Have you ever grown anything? Anything at all? A Mr Cress Head perhaps, a hyacinth in a 70s plastic vase where you could watch the roots growing? Or just good old tomatoes? Whatever you’ve done over the years, you’ll know the insane amount of satisfaction that comes from simply growing your own.

The excitement for me is immeasurable, seeing the first courgette flower appear or your potatoes sprouting above the ground and almost growing before your very eyes.

As a child I remember the neighbours down the road bringing up a trug of vegetables to us and me being sent back to them dutifully with homegrown tomatoes, some eggs from our chooks and a little loaf of bread my mum had made. Little did I know this was something that would remain ingrained in my very being for life.

Since living away from home, I’ve always grown all my own herbs and chillies on the kitchen windowsill and space permitting have been able to have a few growbags out the back of the kitchen door where I’ve produced enough courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes to keep myself and hubby going for the whole summer, with a few jars of chutney too when supply was plentiful.

But this year is different. I’ve graduated to grown-up-dom and I have a full on herb garden and some great big vegetable beds, totally dedicated to growing our own.

There’s something relaxing, satisfying and rewarding after a day at work to come home and water everything, seeing it change on a daily basis and think to yourself, I did that.

And there’s literally no better fast food in my mind than an omelette from local free range chooks filled with fresh herbs picked moments earlier from your garden. Put in whatever herbs you like and be bold. I know it sounds wrong but fresh mint in an omelette is something to behold. I use a selection of soft herbs so mint, parsley, sage, chives and basil. Trust me, chop them up and pop over some bitter Parmesan shavings with some seasoning and this is the most mighty omelette you’ve ever had. Try it, please.

At this time of year, everything is truly coming to life and today I’ve been earthing up my spuds. I’m growing some in bags as I’ve always done and some in the ground this year, a sort of experiment if you like to see which are better? Both are doing great thus far.

This year I’m doing all of my usual staples plus I’m adding in some butternut squash, beetroot, kale, sprouts, French beans, parsnips, strawberries and rhubarb. I’ll let you know how it goes and then when the time is right I’ll be sharing some of my favourite recipes from the book that’s been in my head for the last few years which is titled ‘oh no, not another bloody courgette’. I think you can guess what that’s about. This was last years first courgette of the season. A proud moment:

I won’t bore you with how to guides, I’m no expert to be honest. I’m more of a Have a go Harry. Or should that be Hannah? You can find great information on the RHS website but honestly every packet of seeds you buy tells you when and how to plant and really that’s it.

What I’d really like to see are more folk growing their own. In an age where cash is tight, and we all love a bit of organic, why not have a go? You don’t need huge amounts of space and even a little patio can give you a crop of delicious-ness in the summer. It doesn’t take much time, you just need to remember to water them daily if it hasn’t rained. And it’s so nice to eat veg that hasn’t come into your home wrapped in plastic.

Go on, have a go, I promise you’ll never want to eat a shop bought cucumber ever again.