• Basella rubra ​Ceylon spinach is an edible perennial plant in tropical climates but enjoys our hot summers. Plant early in trays in warm spot and transplant when weather is warm in hot sheltered position. Eat luscious climbing leaves and tips in salads or use as spinach.
  • Lagenaria siceraria ​​You’ll note by the unusual seed that this is not of the pumpkin or squash family and should be eaten when young like a zucchini. And it’s delicious by all the taste tests. Creamy with great texture. Growing conditions are much like the ‘squash’ Tromboccini and again watching these vigorous plants grow is a delight. Highly recommended and rare.
  • Phaseolus vulgaris ​Vibrant yellow podded dwarf bush bean about 15cm long these wonderful butter beans origins seem to come from South Carolina around the 1950’s. The strain is disease resistant, a vigorous grower with a good strong harvest. Best picked early while quite slender and they’ll be plenty to come. These are fun to seed save from as the bean is deep black.
  • Phaseolus vulgaris Dwarf plant producing lots of white flowers and round stringless beans over a long period. A nice snap bean needing very little cooking if picked young. Reliable 14cm pods.
  • Apium graveolens var. dulce Soft pink base with slight hue up the stem. Lovely flavour with all the crispness and nutrition of all celery plants. Looks great in the garden especially grown with the pale golden ‘self blanching’.
  • Pisum sativum Bush variety of large podded flat pea early maturing and sweet delicious pods. With snow peas up to 12cm long on plant 30cm tall this is value for space.
  • Spinacia oleracea ​Old favourite amongst gardeners with excellent flavour and large quantities of leaves that can be picked at any stage making them perfect for micro leaves as well.
  • Solanum lycopersicum L. ​ Russian heirloom with squat large dark fruit. Wonderful rich flavour & highly recommended. Grows on indeterminate plant and needs staking. Thank you Alison for convincing us to try this.
  • Solanum lycopersicum L. This plant will grow anywhere there's sunshine and water including large pots and keeps giving sweet currant size fruit all Summer. Eat whole in salads or straight off the bush. Research suggests it was found "growing from the crack in a sidewalk in Indianapolis in the mid 100's". Sprawling determinate plant so stake well and leave lots of room.
  • Phaseolus vulgaris ​Produces pink flowers, then deep purple tender oval stringless pods up to 18cm long. Very abundant over a long period. Needs staking or a strong trellis growing an impressive 2 metres or more. Always reliable and worth picking when pods are young. Can be eaten raw and when cooked they will turn green.
  • Phaseolus vulgaris Reliable round stringless tender dark green bean up to 15cm long. Tall climber 2 metres and more producing lots of white flowers then the lovely slender beans. Considered the best tasting bean Blue Lake is certainly one of the best producers over a long period of time. Copes well with heat and can be grown right through Spring to the early days of Autumn. Needs staking or a strong trellis.
  • Capsicum annuum A sun loving plant 1 metre high producing fruit 10cm long x 1.5 wide tapering to soft point. Jalapeno's are traditionally used when bright green but you can leave them on the plant all the way from black to red. Considered very mild and great for stuffing and known for their lovely flavour.
  • Latuca sativa ​Tight frilly leaves that can be side picked or picked whole. Very hardy and if let will self seed through garden easily. Lovely & tender and great in salads.
  • Allium ampeloprasum Classic large heirloom leek straight, thick flavoursome stems growing slowly through Autumn sweetening in Winter.
  • Cucurbita moschate An unusual ‘pumpkin’ in that it’s delicious while still young, picked and eaten like a squash or zucchini. Allowed to mature the skin hardens then Tromboccini should be eaten like a pumpkin. Not as sweet as some it still has great flavour and texture. When baked we added herbs and spices which it absorbed beautifully. Great watching the vines spread either on ground where squashes will ‘curl’ or on fence lines where squashes will hang straight.

  • Beta vulgaris Really a chard, but so tender & with green stems as well these leaves are as mild as any spinach. Lasts 18 months before going to seed and as the name suggests excellent repeat picking over a long period.

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