The Painter's Garden 2

I continue to shovel car-loads of manure from the nice equestrian folk across the orchard, and pile it on to the Painter's plot. It's steamy work for thirty seven degrees, but the Painter assures me it is worthwhile. Meanwhile, this is our prize plant on the terrace this year: A Sicilian courgette - Zuccha Lunghissima di Sicilia - which seeds we bought in Puglia whilst visiting my Mum last year. It produces moon coloured flowers that shimmer in the night, and has curled its way round every available bean stem with pale green tentacles, and a long and slightly furry sausage of courgettishness which is delicious lightly steamed in salads or stir-fries. Other folk that are doing well from seed, also of Italian origin, are Cima di Rape and Purple Sprouting Broccoli.