11. Gardening: Grab the upper hand while you can

It was raining very hard on Saturday and in the early hours I pictured a scene of devastation.

12. Marjorie’s Seedling makes up for other crops failing

This year seems to have been the most disastrous that I can remember as far as gathering crops is concerned.

13. Victorian gardening book reveals family secrets

A parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string arrived in the post last week.

14. Gardening; Take a fence but not my shrubs

A man is coming today at the behest of my neighbour to take down the fence along the length of the garden.

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15. Gardening: Spectacular campsis deserves better

Plants in the garden often trigger a memory and this week one flowering climber is reminding me of holidays in Italy.

16. Gardening: Chores will always catch up with you

Twice in recent weeks there has been reason to ponder on the problem of the job you have to do before the one you want to do.

17. Gardening: Bulbs will brighten your garden for years

This is the time of year to get down to the garden centre and buy a few bags of bulbs.

18. German beer festival coming to Caversham

A riverside park in Caversham will be teeming with mädchens with fists full of steins as Reading is treated to a taste of German beer.

19. Gardening: Slugs and snails and nematode tales

September is a good time to look back over the gardening season and assess successes and failures.

20. Gardening: Graceful Gladiolus worth the effort

They come as Michaelmas daisies and rudbeckias in all shapes and sizes and they are jolly and cheerful but, dare I say it, not elegant.