Going to seed?

One of the mildly interesting parts of visiting my parents over Christmases through the years has been flicking through the various magazines and books that have rested on their coffee table. Whilst these have varied in subject matter to some extent one small publication that has been guaranteed to be found is the seed catalogue. Usually Thompson & Morgan, this has been joined over the years from time to time by publications from obscure and specialist plant nurseries. Todate my interest has only ever been fleeting, and even when we've taken a spare copy home it's gone unused.

This year is different.

We've brought home Thompson & Morgan's Potato catalogue, and it's suprisingly more interesting than it sounds. Really. Keen to build on last year's success with our great crop of Charlottes and Jersey Royals we've been reading up on 2011's must have varieties. We haven't yet decided which varieties we'll grow, but Anya, Lady Christl and good old Charlotte are looking favourite.

There's something far more appealing about thumbing through the A5 sized catalogue thinking of this summer's potential crop than browsing the T&M website, which I find quite strange as a lover of the 'net and the power of Google etc. Maybe it's a sign of getting older, or maybe it's just something inherent in garden related information that is better delivered by old forms of media. I don't know. Either way I can't wait for spring to arrive so we get some seed potatoes in the ground and can look forward to another bumper crop of delicions spuds.