Flower 'Snapdragon' Antirrhinium Royal Bride

Sown from seed, this year I grew snapdragons for the first time. The pack says they'll grow up to 36 inches, however, mine have grown between 12-24 inches. This was dissapointing. The seeds were tiny and the seedlings itsy-bitsy but over time they grew (slowly!). The seed pack says they are 'Half Hardy Annual" so I imagine they'll be suffering from our cold evenings soon and will die with our first frost. I hope they self seed! Variety: Antirrhinium 'Royal Bride', Thompson & Morgan, 500 seeds, £1.99 per pack.

Salad Container Gardening (Cabbage, Salad, Leek, Spring Onion)

I seem to have less problems with pests, particularly slugs, with container gardening. And it’s great to pop out the back door for salad and spring onions! Grown from seed...

Variety: Cabbage Golden Acre, Homebase, 175 seeds, 39 pence per pack.
Result: Grows well in pots; those grown in the ground are savaged by slugs.

Variety: Spring Onion White Lisbon, Carters Tested Seeds, 550 seeds, 79 pence per pack.
Result: Taste great, easily grown. Slugs/pests aren’t a problem.

Variety: Leek Musselburgh, Carters Tested Seeds, 350 seeds, 79 pence per pack.
Result: Really yum! They grow great in pots; will grow most anywhere. Slugs/pests aren’t a problem.

Salad Variety: Leaf Salad Lettuce Mixed, Carters Tested Seeds, (Pack contains a mix of Red, Cos, red-tinged Batavia and oak-leaf lettuce varieties, 1,500 seeds, 79 pence per pack.
Result: Easy to grow. I’ve been eating salad all summer from one sowing. The only downside is the red salad gets slightly slim-like when washed, but it looked good in salads.

Salad Variety: Rocket, Thompson & Morgan, 250 seeds, £1.50 per pack.
Result: This is the first time I’ve grown rocket and it bolted very quickly, not sure why? Perhaps I didn’t water it enough.

Variety: Looseleaf Lettuce (crinkly leaves; this variety doesn't grow to form lettuce heads, but instead the leaves are joined at the stem). This lettuce was a gift; grown from seed.
Result: Pictured in the container with leeks and spring onion, I didn't particularly like this lettuce. It looks good but it attracts loads of greenfly!

Sunflower (Giant Single)

Sunflowers are so much fun to grow... it's always a competition who can grow the tallest, or get the biggest sunflower head. Grown from seed, as of today, the tallest is 8 feet 2 inches and still growing. Slugs and ants seem to be eating on them but they are soldiering on. Variety: Sunflower Giant Single (Hardy Annual), Mr Fothergill's, 75 seeds, £1.25 per pack.

Pepper (California Wonder)

I love growing from seed rather than buying plants in shops. This year I'm growing peppers for the first time. Sown in May/June indoors, I'm hoping to get peppers before it gets too cold (although they are in a conservatory which helps). Variety: California Wonder by Thompson & Morgan, 30 seeds, £1.50 per pack.

"Petunia n Boots"

I love the bright pink petunias this year... and the range of wellies available! In Northern Ireland we get rain, wind, sun and then rain & wind -sometimes all on the same day! This can make gardening difficult. It's only August and I feel like I need to bring the petunias indoor at night already (burrr)!