good summer with lots of sunshine, flowers and butterflies, lets hope it continues!

The nursery is well stocked with plants of seasonal interest, especially Hydrangea paniculata varieties, Echinacea, Indigofera and late Clenatis, along with many other plants for late season interest. September is probably the best month of all for planting, especially container grown trees and shrubs so don’t hang around!

Our display bed is hot with Echinacea in flower with their attendant butterflies, in particular good numbers of Common Tortoiseshell, not one we’ve seen much of in recent years.

Indigofera pendula, has excited more interest than any other plant since flowering began in May.

An arching/weeping shrub with drooping racemes of silvery pink flowers. It will remain in bloom until the frosts arrive in November.
Our Indigo bushes are very popular with bees but as we move into September the honey-bees are becoming increasingly addicted to the specimens of Hydrangea paniculata planted behind the Echinacea. The very best of these (as far as the bees and hoverflies are concerned) is the upright, narrow leaved selection from Taiwan.

Heale Garden is still well worth visiting, in particular the walled garden with its well kept mixed vegetable and flower beds. Ornamental gourds can be seen hanging amongst the climbers and there are drifts of sunflowers and other spectacular late flowers.

Until last week our riverside café was under siege from common wasps but then the hornets arrived and in the space of a few days reduced the multitude to a handful. Come and watch them, it is an experience to see these impressive insects single-mindedly targeting those poor wasps. Homemade food and drinks alongside the River Avon with swallows hawking overhead, paradise! No bother from the hornets, humans aren’t on the menu, they’re only interested in the wasps!

On 1st September our fourth osprey of the year flew low over the nursery, whilst the family of kingfishers is frequently seen along the river. Those who are both quiet and patient have a good chance of seeing our resident water voles.

Butterflies to be seen at the moment include Purple Hairstreak, Comma, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Brimstone and Speckled Wood.