I’m told that aubergines can grow like weeds in hot, dry places, though Wikipedia describes them as a “delicate perennial“. There’s one of their kind doing pretty well in my kitchen, as you can see. Decidedly  indelicate, robust even.

Given to me as a titchy little thing by @policyworks at the end of April, I plonked it in front of the window that catches the morning sunshine, and gave it a desultory water from time to time. Then these surprisingly enormous leaves started to happen. (Well, to me they were a surprise; I don’t think I’ve ever seen an aubergine leaf before.)  I replanted it a couple of weeks or so back, and disappeared off to Normandy for a week’s holiday with family.

On my return, due to the kindess of a neighbour doing the watering, the various lettuce, the raspberries, kale, chervil and parsley are all doing well too. And the strawberries are simply splendid, loads of flowers. Maybe they’ll magically turn into fruit in time for Wimbledon, if not before.

Not all is successful, though. The Helda beans have drowned, Lethe-like. So I chucked ’em, and put another load into a covered seed tray. I’ll be frugal with the water this time round.

I remain unconvinced the spuds survived their early over-dowsing. There’s neither sight nor sound of them — though a friend carefully burrowed his hand down to feel whether they’d rotted. They haven’t. But maybe, bean-like, they’ve thought oblivion a better option than being cared for by a woman with my horticultural expertise.

Lee Hale of Winterbourne Botanic Garden is coming tomorrow. I shall ask his advice about the spindly tomato plant, another gift from @policyworks, that I repotted this morning and transferred from kitchen to balcony.