Hi Gean? sorry for memory lapse if not) Campanulas. Well, I do start a couple from seed, especially the biennials such as the common Canterbury bells (C.Medium)and the very tall chimney breast C (C.pyramidalis) Also, one of my favourites, The peach leaved bellflower (C.persicifolia) is very easy from seed and will seed around without ever becoming a nuisance. If I wanted a specific colour, I probably would be tempted to buy one (there are some lovely doubles which will also come largely true from seed)but in general, once you have one, you will always have more. As for the smaller, ground-covering types, the most popular (but least useful with a short bloom cycle) are the carpaticas, often called blue clips, white clips etc. I do better with the vigorous and unpronounceable C.portenschlagiana (once called C.muralis) - beg a bit of root of someone who has some, it will easily take and spread brilliantly, even in cracks and stair risers. Avoid the Dalmatian campanula, C.pocharskyana as this really is a ground coverer (although it will also grow upwards for a couple of feet and hide leggy rose bases). There are many other ground coverers such as fairy thimbles (C.cochlearifolia) and a really deep purple, C.pulla. All can be sown from seed and should flower the second season as well as rooting from basal cuttings or soft-tip cuttings, even the smalles shred. With all camps, if they start to get out of hand, a sharp tug at a handful will solve that problem as they will easily pull out. Finally, I have not grown the tall C,lactiflora from seed but this really is a lovely plant and, if you buy one, it will grow to 60cm in its first season and the following year, it will double that in height and width. The usual varieties - deep blue Pritchard's variety or the milky blue Loddon Anna. Oh yes, for a wilder garden, C.trachelium (nettle leaved) and C.latiloba will also do well from seed.The seeds are small: sow them on top of a loamy mix and do not cover unless with a thin layer of vermiculite. many of them are evergreen with lovely rosettes of foliage. There are a couple of horribly invasive ones, chiefly C.rapunculoides, a beautiful but rampant weed with huge white roots, and also the asian C.takkesimana - another tap-rooted horror. C.glomerata falls over and is the only one which requires some support - all the others are remarkably stout. If I was only allowed one, it would be the peach leaved bellflower, C.persicifolia - graceful, elegant, long flowering and easy from seed (they all respond to deadheading). Hellebores: orientalis has the most variety (colours available in peach, primrose, slate, crimson, maroon, speckled and so on), the easiest (its main pest is leaf blotch fungus but if you cut the old leaves back, this is kept under control) and the loveliest flowers although some of the species come close. If you like green flowers, hellebores are winners. The corsican hellebore has fabulous filiage too while our native stinking hellebore (H.foetidus) has the most amazing sprays of green cupped flowers (and it only pongs a bit if you bury your nose in it) The only difficult ones for me are the christmas rose, Hellebore niger, which does NOT flower at Christmas and often looks a bit ratty. Like aquilegias, they will cross pollinate and seed around but you will never be sure of what you are getting. However, there are never any duds as the basic form of the plants are so wonderfully architectural ad, at the time of year when they flower, a subtle change from the spring yellows, whites and blues. Just a couple will make a sizeable clump in a year or so....but you won't be content with just 2! They don't make good cut flowers but a common trick is to just float a few flower heads in a bowl of water. You will also find some of the orientalis hybrids have upwards facing flowers (but I love their gentle nodding) If you have cash to spare, there are some exciting crosses - H.Thibetana and H.Ericsmithii to look at and those of you in hot and dry places could consider the lovely H.lividus along with the corsican hellebore. Have fun.Apols for the many typos.

Hey Everybody! I have been inspired to try the wintersowing thing this winter. I had no idea that it was as easy as putting seeds and soil in a milk jug, with drainage and vent slits, and putting the whole thing outside in the cold. Clumsy, Now that it is July I am very interested in seeing the HUNDREDS of new plants that you started this last winter almost all grown up now. thanks for the inpiration all and good luck

Haha loved that, yes I find I do upset alot of people with out intending to! by the way the Aubergine bit cracks me up as recently another Brit friend over here (been here 4 years) said aubergine, and and American friend said "why do you call them that? its not logical", she held it up and said "what colour do you call this fruit?" "err Aubergine!!!!" FAsF! but to quote an British comedian and for the life of me cann't remember his name, about 2 weeks ago on the Now Show radio four, said "Americans do understand irony they just don't expect it every minute of every day!" and I think that sums up our differences! its alittle werid the cubic (wrote cupid! originally!) yards, gallons ect, must be older than you as I learnt both at school, but still the gallons, pints ect are smaller than ours where so still some confusion? I have an amazing neighbour and she so does and doesn't get my humour, sometimes I have to go into a longwinded explaination which I think losses the joke but when I have explained, she then laughts, other times she gets it straight away but sometime I think? surely she must have heard this before? she is internet dating and I said today "well you need to kiss alot of frogs before you find your prince" she laughted her head off! surely thats an oldy? oh and I posted Jasper Carrot the mole to a forum Sq foot, oh what the hay I'll post it here too! it went down well with the original poster, I think he must have been in America doing this as he uses a lot of americanisms, except for beetroot, instead of beets! Here is a link that might be useful: The Mole

Ray, the late summer/autumn pea crop has suffered from a massively wet autumn. The broad beans have suffered too. They hate wet feet. It was so wet that even the flavour of this season's oil was affected. Less peppery than usual. We were meant to have a bona fide glass glasshouse well before now. Hold ups with the work on the house delayed it. The house took priority. For some reason. It will be in place next year. In the meantime, before spring, I'll create a temporary structure at the top of the new garden to give the spring plantings a flying start. Last night we took some visitors up to our local trattoria in the hills above the town. Great food, as always, including my usual pici with cinghiale ragu and a glorious marscapone dessert that I've had before. It verges on tiramisu but stops short. All in front of a roaring log fire. Had to scrape the ice off the windscreen before we could drive home.