Once I've rigorously sorted through this lot....

...I guess I'll be whittling down my seed wish-list. On the other hand, it’s always fun to grow something new, especially as we’re planning to double the size of the veg patch this year.

Our “funnest” crop last season was strawberry popcorn, inspired by some tiny bags of gourmet popcorn that Father Christmas found in our local deli. They tucked neatly into the toe of my son's christmas stocking, providing a healthy surprise that no amount of midnight prodding could fathom. The real surprise, however, came when we popped it... soft, creamy, melt in the mouth, utterly delicious, absolutely gourmet.

And beautiful. The tiny strawberry shaped cobs dry to a deep shiny red, each kernel glinting like a droplet of Murano glass. If only I’d grown more we could have used them to decorate the christmas tree too!