I have been privilaged enough to be introduced to the Sweet Pea family by winning some seeds in a competition that I entered and forgot about a couple of years ago. I won some delightfully pastel coloured peas called Lathyrus odoratus ‘Sweet Dreams Mixed’ from T&M and I was completely bowled over when my seeds germinated, grew and flowered.

Having always been a food grower with no real interest at all in flowers or plants, I was suddenly converted. The following year I bought myself some Ballerina Blue sweet pea seeds then won some more in another competition. Since then I have bought dozens of different seeds! This year I plan to have the most scented and colourful garden ever!

My Veggies are going to be so jealous of all these different colours and flowers, but hopefully it will be functional as well which is the main reason I grow them; to attract the pollinators and keep them in food!

I will be running an Olympic gardening session for the school in a couple of weeks time, does anyone have any interesting and inventive ideas that I can try out?

Jane

Most exciting news is that they have just won a Silver for their Stand with Cat Slater from Stratford Business Forum.

Pop along and see us and get some plants at the same time, it’s a great time to plant.

pic.twitter.com/8hb8GT8J

You may be interested to know that you are entitled attend any of the following free growing workshops (including a free lunch).

Foleshillfields Vision Project, Coventry Saturday 2nd June 1 – 5 pm including lunch.
http://www.sowingnewseeds.org.uk/eventHillfields.html

These workshops offer a fascinating insight into some of the more unusual things that can be grown in the UK. They have been hugely popular, so contact sowingnewseeds@gardenorganic.org.uk if you would like to attend one of them.

In these workshops you will be given:-

An introduction to growing non-traditional crops in the UK
Information on:
Choosing varieties and obtaining seed
Sowing times
Plant care
Harvesting and preparation

Examples of crops include:
Calaloo, a delicious leafy crop from Jamaica
Chick peas – used by Indians and Bangladeshis and a delicious roasted snack
Shark Fin melons -a savoury melon used by the Chinese and Vietnamese to make soups
Lemongrass – used by Thais in curries and for a cold curing tea in Jamaica

The workshops are informal and relaxed with discussion around plenty of living examples. They are suitable for people for beginners or more advanced growers.

If that doesn’t tempt you, I don’t know what will!

The workshops will be repeated in 3 other locations
Aylesford Allotments, Leicester, Saturday 19th May 10.30 am and 1.30pm including lunch.

http://www.sowingnewseeds.org.uk/eventSaffronacres.html

Whitemoor Allotments, Nottingham, Saturday 26th May 1 – 4 pm including including lunch.

http://www.sowingnewseeds.org.uk/eventNOG.html

Foleshillfields Vision Project, Coventry Saturday 2nd June 1 – 5 pm including lunch.

http://www.sowingnewseeds.org.uk/eventHillfields.html

Moor Green Allotment, Birmingham Sunday 24th June 12.30 – 4.30 pm including lunch.

http://www.sowingnewseeds.org.uk/eventMoorGreen.html

Potatoes do NOT count as one of your Five-a-Day.

Mushrooms, being neither fruit nor veg but classed as Fungi, DO count as one of your five-a-day.

A fruit smoothie contains more sugar than a fizzy drink. Eating fruit is much better for you than drinking it.

http://potsmith.co.uk

1.30pm – 2.30pm

Graham Adams Centre, Southam, CV47 0LY