When I was growing up in Sunderland, the big round vegetable with orange flesh was a turnip and the small round purple and cream vegetable with white flesh was a swede (Letters, 14 January). When I moved to London, the big vegetable was called a swede and the small one a turnip. After 57 years of living in London, I’m still confused.
Linda Seal
Hammersmith, London
In the quiz by Thomas Eaton (10 January), Swindon Town were incorrectly listed alongside Elgin City, Juventus and Marseille as having had league titles stripped from them. In 1990, after finishing second in the old Second Division and winning the playoff final, they were found guilty of financial misconduct and denied promotion, but they never won a title to have it stripped from them.
David Bibby
Bramley, Hampshire
We open our gardens to the public for charity under the National Garden Scheme. Aquilegia, geranium and verbascum all flourish, and visitors are welcome to take seedlings and small plants. Thalictrum is new to us, but we’ll give it a go (Public urged to grow unusual plants to safeguard diversity of UK blooms, 9 January).
Jocelyn Hartland-Swann
Badby, Northamptonshire
Good timing. I was watching The Traitors when the Robert Jenrick story broke (Barbs and a betrayal as Jenrick joins Reform after Badenoch gives him boot, 15 January).
Peter Woodward
Reading
