Wild herb nursery

[SeeShell]

I went to a wild herb nursery not far from me last weekend. They had a huge variety of wild flowers, herbs etc. Anyway armed with my list from the tort table I managed to find quite a few I haven't managed to locate in the wild
(12 new ones and quite unusual ones at that). I try and grow as many different weeds as poss in the garden so I can eventually be self-sufficient. Anway it was great as they were all labelled so no dubiety that they just looked like something that was edible. The couple that own it were great and next year they are going to grow for me several on the list they don't currently have. Most of these little herb nurserys are run by genuine enthusiasts who aren't as interested in the money as the big chains. Well worth a visit if you have one nearby!

[burnt toast]

That sounds great Corra (as well as a nice interesting afternoon out) I would love to be self sufficient, I do grow a lot but still collect as well. I stumbled on a new weedpicking place this afternoon & spent a nice hour ambling along - came back looking like a "right minga" apparently, with a big carrier stuffed with weed's & 2 bricks! (oh well, keeps me happy!)

[SeeShell]

Yes, it's a lovely wee place Lynn. They have a tiny cafe - everything home baked and healthy. Would have been unfair to visit and not eat. It'll be a little while before I'm totally self sufficient but I keep adding to the garden every year and increasing my varieties. I'm lucky in that I also live right next to a play park / little paths for walking so there's quite a bit there too. Nothing better than a good weed walk and a carrier full of plants!

[Ozric Jonathan]

Yes I like to get at least 2 or 3 new species going in my garden each year and often I find it easier to buy half a dozen plugs rather than trying to get seeds to germinate. I've got in some of those blue sowthistles and hopefully by next summer they will be sizeable plants.

But not everythng works out. I spent three years getting my marsh mallows into tall specimens with flowers. But now the wretched animals refuse to eat it! Any other mallow they will eat, but the marsh mallow? No.

[TortBabe]

Sounds great Corra! Am just waiting on a huge order coming from naturescape, all things that don't grow about here Jonathan, my guys loved the blue sowthistle The leaves grow massive so have ordered another 4 plugs. I agree I'm buying plugs now rather than growing I wasted so much money on seeds that didn't even germinate, its much easier to grow the plugs on. Though I will still plant stuff too

[filardimarg2]

Can you tell me what u ordered from them please, I would like to have some plants to feed over winter. Thanks a lot.

Marg.

[SeeShell]

Yes, I almost always go for plugs rather than seeds too. Clare - could you also pm me details for naturescape too - always looking for new places!!

[tootsieroll61]

Originally Posted by Burno

That sounds great Corra (as well as a nice interesting afternoon out) I would love to be self sufficient, I do grow a lot but still collect as well. I stumbled on a new weedpicking place this afternoon & spent a nice hour ambling along - came back looking like a "right minga" apparently, with a big carrier stuffed with weed's & 2 bricks! (oh well, keeps me happy!)

Had to laugh at this as my son says this to me too , I have just been weeding my neighbours gardens got several different weeds and I too had a carrier bag full though no briks lol

[Ozric Jonathan]

http://www.naturescape.co.uk/acatalog/plants.html

http://www.naturescape.co.uk/index.htm


I've used these people a few times now and they have been fine on each occasion. The plugs come well packaged by courier. For some species they do some larger pots as well but I always go for the small plugs which are usually about £1 each.

Through buying groups of 5 plugs I've established clumps of the following species over the past three years: mallow (common, musk, marsh); scabious (meadow); cat's ear; autumn hawkbit; hawksbeards; chicory; hoary plantain; vipers' bugloss; nettle leaved bellflower (a native campanula); wood violets.

If you're still following this one Marg, you might not find this a lot of use for your winter feeding. If you get plants now they will be very small and won't grow much till next spring. But to get plant groups established, this can be a good time to buy and plant for feeding next summer. Or, wait and buy them in April when they will quickly get going and produce some fodder for you.

I don't think there is anything much we can be planting now for winter feeding except possibly winter cabbage, kale or similar which most of us here don't feed. But I'd be more than happy to be corrected on this point!

[SeeShell]

That's an excellent site - just ordered quite a few new plants!