Peas & Beans

This variety is universally recognised as being best for an autumn sowing. It establishes itself very quickly and will produce a very early crop. It is white seeded and the pods are up to 23 cm (9 inches) long. Height: 90-100cm (36-40in).

A gardeners favourite for over 100 years for its reliable performance and heavy crop of long pods in most soils. The pods contain an average of 6 beans, with some up to 8 seeded. Very good flavour and excellent for freezing.

Prefers well-drained, moist, rich soil.

This is the fastest maturing variety of any broad bean and an early spring sowing will out yield all others. Up to 34 good pods per plant! It is also winter hardy, outstanding for deep freeze as it does not discolour and probably for the same reason is particularly tender and tasty. It replaces Imperial Green Windsor over which it is a considerable improvement.

(White Seeded). One of the best, smaller, slender-podded varieties, gaining in popularity for its early setting of mange-tout pods which can be picked young, just before the beans form. Delicious raw, or steamed and eaten whole. Pick regularly for highest yields. Compact, upright habit, ideal for containers. Can also be grown as traditional pods. Height: 90cm (36 inches).

White seeded pods 15cm (6in). This highly productive variety produces medium sized pods, each containing 5-6 tender, sweet, juicy beans. Suitable for spring sowing. Highly recommended for freezing.

(White Seeded). Perfect for early sowings in February, as this variety shows excellent tolerance to cold weather. Witkiem produces a good crop of plump, well-filled pods with big tasty beans which will be ready to harvest in June. Recommended for home freezing. Can also be sown successionally through to May. Height: 100cm (40 inches).

A heritage variety with stunning crimson flowers, followed by a good crop of short, upright pods and delicious beans. Broad Bean Crimson Flowered is ideal for growing in containers as well as in the garden, or as an ornamental edible in the flower border.

High yielding variety with dark green pods. Good disease resistance. Excellent in green salads or as a side dish.

Quick maturing crops of pods which form above the leaves for easier harvesting. Delicious steamed, boiled or stir fried.

Early variety, producing good yields throughout the summer. Long flat pods slice easily. Toss in butter and serve as a side dish.

Bumper crops of very long straight, slender pods. Fine texture and first class flavour. Slice finely and cook lightly to retain flavour.

Heritage variety, with huge crops of medium pods throughout the summer. Good flavour, excellent in summer salads.

High yielding, white flowered variety. Long, smooth pods from late summer to autumn. Perfect accompaniment to a traditional roast.

An easy to grow, unusual vegetable with a unique gourmet flavour. A hint of asparagus - perhaps? Goes with virtually any dish. Cook whole at 3cm (1in) long, preferably by steaming, and serve with a little melted butter. No flavouring should be used as this will destroy its own delicious taste.

Can also be used in the flower border as attractive ground cover.

A very good flavoured broad bean, with good pod length and remarkable table qualities. It may well be the best green-seeded variety, excellent for deep freezing and growing well under all conditions. Height: 75-90cm (30-36in).

Matures early and is productive over a long season. Of great value for fresh use or freezing. Pods are fleshy, meaty, stringless, fibreless and snap cleanly.

RHS AGM Winner, producing the heaviest yield of quality pods at the most recent Wisley Runner Bean trial. British bred bicoloured red and white flower, much earlier, heavier cropping with superior quality, smoother, fleshy, pale green 25-30cm pods when compared to 'Painted Lady'. The straight pods of Runner Bean St George have good 'snap' with little string or fibre if picked regularly whilst young.

Delicious bunches of stringless, purple, round/oval fleshy pods up to 27cm (11in) in length over a long harvest period. Attractive in vegetable and flower gardens, especially if mixed with yellow or Borlotto beans, or Sweet Peas. Common Bean Mosaic Virus resistant. Ornamental for both flower and vegetable gardens. refers well drained, moist, rich soil in a sunny situation.

A multi-purpose Italian speciality, either for fresh young pods as flageolets (semi-mature pods with succulent seeds) or more usually as haricots (full mature pods with ripe seeds). Spectacular, flattish, pale green pods are heavily splashed with reddish streaks which disappear on cooking.

Very early to crop, with a long harvest period and decorative mauve flowers. Producing a huge harvest of superb flavoured, long, fleshy, round, mid-green stringless pods that are slow to develop seeds. Its semi-climbing, less vigorous habit makes it ideal for growing under glass for the earliest crops.

Delicious, fleshy bright yellow broad, flat podded, stringless waxpod, 25cm (10 inches) long and 25mm (1 inch) wide. Good early plant vigour and early to pod continuing throughout the summer. Decorative in both flower and vegetable gardens. *CBMV resistant.

Massive crops of mid green, smooth, round, stringless pods about 18cm (7in) long. A highly attractive mauve flowered variety, a delight in the border, and with an exceptional flavour. Huge yields of these flavoursome beans over a long cropping season.

An outstanding variety for both crop and flavour. A filet type with 15cm (6in) mid green, stringless pencil pods 8mm (1/3in) diameter. Outstanding crops, and a long season if picked regularly. Bean Common Mosaic Virus and Anthracnose resistance. Black seeded variety. Height 45cm(18in).

Aptly named as one of the quickest beans to produce pods to pick. As well as being very early. Speedy is also very productive. Fleshy, mid-green pods, 13-14cm (5-6in) long. Very early for your first pick of the season.

Bumper crops of straight, stringless, dark-green pencil pods, 12-14cm (5 to 5- inches) long, of outstanding flavour. Heavy yields can be encouraged if picked regularly. This variety also has resistance against the problems of Common Bean Mosaic Virus and Anthracnose.

Early maturing, waxy yellow beans on compact plants. Pods are slender, straight and stringless reaching up to 13cm (5 inches) long. Early to mature with a long cropping period. Plants are resistant to Common Bean Mosaic Virus and Anthracnose.

An early maturing Kenyan-type bean which produces heavy crops of slim, dark green 10-12cm (4-5in) stringless pods over a long season. Easy to harvest as the plant has an upright, open habit. Resistant to Halo Blight, Mosaic Virus and Anthracnose, it is the perfect choice for organic gardeners, as Opera has no problems with Botrytis.

Long slim oval 16cm (6.5in) pods with a magnificent flavour. Excellent for freezing and widely grown for exhibition.

At last, a purple podded bean which bears its pods above the main foliage. This makes picking easier and ensures improved cropping of long straight pods with less soil splashing etc. Pods are approximately 6in long, stringless and slender with that intangible but appreciated zing to the flavour that many vegetable growers agree only comes to the purple podded types. Pods turn brilliant emerald green in boiling water. Quick maturing.

A British re-selection that gives an improved form of the ever popular Achievement. Heavy yields of long, smooth, slender straight pods that have exquisite flavour are produced in abundance over a long season. Tender beans, ideal for use in the kitchen or on the show bench. Red flowered variety, particularly attractive in the garden.