Spring is Springing!

We had a lovely warm Spring day today in London. Warm enough to go out without a coat! Just take a look at this rhubarb I have forced under a black plastic dustbin. Compare it to the picture below of the rhubarb which is just starting to grow naturally!
The tomato seedlings in the greenhouse have two seed leaves and are looking good. Germination on the Sungold and the Sub Arctic plenty has not been good, only 5 out of 7 germinated so far, but the others, Ildi, Great Wall of China and Noir du Crimee have been 100%.
I have started my shallots Pikant in modules in the unheated greenhouse just to get them off to a start. These are from bulbs I saved last year. Looking good.
A first batch of Purple Podded Peas has been sown in loo rolls in the greenhouse, I'll sow another batch in about a month's time.
I'm off to the Crufts 2009 dog show at the NEC in Birmingham at the end of the week. For those who don't know, this is the largest and most famous dog show in Britain. I'm not showing (they are a bit snooty about crossbreeds!) but a brilliant place to shop and do some networking. PS. Does anybody have any 'dog beans'? I've heard of this variety and would love to grow some. Willing to do a swap.