Garden flowering ahead of schedule

Certain flowers, fruits and vegetables can be relied on to start the growing season with a flourish each year in this garden, and once again they have not disappointed.

- BY TOM PATTINSON

I speak of roses, strawberries and potatoes, each of which are slightly ahead of the game for mid-June.

Granted, this aspect of gardening is influenced by various criteria; the geographical aspect, as in coastal or inland, frost pocket or sun trap, exposed or sheltered, soil type, plant choice.

So, it’s no surprise that our coastal garden, with light to medium, well-drained soil, surrounding hedges and shrubs placed to filter the wind, should support a variety of crops edible and otherwise.