The Summer Solstice is here and it feels like a good moment to pause and take stock of the year so far.
We're halfway through the growing season already, though looking around the nursery there is still plenty waiting to happen. The tunnels are full, the longest day is upon us and after what has felt like a very busy spring, there is finally a chance to look around and see how much has changed over the last few months.
The Main Update
One of the biggest milestones this year has been successfully completing our APHA inspection and being recognised as a low-risk nursery.
For a small independent nursery, this is an important step and reflects the care that goes into growing healthy plants and maintaining good biosecurity practices.
It also places us in a strong position for future changes to plant movement regulations. Discussions are continuing around simplifying and harmonising some plant passport requirements, and while the details are still being worked through, we're hopeful that this may make it easier for small nurseries like ours to reach customers in Northern Ireland and potentially Ireland in the future.
On a more practical note, the polytunnels are finally looking wonderfully tidy after the inspection. There is always something to sow, pot on, weed or water but for a brief moment everything feels organised.
Star of the Season
Fox and Cubs (Pilosella aurantiaca)
One of the brightest plants in the nursery at the moment, Fox and Cubs is putting on a wonderful display of fiery orange flowers.
Despite its delicate appearance, it's a tough and reliable perennial that slowly spreads to form a colourful ground cover. The flowers are attractive to pollinators and seem to glow in the evening light.
It's one of those plants that quietly earns its place in the garden, asking for very little while giving colour over a long season.
Looking Ahead
We'll be continuing our summer season of fairs and events over the coming months, taking plants out into the wider world and meeting fellow gardeners, herbalists and plant lovers along the way.
If you're attending an event and spot the Pretty Wild Plants stall, please do come and say hello.
Although the solstice marks the turning of the year, many of our plants are only just beginning to come into their own.
The Viper's Bugloss is now flowering and alive with pollinators, the Hyssop and Skullcap are beginning their summer display and before long the great white flowers of Datura will be opening at dusk.
Beyond that lie the slower rhythms of late summer and autumn. Seeds will ripen, roots will thicken and eventually the mandrakes will begin to stir once more after their summer dormancy.
For now, though, we're enjoying this brief midsummer moment, when the nursery is full of growth and possibility.
Thank you, as always, for supporting Pretty Wild Plants and following along with the work here.
Whether you've bought a plant, visited us at an event or simply enjoy seeing what is growing in the tunnels, your support means a great deal.
Wishing you a happy Solstice and a fruitful summer.
Ruth & Nes
Pretty Wild Plants
