NO LONGER THE GARDENERS DELIGHT

An interesting article in the August edition of the RHS Garden Magazine reviews the trial of cherry tomatoes at Wisley.

Particularly of interest was that an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) given to Gardeners Delight has been rescinded because it was thought to be too variable in shape and flavour and that too many different strains are being sold as the same variety. The judges felt that it was not what it should be or once was.

I have been growing GD for many years and I haven't really noticed that it had been declining in quality. As a result of the article I have looked more closely at this years crop and yes, I do detect that the size has become irregular and that the flavour has declined from what I remember, not a dramatic change but definitely different.

So, will I grow another variety next year, probably yes. The three varieties which appeal from the article are Sweet Baby, Sweet Aperitif, and Rosella - with Sweet Aperitif being the favourite.

I have previously experienced outgrowing with a dahlia, Rothsay Robin which I grew in a previous life back in the 80's. RR was a reddish small decorative and was probably the most widely grown dahlia at that time. I had noticed then that, after propagating cuttings each year for about six years, the colour each year was fading.

I stopped growing dahlias for nearly thirty years, and when I started again three years ago, Rothsay Robin was no longer available - it had presumably been outgrown. A quick google reveals that it is now only grown within the National Dahlia Collection held in Penzance.

I wonder if a similar fate awaits Gardeners Delight.