Ornamental gourds can be very exciting plants to grow nowadays, and can result in the most amazing shapes and sizes. The regular size of gourd was very popular in biblical times, and even now in parts of Africa the common gourd has been used for carrying water for thousands of years, when the ornamental gourds were not known. These modern and very attractive plants have not been with us for many years and have resulted from careful selection and crossing between members of the great family, the Cucurbitaceae.

In the United States and in Europe a packet of ornamental gourd seed will cost very little, but the value in terms of range of shapes and sizes and colours of the fruit is tremendous. The fruit can be used for decoration throughout the home, …..