Lotty the Scarecrow stands guard over my currants and vainly attempts to keep the robbing pigeons away. Pigeons haven't been the only thieves I had to deal with this year; rabbits decided to decimate my salad crops, and  I think humans have been helping themselves to some of the berries as every time I leave them to just ripen another day or two, some bugger picks them!

The blackberry I grow, Adrienne, has been very vigorous and productive. Its flowers are garden worthy, and it flowers much earlier than the hedgerow bramble. The fruit too are  much larger and juicy. Fabulous with apples in pies and crumbles or Jam. As a child we used to pick them and eat them fresh with condensed milk. I am not even sure you can buy it these days!

 The Gooseberries gave a good account of themselves, and this year I beat the pigeons to them. They where very tasty in a Fool. The Blackcurrants and the Redcurrants produced good crops too, and got used  to make cheesecakes,  Cassis, and some relishes.  The White currants are dripping down from the plants at the moment and look like chains of frog spawn to my eyes. I am never quite sure how to use them, so I often just eat them fresh when they are very ripe in much the same way as you would use grapes. My Raspberries are 'Autumn Bliss' and they have been producing small amounts of fruit for the pas few weeks. They come into their own later in the season and are really delicious.

The Rhubarb knows no bounds - literally, and again has produced huge quantities, which I have used to make Rhubarb and Stem Ginger  Jam, and have passed on lots to neighbours who enjoy it with their porridge too.

Peas and beans have been dire. I had 3 attempts at growing them this year, and each time they failed. I think the monsoon like conditions that went on for weeks didn't help. The mini heat wave with attendant hose pipe ban are probably to blame. Spuds aren't much better. I gave up completely on trying to get any earlies in - the ground was just too waterlogged. I managed to get a few trenches of main crop Kind Edwards in , albeit late, but having looked at them tonight, they are a pitiful sight, and totally blight ridden. Jerusalem artichokes on the other hand, along with the mint and horseradish I planted by the water butts are making bids for World domination.

My success with top fruit in the garden at home has been a bit hit and miss too. All of the Apples and the just the Conference pears, set well, and I have good crops to look forward to. On the other hand, the cherries, plums, damsons, quinces, Mirabelles and the William's Pear  all failed to set fruit.  The dwarf nectarines were as hit and miss too. One has set a nice crop, although they look more like large plums than the size they should be, whilst the other has no fruit this year at all.

I know a lot of this is weather related, especially the inability of bees and pollinating insects being able to fly during the protracted rain we had during late Spring and early Summer. I am curious if people in other parts of the country faired better - how has your growing year been so far?