Barr's Nurseries

Happy New Year

2012-01-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

We have opened today for the first time this year and the sun has been out! The winter has been kind so far and all the plants are looking very well. We have a lovely range of soft fruit in stock and the roses look great! If this weather keeps up then all the herbaceous plants will start shooting very soon and then Spring will be well and truly on the way!
We are looking forward to seeing all of our customers again soon. We have lots of plans to grow some lovely things for Summer colour this year. So if you are planning to spend a bit more time at home in your garden this year then come and see us and get planning for a spectacular display.

Opening Hours

2011-05-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

Our Hours of Opening are:-
Tuesday - Saturday 9.00 - 5.00
Sunday 10.00 - 4.00

We are closed on Mondays except Bank Holiday Mondays in the Spring

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

2010-10-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

If you want to have a season of mellow fruitfulness next year then now is the time to plant soft fruit and trees. We have a great range of fruit ready to plant now. We have Apples, Pears, Cherrries and Plums as well as Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Cob nuts, Gooseberries, Grapes, Kiwi fruits, Loganberries, Raspberries and Redcurrants. What are you waiting for? Come on in and get your fruit garden sorted now!! It doesn't matter if you don't have a dedicated fruit garden you can grow your crops amongst other plants in your garden or even in pots! Why not give it a go and try growing your own.
Whilst we're talking about growing your own - did you know that you can plant overwintering Onion Sets now? They will be ready to eat from May onwards. Now is the perfect time to plant Garlic, too. We have the excellent variety "Solent Wight" in stock. It's very hardy and produces large, well flavoured bulbs.

Autumn arrives

2010-09-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

Autumn seems to have arrived with a vengeance today - the wind is driving us mad!! But there are lots of plants you can plant now. We have had a new batch of fruit trees arrive recently. You may have heard of - or indeed had problems with - the difficulty with keeping Plum trees. It seems that Plums particularly are having problems with the irregular winter seasons we have experienced in the last few years and all Nurseries are finding it difficult to keep them through the winter in pots. However, the good news is that the problems are not being seen in Plum trees that are planted in the ground well before the onset of Winter and that means that now is the perfect time to plant. We have had a reasonable amount of rain and the ground is still warm which makes it perfect planting time for any hardy stock.

The violas, pansies, cyclamen, chrysanths and all autumn and winter flowering plants are looking great and ready to go in now. It has been a challenging summer and not all of the summer bedding has enjoyed it so now is a perfect time to replenish your baskets and containers for winter.

The roses have been really good this year again and at the moment they are still flowering away. We have a lovely selection of David Austin Roses on the Nursery. They are so easy going and seem to keep on repeat flowering if you dead head them regularly. They are particularly good when grown in large pots and that makes them excellent subjects for the patio as they love the sun. There are even some which you can train as small climbers - making only 6 -8 feet in height which is ideal if your garden is not huge as they will just fill a fence panel but not grow too huge.

If your garden is looking a bit dull and colourless at the moment think about planting Michaelmas Daisies. There are lovely varieties that do not succumb to mildew and add a great splash of colour at this time year. "Little Carlow" is the pictured variety and it is lovely. Schizostylis are another great late-flowerer and go on well into the first frosts but look quite exotic. They need a sunny spot. Of course there are many plants looking good at this time of the year and by far the best way to work out what to plant is to come up and have a look!

See you soon!!

Summer has arrived!

2010-06-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

I feel a bit embarrassed that I have had nothing to say to you all since December! I could find nothing to inspire me about the Winter or the Spring. Isn't that terrible! We were busy trying to keep everything alive for months - and we succeeded (mostly). We have had a good bedding plant season and have been kept busy with Hanging Basket orders. We have been heartened by the number of lovely comments we have received from customers both old and new about how well the plants look and how much they enjoy coming to the Nursery. I must say that it is great to hear such nice comments. We love our plants and it is great when we discover that you love them too! The picture is of one of the many Hanging Baskets we have made this year. Sue, our chief Hanging Basket maker does a really fantastic job as any of you who have had a Basket made by us will testify. We are justifiably proud of the service we offer and Sue always manages to produce beautiful Baskets whatever the colour scheme requested! Jim is getting a bit tired of getting up at 5 a.m. to water everything so is glad that almost all of the baskets have now gone to their new homes. We discovered that there is an enormous difference in the quality of the plants when they are watered very early in the morning compared to those that got watered in the afternoon - so now he gets up really early and waters everything - I think he enjoys the peace and quiet and communing with the plants uninterrupted!!

We have some lovely roses at the moment - they are all just coming into flower. The picture is the David Austin Rose 'Port Sunlight' - beautiful isn't it? If you're passing why not pop in and come and sniff them all - they are fantastic!!

Trees, Trees and more Trees!

2009-12-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, you guessed! The Christmas Trees have arrived!
Another great year for Nordman Firs - they are fantastic. The weather must have been good in Scotland for growing fir trees because they are big and full and green! We have heard many rumours about Christmas Trees being in short supply but as we ordered ours in the summer we have our usual good selection. The Holly Wreaths are being decorated and we are sure you will find something to suit you when you come to choose. Of course we will decorate one to your exact requirements if we possibly can - you only have to ask!
It's not only about Christmas trees though. We have a fantastic range of plants to tempt you - or that would make great presents for your friends and family. We have lots of new season Roses - including a great selection of David Austin Roses. We also have some lovely trees - including many at a fantastic 30% off! You can't afford to miss them!!
Come and see us soon!

Spring arrives at last!

2009-04-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how time goes by - another Spring is upon us and I haven't told you all what we are up to. Winter has faded to a reasonably distant memory and the sun has made a welcome return.
We have been very busy on the Nursery and have really got well tidied up after the winter! Like you , we lost a few plants in all the freezing weather, but the new stock is looking great. We have some great stuff for your gardens this year! At the moment the Camassias are just coming into flower - they are lovely! It is the first time we have grown them and they are very beautiful. We also have some lovely plants of Convallaria majalis Albostriata - a rather unusual form of lily of the valley with striking gold stripes on the leaves - a must for a woodland or shade garden. Also for those shady areas the Brunneras are looking at their best. As well as the blue flowered forms Jack Frost, Looking Glass and Hadspen Cream we also have a pretty white flowered form called Mr Morse.
The Erysimums are just beginning to look good - it won't be too long before the flower buds appear! We have Plant World Lemon and Apricot Twist ready now and good old Bowles Mauve following on behind. There are some lovely Euphorbias to tempt you too - Blackbird and Blue Wonder are both looking very interesting at the moment.
Lots of you are "growing your own" again this year and sales of seed potatoes are good. We still have some first and second early varieties and it's not too late to put them in! And of course you can still plant Main crop for a little while yet - so there's no excuse! The ground is warming up now so hopefully you are getting ready to really get planting soon - so do pay us a visit - we'd love to see you!!

Bank Holiday Blogging

2008-05-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

May Bank Holiday and the weather forecast is dire!!!! What a surprise!
I have been pleasantly surprised at how many of you have been coming in and commenting on the website. It is very nice to know you are out there reading this!! You may have been wondering why I haven't been blogging lately - Well, I've had a virus!! Not one that laid me low, luckily (I'm too busy for that!!) but one that took the trusty old computer down. Thanks to Jim persisting and telling me to buy a new one I am now back in communication with the outside world. I even have a fab new flat screen that I can read (even without my glasses on!!)
May has been a busy month for us as you all got out and started gardening in earnest. I hope you haven't been caught out by the late frosts and are ready for the deluge that is on it's way, apparently.
We have noticed a huge upsurge in interest in vegetable gardening this year. We sold seed potatoes for the first time this year and today I sold the last one! Nearly everybody seems to be having a go at growing something! Well done. I hope we have a good summer so you get good crops. Remember, this is England, so if you don't get a bumper harvest this year don't be too despondent - and don't give up!! There is nothing to beat picking and eating your own food and it is great that so many people are having a go.
Lots of you have been to Chelsea this year - lucky you!! I have watched the coverage on TV with interest. Not too much quirkiness or outlandish design and lots of ideas that you can use in your own gardens. Jim, being of fine Irish extraction, is often commenting on "forty shades of green" and this year's Chelsea was full of them!!
I don't suppose you are going to get out much for the rest of the weekend but you can always head for the potting shed and make your hanging baskets ready for when the gales die down and summer arrives!
Happy Gardening!!!

Spring is Just Around the Corner

2008-02-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

It's great - the snowdrops are well and truly out and the daffodils are up with buds showing so it's official - SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! We are looking forward to it, of course. The promise of a new Spring is the most wonderful time in the garden. The buds are beginning to swell already and it's all very exciting. The Nursery is looking well and we have had a delivery of new roses, all with leaf buds beginning to show! We have also got a good range of vegetable seeds and, for the first time ever, we have got seed potatoes in stock now. So many people are having a go at growing their own vegetables and it can be very rewarding. You don't have to have a huge garden or an allotment to grow veg. Many different types of vegetables can be grown in amongst other plants in the borders and you can grow fantastic potatoes in big pots on the patio. If you've never grown your own food before make this year the year you have a go. You will be delighted at the feeling of satisfaction that comes from producing your own food and you will love the fresh flavours!!

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

How the time flies! I was just telling you all that the Christmas Trees had arrived and now the New Year has! I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and are looking forward to what 2008 will bring.
We are having a bit of a rest and the Nursery will be closed until the 15th January. I know that seems like a long time but a little holiday is called for!! We are busy ordering the plants for next season though. I love looking through the catalogues and deciding what you will be having in your Hanging Baskets next year. Some nice new colours of things and some old favourites will be on the list! It won't be long before you can all get back out in your gardens but in the meantime settle down in front of the fire with your favourite seed catalogue or gardening book and dream of what the garden will be like this summer!

They've Arrived!

2007-12-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Amber, who many of you will know is our trusty side-kick here, tells me that Christmas starts when the Christmas Trees arrive. In that case, I can tell you, that Christmas has started!! Yes, the trees rolled in today - and very nice they are. The Nordmans are good quality this year - it's always a bit of an unknown quantity - will the summer have been too wet, too dry, too windy or just too summery? It would appear that Nordman firs like whatever weather they had in Scotland this summer as they look just right!!
I always enjoy Christmas Tree time as it very nice to have a busy car-park, full of families. I love seeing the children organising their parents to have a nice big tree to fill the sitting room with!! We are looking forward to having Katy with us between the 12th and 16th as she claims she wants to come and sell Trees! (For those who don't know - Katy is our wandering teenage daughter who is currently working in a riding centre in Devon! For those who do know - why not have a look at www.caringhorsemanship.co.uk and see what she gets up to!
Looking forward to seeing you all!

Fireworks and Festivities

2007-11-06T02:32:00.000-08:00

Well - Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night have come and gone! What fab weather we have enjoyed. I hope you've all been out enjoying your gardens. It's a real bonus to get an Autumn like this to make the most of the plants. Hopefully you've got your Winter pansies and bulbs put in by now. If not, don't worry - there's still time and the stock is still looking good. The ground is warm and the weather is still lovely - so no excuses!!
Christmas is the next big event - it can't have escaped your notice that the shops are full of festive frivolities - so now's the time to think about your Christmas Tree. We will be having the usual fantastic Nordman Fir trees this year - if you haven't had one before make this year the time you try one. I promise you will not be disappointed. They are big and bushy with soft needles which rarely drop - which means you can have the tree in a little bit earlier than usual and make Christmas last! We are expecting them in ready for the first weekend in December and remember - you can always come and choose it early and we will keep it for you until you want to put it up in the house. We shall be having our usual Holly Wreaths, too, as well as the usual Cyclamen, Bulbs and Poinsettias for decorating the house - or for gifts.
See you all soon!!!!

Autumn Arrives

2007-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

The first frosty morning of the Autumn is upon us! How lovely to have such clear sunny days and a nip in the air in the morning. It means that the best planting season has arrived. It's definitely time to spruce up your pots and baskets for Winter, plant some bulbs and think about what shrubs, trees and perennials to plant for best effect next summer. Autumn is the best time for planting as although the air is cold, the ground is still warm and that means that whatever you plant now has time to put on some root growth before winter sets in which means that your garden will establish better and be more successful next year. The nursery is still well stocked with all sorts of things. We have some lovely Hellebores and, of course, the winter pansies are coming into flower. There's a selection of trees with 25% off marked prices!

Look forward to seeing you soon.