Sweet pea

(Such a beautiful sight - and smell)

This has been the wettest, most miserable start to a summer I have known. The soil at times too sticky to be workable; stems and branches hanging pendulums, weighed down with the seemingly continuous rainfall. People are commenting on an 'epidemic' of slugs and snails, ravishing their tender bedding plants. And the more temperate days and nights have meant everything seems to be a couple of weeks behind. 

It's not been all bad news. The sweet peas have been the best we've ever seen. The plants, enjoying the cooler, wetter weather, have romped away, climbing their supports to over 6ft in height. We have been cutting the fragrant flowers almost daily, their heady perfume filling the house. 

The potatoes have also been enjoying all the rainfall, the haulms healthy and verdant. In stark contrast to the previous few years the crops have suffered due to hot weather or blight. 

Obviously with all crops growing underground it's impossible to tell how healthy or abundant the potatoes will be but its looking good so far. 

The salad crops have been good this year; lettuce in particular grows better in cooler weather, and often tastes better. Autumn sown seed also often has a better rate of germination. 

In truth the garden gets on and grows regardless of the weather. 

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