I love zinnias, but after last year’s dreadful summer when they hated the endless wet – and the cold spring when it seemed nothing was ever going to get going – somehow I didn’t get round to sowing them. And now I’m regretting it. If ever there was perfect zinnia weather it is this hot, dry early autumn. To add salt to the wound, Mr Fothergill’s Seeds has sent through this wonderful photograph from their trial fields. “The best show of zinnias I have seen anywhere at any time outside of California!” is how Mr Fothergill’s trials manager Brian Talman describes the display. “The weather this summer has been a key to their success”, says Brian. Sigh……