A visit to Wisley

Today I visited the RHS garden at Wisley in Surrey. One of the reasons I enjoy my RHS membership is for the wonderful plant centre at the entrance to the gardens. Here I found an excellent selection of seed potatoes. My only complaint about them was that they were sold in such large quantities! I don't have space to grow many, so I like to buy a small selection of different varieties. I did, however, find a small packet of first earlies called Rocket. I grew these last year, they are described in the catalogue as 'ultra early' so these are the ones which I grow in a black bag in the greenhouse for an early, early treat.

The other reason I enjoy my membership of the RHS is to visit the model vegetable garden year round, and compare it to my own. This time of year is what gardeners refer to as 'the hungry gap' - there being little to harvest. These brussels sprout sticks were still in the ground, they looked like a strange plant from another planet!

In one corner of their potager was this lovely rhubarb forcing pot. Beautifully handcrafted by the Yorkshire flowerpot company. I have not yet attempted to force any of my rhubarb. My crowns are only a year old, and forcing rhubarb puts such a strain on the plant that it is only really suitable to do to older, stronger plants. Maybe in a couple of years time when I have more plants I might try it, but not yet.

Blog readers might remember my unsuccessful foray into the world of growing my own mushrooms earlier in the season last year. I thought I would give it a go again, this time with a kit in a box. The box comes with a bag of mushroom compost, with the spawn already impregnated in it, and a bag of compost as top casing layer. Please await update in 6 days (that is what it says on the box) fingers crossed this time!