Vegetables can be very pretty when they’re left to flower, it’s just that we don’t normally see them in that form because they’re harvested and eaten before that happens. Pictured above is the purple sprouting broccoli, which was originally left to flower through a laziness to pull the plants out and compost them. But as the flowers developed, I realised bees were swarming all over them, so – keen to do my bit to the dwindling bee population – I decided to leave them. Which is fine as I don’t need the space until late May, when the tomatoes will go in. It’s difficult to capture on camera the brightness of the lemon yellow. Quite a contrast to the deep purple buds we were eating all winter.

Not quite so pretty however, is the flower on the rhubarb. I’m not sure if this is it’s full glory, I didn’t wait to find out as I learnt the flower can weaken the plant and even kill it in some cases, so it was swiftly given the chop. Probably for the best.