This Side of the Pond

Even a creature with no voice has something to teach, as I’ve had reason to acknowledge over the last couple of weeks. This is the tale of the little plant that could and the gardener who never had before – and don’t worry, it has a happy ending.

I don’t have a great track record with growing things on this side of the ocean. Back in Ol’ Blighty, I’ve been known to coax a carrot or two from the ground and I once raised enough runner beans to feed the whole street on a specially made bamboo trellis.

My grandfather had the greenest of thumbs and taught me how to space strawberries...