When a plan comes together

Earlier this year our village In Bloom group applied for a grant from Red Nose Community Cash to put a bench in the village. The site we chose was by the outgoing bus stop, where people often have to wait. It was also chosen because it isn't directly outside anyone's house so kids hanging around there won't disturb anyone.
We paid for the bench - 100% recycled plastic so maintenance free - and the concrete raft it sits on, from the grant. One of our members made the planting tubs so it is still an 'in bloom' project. We've seen lots of people using the bench and there have been a couple of late night sightings of a tawny owl perching on the back. We will no doubt be cleaning up a guano slick in the future but I feel it's worth it!



Another plan which is gradually coming together is the pea breeding project to cross the large, sweet Magnum Bonum with Carruthers' Purple Podded, one of the least starchy of the purple podded peas. The hope is to produce a purple podder with sweeter peas than at present. These F1 hybrids, as you can see, have produced green pods and wrinkled (sweet) peas. Next year is the real test though. F1 hybrids are all guaranteed the same - that's why they sell you them at high prices. The F2 generation though, shows a high generic variability. I will grow lots of these next year and I hope to have one or two purple podders that are nice to eat raw. If so, it will be a few generations of growing and selecting from these. You can't rush a good pea!