Pumpkins are fun to grow, whether you are looking for prize-winning weight or bright orange fruits ready for Halloween - see favourite varieties below. If you’re not growing your own keep an eye out for ‘Pick your Own’ events at harvest time which make for a great family outing in preparation for Halloween on October 31st. If you are thinking of throwing a Halloween party on or around this date you’ll need a few recipes to use up the pumpkin flesh from carving all those faces in your jack-o-lantern. And whilst you are planning your fancy dress themes with witches, wizards and ghoulish costumes and researching scary stories with haunted houses festooned with bats and spiders and cobwebs you may be interested in the background to this annual celebration.