June Sowing, Shows and Fathers Day
Here’s a missive from Paulo of Franchi Seeds of Italy.
These guys are the real crossover for me. They offer the vesy best selection of Italian seeds that you can find in the UK and they are passionate about good food and cooking.
From Paulo………
A good weekend to you all and one with mixed feelings. On the one hand, we really need the rain, but why at the weekend when we’ve all been working hard all week!! Seriously though, the ground has really been dry and some cold nights in May have caused a few problems with some veg looking limp or starting slow. I have had to re-sow my courgettes and some more beans as a result and a few people I've spoken to at Chelsea and other shows recently have said the same things which makes me feel a lot better!
For those of you in and around Llangollen in Wales, the annual garden show runs today and tomorrow and I will be there on Sunday book signing as well as being on a question time type panel I understand. I look forward to meeting any of you there (don't ask me any difficult questions!) that can make it to this beautiful town which boasts a super steam railway for the children too. On the 20th of June, I will be book signing at Burford Garden Company in Oxford in the afternoon but before that at Wyevale in Bicester in the. See you there.
For fathers day on the 21st of June, how about some chunky Gardeners Soap from Florence which contains volcanic pumace to remove 'gardeners hands' or a signed copy of our new Seeds of Italy cookbook. Some summer sowing varieties might be nice for dad too - Lettuces can be sown now, rocket, herbs especially basil, dill, corriander and parsley, all brassica's like cauliflowers, kales, cabbages, savoys, brussels sprouts and broccoli, carrot, beetroot,radish, spinach, chard, pac choy and beans as well as gherkins and courgettes can all be sown now. Just go to www.soapsofitaly.com for the soaps or www.seedsofitaly.com for the seeds and book along with many other items.
We look forward to meeting you at BBC Gardeners World Live next week from Wed-Sun and I will be there all week. A quick thanks to all of you who patiently queued to get onto our stand at Chelsea - it was a very busy show and we could have benefitted from a larger stand! Otherwise, remember to come and visit our stand in the vegetable marquee at RHS Hampton Court. Lets hope for better weather than last year's Glastonbury like conditions!
Buon weekend
Paolo and Alessandra
Franchi Seeds of Italy 1783
