Little Harvests

The garden is gently decaying into autumn dishevelment. It's been a good year; we've experienced a steep learning curve with the polytunnel and grown a staggering amount of tomatoes. We've had disappointments; too few green beans, a whole packet of Dumpling Squash which refused to germinate, not enough space to grow as many potatoes as we need. Slow Acorn Squash which are only just flowering - too late. Made mistakes; garlic which we misplanted and failed. Put courgettes in the tunnel when they didn't need to be. Planted them out once the broad beans were over and we had the space.

But these are part and parcel of gardening and no year is perfect. We hope to learn not to make the same mistakes twice (but often do). It's good to look back and see how our year went. Our once yearly pea indulgence - one whole packet scattered and grown closely in a small square.

Broad beans - we were ambivalent about this type, the Sutton; they didn't grow tall enough and the pods could have been longer. Nonetheless, fresh broad beans are heavenly, no matter what.

Growing a minuscule crop of round carrots in a tub.

They were quite small, a bit holey in places and funny shaped. Only enough for a few each, but they were the carrotiest carrots we've had since the last time we grew carrots.

Finally managing to grow one of my favourite flowers, sweet peas, in a big pot; they don't grow well in the garden and we need the space for veg. I luxuriated in having a regular posy of them to sweeten the air.

From August we have had mostly our own potatoes - not huge amounts, but just enough to keep us going. Duke of York reds -

Salad Rattes - a somewhat mean crop I thought, considering we planted two rows.

And good old reliable (not to mention delicious) King Edwards.

Our Boston Marrow squash were a big success. If a certain LB is reading this, then here are the results of your seed packet from America - thank you for the pleasure we've had with them.

We were rather proud.

There isn't really enough storage space to preserve these beauties safely, so they rest in majesty on the stairs.

We picked modest batches of strawberries all summer long.

And my new fig tree came complete with one magnificent, succulent fruit.

Tomatoes we had plenty of! What a beautiful crop it is to grow. From over-ripe sweet 'chezzers' -

- to big, bold beefsteaks. German Strawberries, golden orange and perfect for roasting -

A bountiful crop of Principe Borghese plum tomatoes - one of the best types we have grown, very prolific and one to remember for next year.

Buxom, blushing Brandywines, grown from seeds sent from the USA by Janet -

All these - and one small cucumber which somehow managed to grow in their midst, despite being crowded out.

However we grew far too many - we didn't have to dedicate the entire 14ft polytunnel to them. I think we've exorcised the memories of the last few years of blight now. Split tomatoes have their uses though.

Waiting for a cold winter's night when we will need some bottled summer.