Camouflage

I've been out in the garden picking the sugar snap (mangetout) peas and was struck by how well they are camouflaged. It's almost impossible to say truly that you have picked them all because they virtually disappear on the plant. Maybe they could be engineered into a more noticable orange or red so that they don't merge into the stems and leaves quite so well. Though I think hallf the problem is their shape - nice and thin when they are young - which enables them to look like a stalk when looking down on them or from some side angles.

Redcurrants, on the other hand are easy to spot. Despite being so attractive to blackbirds there were plenty for us, and I didn't net them this year (two sparrow fatalities last season).

There are no strawberries this year as I dug them all up and burnt the plants as I thought they had a virus. I think I shall get some new crowns in this November. No doubt I have disappointed the birds in this, although the thrushes are happy and busy. Walking up our garden stepping stones is like walking on eggshells and the garden echoes to the sound of snails.