We had a little rain during last week. It's amazing what a difference it made. The broad beans and peas grew a couple of centimetres overnight!

I've planted more pea seeds in the beds. I've also planted courgette, cape gooseberry, yellow pepper, brussels sprout and brocolli seeds in seed pots in the propagating tent. The tomato seeds are starting to germinate. And thus far all 82 of the lavender seedlings have survived! The little red grape has started leafing. The white one has died (probably because I accidentally snapped it off when I was checking if it was still alive. It was, before I snapped it off!). The cherry trees all look as though they are going to set cherries, which will be nice.

The Builder has finished the large greenhouse on the allotment and has now made a start on the smaller one. This has been made slightly more difficult by the presence of lots of bricks and rubble on that bit of the allotment. It's going in behind the larger one.

I am going to try growing sweet potatoes. It seems a slightly complicated process, I must say. But, nothing ventured ... (And I am hardly going to go bankrupt, planting two that I bought at the supermarket, nor am I expecting to introduce rampant sweet potato illnesses onto the plot!)

It has, apparently, been the warmest April in England since records began 300 years or so ago. Certainly things in the garden are much more advanced than they were this time last year. But then last spring was cold, wet and dreary. I must say, I prefer this spring - though a drop more rain would be handy!

Oh - and we have ordered some more bricks. The Builder is putting a brick patio in at the back of the flower garden. A home for the barbecue! He's also bought a gazebo to put over it. Barbecues in the rain!!!