Interesting...especially as I live just over 10 mins walk from Craighill. (I'm often there in the Spring!)

Sounds like a bargain to me. I've been tempted to buy some more lily bulbs this year, but I have such a problem with lily beetle. Does anyone have any clever tips for dealing with the red menace, apart from picking them off? - I'm not keen on chemicals. Is it better to grow them in pots?

Well, whadya know?! I only live 7 minutes from Craighill and am often there in the Spring, Summmer, Autumn and Winter. What an incredible neighbourhood resource it is.

Pjc04 - I'm sorry to hear of your lily beetle probs. I don't have it - yet - but I'm a bit further North than you, I think it's a new global-warming arrival, isn't it? Most of my lilies are in pots, though I don't know if that makes any difference. If I see anything red, I'll overcome my vegetarian principles and tread on it immediately.

Hi G.N. 7 mins walk from Craighill puts you in Clarry Park, S.Knighton, Stoneygate or possibly Knighton Fields? We're in W. Kn.

Yup, right there in Clarendon Park. Is your bit the Overdale Rd area? Just across the Washbrook? That's at least three Leicester dwellers on the forum then! We should swap seeds/cuttings/plants.

We're t'other side of Welford Road, near the Brook. Small world! Who's the third? Yeh, let's swap sometimes.

I'm another leicester person and visit craighill a few times. don't generally note them for being great value, though obviously the lillies are a steal in this case. I find 'homebase' better value but its pretty marginal - and I do nonetheless visit craighill more often than homebase!
My biggest challenge is trying to improve our less than ideal leicester clay soil. I live on a new plot in Oadby much nearer to great glenn than to clary or knighton. The soil is/was pretty terrible but I'm working on it. Anyone know of any friendly stables or farmers willing to part with horse manure?
My parents live in stoneygate so I nip to craighills.
eye up me duck(s)!

Hello Consty. I'm afraid Oadby puts you over the border into the wilds of Leicestershire, but I'm sure we can accept you as an honorary Member of the 'Leicester Club'!

No stables or horses in this part of the City. I find best thing for my Knighton clay is loads of home-made compost / leaf mould and it's FREE.

Might bump into you (and G.N.) one day at Craighill.

RobbieEm
Thanks - would very much like to be an 'honorary Member'. Lived in flat on Clary Park end of London Rd for many years until getting married (3 years ago) and hence move to Oadby. Before that, many years at parental home in Stoneygate!
You're right about homemade compost for soil improvement, its just that the folks on the soil forum are always banging on about adding manure too...
Hope to run into you guys at Craighills sometime.

Hi Consty,

Nice to see the local band is growing! I get cow manure from a farm on the Welford Rd out past the Navigation Pub, on the left hand side. £1 a sack, bag it yourself. I can let you have more detailed instructions if necessary.

Hi G N!
Thanks for the offer - please do send the info. I think my email page should come up if you click on my details or just post the info here.
The folks on 'Soil' forum do heavily promote the benefits of horse manure, any idea of how this compares with the cow manure you're getting?

I'm half an hour from craighill.
but has anyone seen any large Lilium auratum bulbs for sale there?
may just pay them a visit though.

No L. auratum, probably a bit too specialised. They had Stargazer, Devotion, Harmony, among others , plus a selection of trumpet types including L. Regale. They're the sort of lilies that come in pre-labelled trays, so there must have been at least 15 -20 named varieties (including pixie, orientals, asiatics and trumpets).
There is a branch of the same nursery (Craighill Nurseries)at Wistow nr Newton Harcourt. It's a bit more scenic out there if you're going to make a special trip: there's a tearoom and you can go for a walk along the canal.

Thanks ,have found some at Dobbies , Atherstone.
Saw a auratum, in Korea years ago , it was a huge plant and got to about six feet and more, the flowers were of a size I have never seen before or since, saved some bulblets but lost them on the way home, they were totally hardy as the temperature got to minus 24 to 26. I kick myself every time I see them in bloom now.

Calling all Craighill-ites (Leicester Area)!

Please post if you wish to meet at Craighill Nurseries one day in near future (to get your Spring Bulbs or whatever).

Please state your preferred date (weekday or weekend) and approx time. I'm available most days, suggest early p.m.

Hi pips, how did your L. auratums go? If they were as good as that sounded let me know if Dobbies have more next spring and I'll be right over to Atherstone. When did they flower? I adore scented lilies but they mainly flower in August when I'm away. I'd love to hear of any that flowered in Sept, for example. I'm going to get more regales and trumpet types next year as they flower in July.

Robby Em, I'm up for a get-together. Weekend mornings would be good, or daytimes early in the week. If people wanted to come from further afield than our suburban backwater, I'd suggest the Wistow branch as it's got a tea shop and other facilities.

I like the idea of the tearoom. Just two potential problems though: 1. I have no idea where Wistow is, and 2. I have no transport to get there other than an old push bike.