Seasons: Summer

Flowers through the hottest months on almost no water. Every part is poisonous.

Thrives on being ignored — the more you neglect it, the harder it flowers.

The fastest useful tree there is — 3 m in a year, edible leaves and pods.

Fast, thirsty and best trained up a net where air can move around it.

Drought-hardy bean of the west — fixes nitrogen and crops where little else will.

Pods, beans and green manure from one undemanding monsoon plant.

Sixty days from sowing to dal, and sproutable on a kitchen shelf.

Upright, bell-flowered and ancient; the oilseed of the dry season.

Sprawls generously and stores well; the leaves and flowers are food too.

The monsoon green that grows itself — heat-proof, rain-proof, ready in a month.