Back in the Spring most of my home grown tomato plants were badly frostbitten when I left them outside overnight. Many of them have recovered to grow happy, healthy plants.
I did purchase a few plants from local shops just to ensure a good crop just in case they didn't recover. This lovely, large tomato is called
Dombito, an F1 hybrid I wouldn't otherwise have thought of trying. Loads of lovely, clean beefsteak tomatoes. Grew well for me in the greenhouse.
Safely tucked away in the greenhouse, and still with the aid of a heated propagator are a few more tender veggies. I planted the seeds from a hot
Scotch Bonnet chilli I bought from a West Indian shop. These will ripen through various colours, orange, yellow and red. If kept in the greenhouse they should survive without frost till Christmas!
Matron has never grown Brussels Sprouts before! Very proud indeed to see these little baby sprouts emerging from the armpits! This is a new F1 hybrid variety called
Bosworth. I hope to be picking and eating these with my dinner on Christmas Day!
Also tucked away in the shelter of the greenhouse is this tropical hibiscus which is grown in warmer climates as
Sorrell. I planted some seeds from some fresh sorrell I bought in a Caribbean shop. The plant is now about 4 foot hight and growing! This red fleshy outer covering to the seed pod develops after the pink hibiscus flower has faded. It is used to make sorrell drink, syrups and jams. The vivid red colour contains many beneficial antioxidants and is known to have many health benefits.
Continuing on the tropical theme, I planted some
lemongrass seeds in the Spring. They have grown well and I have potted up the 3 main seedlings which survived.
Now in an 8" pot in the greenhouse it is also going great guns. The stalks can be used in Thai cooking and the leaves can be used to make a
lemongrass drink. I look forward to trying these in the near future! Perhaps in a dish with my Scotch Bonnet peppers!
The island is such a peaceful haven, and in my mind it is like the clock has stood still for 50 years of so. One of the places on my itinerary is The Garlic Farm. Expert garlic growers and breeders and producers of the finest seed garlic. A wonderful shop selling every conceivable garlic product including a strange rhubarb, pear and garlic ice cream.
Next stop was Osborne House. The favourite home of Queen Victoria, set in 140 acres of beautiful parkland overlooking the Solent. Queen Victoria loved her dogs, here she had made a bronze statue of one of her favourites.
Queen Victoria was keen that her Grandchildren learned to appreciate the land so she had made a complete set of gardening tools, including these monogrammed, miniature wheelbarrows for all the Grandchildren. They all grew vegetables and they learned about commerce by selling the vegetables that they had grown (via Prince Albert) back to the Royal Household kitchens.
At the end of the gardens down by the coast is this magnificent Victorian 'Bathing Machine'. Victorian women would preserve their modesty by changing into a full bathing costume inside this hut on wheels, it was then pulled down into the water on the beach and the ladies could bathe and swim, in the cold waters of the Solent!
There is a magnificent walled garden at Osborne House, so of course Matron made a B-line for it!
Flowers and vegetables grown side by side in the walled garden.
Pumpkin, 'Potimarron'
Variety of fruit trees trained against the walls.
Conference Pears, Figs, Plums, and even some peaches inside the greenhouse. A good time was had by all! 
