It's been sizzling on the Market - and out in the fields, too. Heat and lack of rain have caused grave difficulties for farmers across Britain and Europe. 

Some crops respond well to the heat - resulting in bumper crops of courgettes and peppers, for example.

But other plants struggle. Tomatoes and cucumbers get stressed by high temperatures and can drop their flowers.  With little water, potato plants will stop their tubers from swelling. There are hundreds of examples ....

On Buyers' Walk these problems are not glaringly obvious - there's plenty of produce to behold. 

Let's start with something rare and ingenious - a square watermelon. Grown in Japan, these are sold as a sculpture or decoration and last for around six months. The cost? In the region of £300! 

All the squash family is doing well. Check out these UK marrows. 

It's a good time to buy UK courgettes, too, as prices are low.

The first squashes are coming through. This is the Turk's Turban. UK patty pans also available, along with Onion squashes and Zucca from the Continent. 

For more UK veg, there are summer cauliflowers, cabbages, bunched carrots, bunched beetroots and more. 

UK peas and broad beans are winding down early. UK runner beans and French beans are available. (Other beans from the Continent include Borlotti and fresh Coco de Paimpol). 

A classy UK ingredient is Scottish girolle.

Sweetcorn has just started - from Europe, for now, then moving onto the UK crop. 

It's peak season for tomatoes, of course. 

And how about the colour on the 'Corno' peppers from Italy? 

For fruit, it's a brilliant time for stone fruit of all kinds - peaches, nectarines, apricots. European cherries will be replaced by Canada and USA. 

It's also the start of plum season. These are the first of the UK crop - a small variety called Opal. Victoria along any day now, plus damsons and sloes. 

Melons are everywhere - Piel de Sapo, Charentais, Galia, Honeydew, watermelons etc.

Soft fruit includes strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and raspberries. 

The European grape season is underway. These are Muscat from France. 

Or, for something very indulgent - and expensive - these perfect Japanese grapes. 

The UK apple season starts in August, with the early Discovery variety the first in line. 

Cross your fingers for rain later in the month.

See you in September for our next Market Report.