Yeah I was thinking myself that I was more than likely sowing the seeds too late for them to germinate and flower the same year, and have saved some of the trays my plants have come in this summer and am going to try starting them off earlier on in the year. Don't have a greenhouse or anything though, so will have to use the windowledge in the utility and the top of the tall freezer is another possible.
I'll keep an eye on them going to pod as well and collect the pods if that is a workable proposition.

Has anyone heard from Lynn yet. I do hope she is ok. I was also worrying in case something had happened to Gill.

Nothing from Lynn, which as you say is very worrying. Its awful when someone disappears and you never know why.Hoping its just because she needed time on her own and nothing bads happened

June, with sweet pea seeds you can sow them from October onwards. That why I say sow the seeds either in the trays you have or small pots, place them in a sheltered spot and they will be ok outside for the winter. You can cover them with a plastic lid or fleece if you want but leaves will do just as well.

Oh right,was going to wait for the current ones to pod and then use those, but they are only just flowering. Will try and find a space at the back that Zen can't get to and put them in a tray and cover them with plasic to make a sort of greenhouse thing.Bit like Little House On The Prairie at the back at present, coal and wood stacked up on everything. There's a lot slugs about in the front garden so not going to put anything where they can get them. Birds must be hungry, I put a half coconut out with added mealworms and they've eaten it all in a week, thought there'd be plenty still about without them wanting supplements, but obviously wrong. Hoping they'll eat the slugs as pudding whilst they're here eating the coconut Lots of rosehips on my rose bushes too that haven't been eaten as yet.

June, you can still use the current ones when they pod but the pod would need to dry before you reap them.

OK, so that may be a while yet if they are only just flowering. Can always buy some seeds this time anyway. Will get the rubble cleared off the windowledge and tall freezer first to get myself started. Had a thought, I could put them on top of the kitchen cupboards as well.
I've got some giant trailing fuschia that haven't done as well as I would have liked this year, slugs have got half of them, put the rest of them in a hanging basket along with some pansies a few weeks ago, so may winter them at the back in pots once they've died back a bit. At the moment they are mostly under the porch and protected from the worst of the weather, but the prevailing wind is from the west, which is the way the front of my house faces, so think I'll put them at the back when I find space as it gets colder. Once it gets colder I'll start lighting the fire and using coal, am holding out still at present, and will have to get the chimney sweep out first anyway as I need a certificate every year for my house insurance.

So it doesn't matter if you have not used your chimney during the year you still have to have it swept annually to appease the insurance people?

I used it from last November till about March this year.If there was a chimney fire or anything, that is the first thing they would ask for, if I didn't have it, then I wouldn't be covered, not worth the risk really

I hope Griff is ok, there are so many we have not heard from today and now I am off to bed, so will say Goodnight all, God bless.