Dreaming of Purple.

Today marks a day of achievement, reflection and anticipation in my life as a gardener. Three years ago, when we had just put our name down on the allotment wating list, I was eager to start growing veg. So when Mr Notebook suggested growing purple sprouting broccoli I was full of enthusiasm. So I set about preparing pots - yes that's right pots. I chuckle now at my naivety but I attempted to grow purple sprouting broccoli in pots - for no other reason than I knew no better. And not large planters, oh no, flower pots, about the size you might choose to grow herbs in! And as if that wasn't misguided enough, in each pot I optimistcally sowed 3 plants! I was delighted when my the seedlings appeared and they grew and grew - my how they grew! So inevetiably it became apparent that possibly my pots weren't going to be sufficient to hold these triffid-esque plants. We carefully replanted them into large planters, which seemed much more appropiate and left them out in the garden to thrive - or so we thought! And that is when I learnt a very valuable lesson about netting brassicas! Stipped bare of leaves within weeks the poor sad stems ended life on the compost heap instead of our plates - sprouting was a stage they were never to reach! The following year we were allocated an allotment but the plot was overgrown and so we had missed the season by the time it was cleared and dug and once again we faced a year of no homegrown purple sprouting. So today when I visited the plot to find stems of purple flower heads all over our rows of broccoli, excitment and anticipation were running high. Finally tonight - after 3 years of wistfully dreaming, we will get to eat homegrown broccoli - I hope it's worth the wait as my expectations are high!