Strawberry scents and sensibility

As mouth-watering as his strawberry crops are, the real temptation is in their fragrance and not their taste, says Toby, as he explains how strawberries aren’t that sweet at all

- Toby Buckland

I DON’T think that youth is wasted on the young, but strawberries…? They’re a different matter. Like any fragaria aficionado, I love every part of the strawberry harvest, from the tantalising wait while the skins ripen, to glossy perfection and savouring mouthfuls of the sun-warmed flesh.

But lately, whether it’s the tiny alpine ‘Baron Solemacher’ in the shady borders or the plump ‘Elsanta’ in the pots, it seems I’ve been getting the wait but not the reward as my teenage brood scoffs the lot.

Now don’t get me wrong: I’m all for children eating five-a-day, but when they take 15 plus my five as well, they are also taking the risers!

It’s no surprise that my sweet-toothed brood is drawn to the signature, zingy candyfloss berries – although interestingly, their taste and perfume aren’t all that they seem.