HANDY MORSELS

We live in a townhouse with a small garden on three sides.

The conditions are relatively harsh: very hot in summer and very cold with little sun during winter. I planted purple beans in the side garden in the spring but due to the rain, the plants have only just begun to 'flourish'. Two early beans fell victim to the birds, who also like the flowers but today I have 'harvested' two fully grown specimens as shown on the right hand side of the front planter! I protected them with strips of bubble wrap to 'frighten' the birds.

We will have the deep purple produce in salad tonight with the baby spinach, thyme, garlic chives and mint! The spinach has been keeping us in daily leaves for a few days now.

 Luckily, I am only feeding the two of us!

Except for the beans, other things only seem to do well in pots. The parsley likes the most inaccessible patch in the garden.

SPOONS TO GO!

Next stop for those souvenir spoons is a wedding reception. A friend's son and partner will marry on 

16 March and have decided on a high tea reception. So these excess-to-need spoons will find a very happy home in Melbourne.

MYSTERY PLANT

Can you help?

   

I bought this plant about two years ago. There was no label on the pot. It has a single woody branch and has buds and flowers which resemble a passionfruit. I would like to plant it somewhere suitable as it looks as though it would creep. It seems hardy and likes its all year sunny position but it looks like it might need support to creep along. 

At present, the single 'branch' is about 2m high. It is very pretty. I would also like to know how to prune it so I can foster new growth. Does it bear fruit?