Edward Leigh MP visited Nettleham Gardeners Association Show at Nettleham Village Hall yesterday to see the produce on show and support Conservative candidates Giles McNeill and Jackie Brockway, who are running locally for seats on West Lindsey District and Lincolnshire County Councils respectively.

Weather in recent months have caused problems for gardeners. Following the freeze of winter, came the water shortages and hosepipe bans of spring, as the ban came into force on Thursday, 5th April  it did so, with perfect irony, with rain, rain and more rain - in fact the wettest summer on record.

Most gardeners will have shrugged and got on with sowing seeds and planting potatoes, but the relentlessness of the deluge meant early sowings failed, potatoes rotted in the ground and plants produced stunted roots in saturated soil. Conditions including low soil temperatures and lower light levels meant only the hardiest of crops made progress. Plants needing good light outdoors, such as beans and sweetcorn struggled. Tomatoes being grown under glass ripened weeks late.

Nevertheless a good crop of vegetables were entered for inspection. Cakes too and artwork also featured. Everyone involved had put in considerable effort to participate in spite of the difficult conditions