What about a tray or pots of Virginian Stock? That germinates quickly, and although they should really be sown directly into the soil, he'd love to watch them grow, I'm sure.

Calendulas are easy, too - with those big seeds, he could grow one for each relative! Cerinthe major also has big seeds, easily placed one per pot. Both of those would over-winter if need be.

Brilliant - never thought about the size of the seeds!! He is a darling little rogue and currently is obsessed with runner beans and onions ....... he likes to eat what he grows. Any veggie ideas? Thanks

We always used to grow peas at school. I recall being fascinated. At watching the root go down and the shoot go up in a jam jar. I think it was done with blotting paper.

cress,nasturtiums as salad leaves,lettice

broad beans are just as good at that time of year

I have just thought of another seed for your little gardener grandson to plant. I have grown a Teasel for the first time. Unfortunately it is biennial. It shows first as a flat to the ground plant. Then the following year it grows like mad, all spiky,with water reservoirs in its leaf axils; forms its teasels at the top of 4-5 foot stems. Warning not to let it seed in the garden. It can be a nuisance. Goldfinches like the seeds.

He could start sweet peas off in October ready to plant out the following May....He'd love to make newspaper pots for them... if you haven't done that yourself, get back to me and I'll explain. :-)

Strange that Spritz. We had a lovely visit to Beth Chatto's garden today in perfect weather, to take our minds off a tricky hospital visit tomorrow. When I went in the shop, there was a wooden implement to help make newspaper newspaper pots. First time I have seen this. Let's hope it's a good omen.

thank you all so much for your suggestions. I think I will enjoy his present as much as I believe he will !!

Yes please Spritzhenry; do tell me about the newspaper pots.

Dorjac - what a treat for you! Isn't it a magical place. :-) Sorry about the hospital visit, though.

Jennie, I wrote a blog on how to make these - so I'll just go and find it, so you can see step-by-step. Back in a minute!

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Right - go to my page, and click on 'blog'. Then go to October 2008, and it's the second one...'Sweetpeas in newspaper'. It's easy, and I'm sure your grandson will enjoy doing it. :-))

Thanks ... he's going to love doing that. Is it a method suitable for other seeds as well? Sorry to be so dim. I didn't realise that sweet peas have long roots. I guess that is why mine didn't develop last year. The pot I put them in was too shallow. How silly you feel when you realise what you've done!!

Spritz .... I love looking at the photos of your garden ...... it is almost a painful pleasure as I am so envious !! i wondered if you could tell what i am doing wrong with my clematis.

i was given a white flowered clematis when my daughter married. I planted it against a fence in our south facing garden. It sends up a good strong shoot; develops half a dozen flowers or so; then wilts and starts over again. Currently, it is sitting in a pot in the greenhouse having had the wilts and has managed about 1/2" green shoot from its base. i am tempted to put it with a couple of clematis I have at the top of the garden which scrabble over a dead ceonothus.

And now ..... my neighbour has given me a passion flower which I planted against the fence opposite the original site of the wilting clematis and it shot up that fence like a good 'un ................. and one afternoon it too started to wilt and 2 days later it looks like it is a gonna. What am I doing to these poor plants do you know?

If it had just been the clematis, I would have said it was 'clematis wilt' - I have one that does this! I planted it deep, so it does send up more shoots each year.

However, if it's a passion flower as well, I'm wondering if it's too hot in that area - clematis like 'cool roots, head in the sun' - not too sure about passion flowers, but could it simply be sunstroke with that ????

I'm sorry I'm causing you pain......but I'm pleased that you like my garden. :-)))

Talking about clematis Spritz; in Beth Chatto's garden there is a white one in the woodland garden that blooms on the ground,then goes up a very tall tree and makes a white waterfall in two places, very high up. No limp flops for this beauty. I have had a look at Duchess of Albany, my only clematis.
It looks a bit like she is going to wilt too. I would rather LOOK in wonder at someone elses wonderful garden, like yours or Beth Chatto's. I can tell from 'Dear friend and Gardener'. She had the 'wilts' herself one winter, from worry over her husband's health and the awesome responsibility of her enterprise, plus advancing age.

mmmmm .......... clematis Florida Pistachio was on the shadier side of the garden. I looked at it today .... it's in the greenhouse with it's base covered by a split flowerpot and it has a 3" shoot on it now. Very rapid growth. Mystery to me.

We are going to dig up the passion flower too and pot that and put it in the greenhouse for a while and see if it resurrects as well.

So grateful for all your advice. Someone gave me some cape goosberries today so am having a go at getting some fruit in the greenhouse.

You're very welcome, Jennie. I don't claim to be an expert, but when you've experienced Clem. wilt yourself, you find out these things - the hard way. :-((

Dorjac - I can't have been in B.C's garden at the right time - or I'd have marvelled, too! That book is an eye-opener, isn't it. :-)