For us amateur gardeners the time has come to assess our efforts this year. My early failure with runner beans led me to buy a new set and try again. To my delight the second sowing has proved to be very successful with a plentiful supply throughout the summer. They are still going strong with more to pick. Both me and the snails have done well out of them.

This year I have been introduced to the Codling Moth. This pest invades apple trees. The fruit looks lovely and rosy until close inspection shows everyone invaded. The remedy I have been told is to clear the area around the base of the tree then put down a layer of compost followed by a covering of cardboard. This is supposed to stop them geminating in the winter months ready for their vigorous eating in the spring. I will give it a try and see if it works.

My tomatoes from eight plants have been plentiful. The issue has been that some have been ready to pick but have been very soft. I suspected it was because I had been too over anxious to keep them well watered. Reducing the watering seemed to have done the trick 

With a limited vegetable area I chose to grown beetroots in large pots. This has had a mixed return. Some have reached small tomato size whilst most have got no bigger than marbles.

My lawn was too full of weeds so two feeds to clear them worked. The result was no weeds but big bare patches of lawn. With grass seed to hand the patches will get the chance to recover.

My potted fig tree is determined not to bear any fruit whilst it does give a good display of leaves. Just to rub it in my neighbour has gifted me some figs from her oversupply of fruit.

The most prolific of my plants has been the verbena. It was cut right down and just ignored. It has grown in abundance to over six feet tall with plentiful flowers. It does not need deadheading and copes very well with me just letting it get on with growing, making it the ideal plant for the lazy gardener.

Wanting to bring some colour into the garden we bought three rose bushes. One in particular looked very sorry for itself after planting. It was only after loads of watering that it made a recovery.

Monty always tells us to celebrate the success in the garden and accept that there will be failures. Apples, beetroots and grass are on the failure list. In contrast runner beans, tomatoes, roses and verbena are on the success list.

My next task is to replace an old wooden trellis which was home to a group of very overgrown honeysuckle plants. Digging out this patch and getting rid of a multitude of roots is proving a challenge. No doubt fellow gardeners will sympathise. Where are you when I need you Monty?