Otherwise known as cilantro, or Chinese parsley, this half-hardy annual is great to grow either seasonally outdoors in a container, border or herb garden, or indoors on a light windowsill to ensure a continuous supply of aromatic leaves throughout the year. Popular in Asian cooking, this versatile and piquant herb will add distinctive flavour to a wide variety of savoury dishes as well as being an interesting garnish or addition to salads. British-bred and vigorous, this coriander is slow bolting, with a low growing point, creating uniform, bushy plants that are perfectly suited to 'cut and come again' cropping and will replenish themselves well at least 3-4 times after cutting. So the real magic of this little packet of seeds is that it will allow you to say goodbye to those frustrating supermarket pot herbs that barely last 2-3 weeks and are reluctant to grow back when cut. Removing flower stems will prolong the production of young, tender leaves - or you can leave the flowers on if you want to harvest and dry the seeds for culinary use. Supplied as a packet of approx. 150 seeds ready to sow indoors or outdoors. Grows up to 40cm (16in) height and 25cm (10in) spread, depending on planting position. Harvest outdoors from mid-spring to the end of August, or indoors all year round.
What better way to add flavour to your cooking than picking herbs fresh from the plant? Growing your own - whether on your kitchen windowsill, balcony, patio or in your herb garden, beds or borders - is much more satisfying than buying successive pots of herbs from the supermarket that last only a couple of weeks. This hardy perennial is a member of the mint family, with its origins in the warm countries of Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Ancient Greeks called it 'Joy of the Mountain' and it was commonly woven into bridal bouquets and used in traditional remedies for its digestive and antiseptic properties. Its bright green, aromatic leaves and small white or purplish summer flowers make a lovely addition to any windowsill or garden. Considered the 'true oregano' by generations of cooks and gardeners, Greek oregano is the best of the bunch as far as flavour is concerned as it is has a stronger, more earthy character than other varieties, with hot and peppery notes. The warmer the weather, the more intense the flavour of the leaves will become - a great addition to tomato based dishes, pizzas, sauces, soups or marinades, or even added to salads. It's a good herb for drying and it stores well; dried leaves have a more intense flavour so can be used more sparingly than the fresh. Although more commonly grown in pots, if planted in the ground it provides great ground cover, forming slow-spreading clumps that can be trimmed back easily to maintain size and shape. Whether grown in the ground or in a pot, it makes a great companion plant as its strong aroma will repel ants and other insect pests whilst its summer flowers are particularly attractive to bees and other pollinators. Supplied as a packet of approx. 900 seeds ready to sow indoors year-round or outdoors from April to May. Grows to 40cm (16in) high. Plant in warm, light, well-drained soil or compost, 20cm (8in) apart, in a sunny position directly into a border or herb garden, or in pots or containers.
One of the easiest vegetables to grow, this ultra-hardy, compact kale variety will provide you with highly nutritious, tasty leaves from September through to March. A British culinary favourite since the mid-19th century, curly kale has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years. This dwarf variety has attractive, dark green, densely frilled leaves that have an extremely sweet taste with no bitterness. It's highly nutritious too, being rich in vitamins and antioxidants. A versatile ingredient in the kitchen, it is superb when steamed or stir-fried to retain nutrients and texture and the young leaves make a tasty raw addition to salads. Resilient, vigorous and sturdy, this dwarf kale's habit will tolerate exposed positions and most soil types; it does exceptionally well in poor soils where other vegetables might struggle, although is equally happy in well-drained, fertile soils. This is a vegetable that positively thrives over winter in Britain, so is a good cut-and-come-again option for continuous harvesting over a long season. Leaves are especially sweet and tasty when picked young from the plant. If left to flower, the yellow blooms will attract wildlife to your garden, being a great source of nectar and pollen. Supplied as a packet of approx. 275 seeds ready to sow indoors in a seed tray, or outdoors in their growing position. Plant 45cm (18in) apart June to August and harvest from September onwards through to early spring.
Small-leaved, very tender spinach for salads and cooking, 'Samish F1' has good mildew resistance and is moderately winter hardy so is ideal for late season cropping. Grow as a baby leaf vegetable under glass throughout the winter to extend the season. Believed to be of Persian origin, spinach has long been a favourite as a tasty and versatile green leafy vegetable to be eaten cooked or raw. This 'savoy' or 'curly leaf' spinach has dark green, slightly crinkly leaves that have a crisp texture and a rich green, slightly bitter flavour, which makes it well suited to cooking. It is also great when added raw to salads to add an unusual and distinctive note. Highly nutritious, it is an excellent source of folate and vitamins A and C. A great choice for gardeners, 'Samish F1' has great resistance to cold and disease so is a good choice for early and regular sowing to ensure a long harvest. It thrives in well-drained, fertile soil, so adding composted manure to the ground before planting will give it an extra boost. A sunny position is ideal although it will also grow well in light shade. Supplied as a packet of 200 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors in their growing position. Sow outdoors from March to September, 30cm (12in) apart in rows, in moist but well-drained fertile soil. Harvest from May to October, or through the winter if grown under glass.
A classic courgette, 'All Green Bush' is a reliable, quick-growing and high-yielding variety that will crop all summer long with regular harvesting. One plant will typically produce 6-10 fruits. Its compact habit makes it ideal for growing in pots or containers, or the seeds can be planted directly in the ground where they are to crop. The dark skins are tender so are great when cooked whole. For the best flavour, harvest as baby courgettes at about 10-15cm (4-6in) long. If not eaten immediately, they will keep well for a few days stored in the fridge. Alternatively, allow one or two fruits to remain longer on the plant to form marrows, which are just lovely when crammed with vegetable or meat stuffings and baked in the oven. Courgette flowers can also be eaten; use them as soon after picking as possible for best results. Try them stuffed with herbs and soft cheese, then dipped in batter and quickly fried, or wilt them in hot olive oil to add to risottos and other savoury dishes. Quick to mature and easy to care for, this is a great little vegetable to get children interested in gardening - as well as for anyone who just can't wait to eat the fruits of their labours in the garden! Supplied as a packet of 20 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors in pots or outdoors direct into growing position. Sow indoors March to May for planting out in May to June; or sow outdoors April to May directly into growing position in full sun, 60cm (24in) apart, in fertile, well-drained soil.
A classic salad radish with crisp round roots of bright scarlet with moist, white flesh and a superbly sweet and mild flavour. Not only do they taste good, these nutritious beauties are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. A winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this reliable and fast-growing variety is an ideal choice for the novice and experienced gardener alike - and great for encouraging children to garden as they will be rewarded with quick results. Easy to grow, 'Scarlet Globe' can be harvested within 4-6 weeks of sowing direct into their cropping position. Suitable for container growing as well as beds and borders, they like a sunny, sheltered position in well-drained, fertile soil, although will grow well in poorer soils too. They make an excellent 'marker' crop between rows of slower growing veg such as potatoes, peas, parsnip and onion, to be harvested before the main crop fills the space. Supplied as a packet of 700 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors from February to September directly into their cropping position.
A long-established favourite of the vegetable garden, 'Gladiator F1' is a top-quality variety that produces long, wedge-shaped roots with smooth skin and clean white flesh, so they are easy to wash and require minimum peeling. This winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit is winter hardy, canker resistant and a reliably heavy cropper that matures early, so can be lifted from October. They keep well in the ground to harvest over the growing season as required for the kitchen. Indeed, their fabulously sweet flavour is even better after the first frosts, which turn some of the starch into sugar. As well as being delicious, they are nutritious too, being a good source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and fibre, as well as low in calories. Easy to grow, parsnips prefer a light sandy, fertile soil that has been well worked and deeply dug so is free of stones, as this will ensure full sized, well-shaped roots of exhibition quality. Try growing faster cropping vegetables such as radish and lettuce in between parsnip rows to maximise the productivity of your plot. Supplied as a packet of 200 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors from February to May, 40cm (16in) apart, directly into their cropping position. Harvest from October to February.
A sensational ornamental chard that will brighten up your vegetable plot or patio containers - and true to its name, 'Bright Lights' can also provide colourful contrast in herbaceous garden beds and borders. With dark green and bronze leaves and rainbow stems ranging from white and orange-yellow through to pinky red and purple, it is a real stunner, as well as being delicious to eat and packed full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fibre. A worthy winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this hardy biennial is easy to grow and slow-bolting. It will be ready to harvest in 4-6 weeks after sowing. Cropping prolifically over a long season, it is a true 'cut and come again' variety; the leaves will regenerate 1-2 weeks after harvesting the whole plant (leaving 2.5-5cm base), or remove just the outer leaves and allow the heart to grow on. The plants are robust enough to withstand light frosts and will continue to give good quality leaves until the colder winter weather sets in. This versatile veg has a lovely mild, sweet flavour when picked as baby leaves for salads and garnishes, developing an interesting and slightly bitter note when left to mature. Cook as you would spinach - lightly steamed or stir-fried to retain colour, flavour and nutrients. There will be plenty to pick all through the season, so any excess can be blanched and packed in an airtight bag for the freezer, where it will store well for up to a year for adding to soups and stews. Supplied as a packet of 150 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors from April to mid-July, directly into their cropping position in well-drained, fertile soil. Harvest mid-July to November and if protected over winter will produce an early spring crop. Alternatively, sow in containers of at least 25cm (10in) depth and diameter (will accommodate 3-4 plants), using a good-quality compost.
Specially bred for the British climate, Butternut squash 'Hawk F1' yields a good crop of yellow-orange, pear-shaped fruits with sweet, tasty yellow flesh. Fully deserving of its RHS Award of Garden Merit, this reliable variety will produce fruits of up to approximately 700g (1.5lb). Easy to grow from seed and quick to establish, this is a great choice for novice and experienced gardeners alike, as well as ideal for introducing children to gardening as they will see fast germination followed by a satisfying spectacle as the plants produce attractive, large flowers, and then squashes that noticeably increase in size day by day over the summer. A versatile vegetable that has grown in popularity over recent years, Butternut squash is great to cook in a variety of ways such as roasting or baking, or as an ingredient in soups, stews and curries. Packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, it is a good source of fibre and low in calories - and it tastes great, too! Supplied as a packet of 10 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors in pots or outdoors directly into their cropping position. Sow indoors March to May in small pots or outdoors in May, directly where they are to flower. Plant 90cm (36in) apart in fertile, well-drained soil. All they require to thrive is a sunny position with plenty of space for them to spread out and a liquid feed applied ever 10-14 days once the fruits start to swell. Harvest from September to October.
This 'Sweet' Basil is the classic, large-leaved variety that is most popularly used in cuisines all over the world. Native to tropical regions of central Africa and Southeast Asia, it is a tender, half-hardy annual when grown outdoors in Britain for summer cropping. Or it can be grown successfully indoors on your windowsill all through the year to ensure a continuous supply of fresh leaves for culinary use. A favourite herb particularly of Italian cooking, its sweet, aromatic leaves are a characteristic ingredient for many dishes from salads and garnishes to soups, casseroles, ragu, pizza, and pasta dishes - and superb for making fresh pesto. The flavour comes from the intense essential oils in the glossy green leaves that are at their best when eaten raw or added to hot dishes at the last minute. Growing your own 'Sweet' Basil from seed, whether indoors or outdoors, will reward you with neat, bushy and vigorous plants that can be cut just when you need a fresh bunch for your cooking - a much better solution than those frustrating supermarket pot herbs that barely last 2-3 weeks and are reluctant to grow back when cut. Sow all year round indoors into pots for your windowsill or for transplanting outdoors from May to July. Or sow outdoors from May to June; they will do best in pots or containers, but can be sown directly into a well-prepared bed or border. All they require is a sunny but sheltered position, in fertile, moist but well-drained soil or compost, then regular cutting to encourage new growth. Supplied as a packet of 450 (approx.) seeds ready to plant indoors or outdoors in their growing position. Mature plants can reach 30cm (12in) height and spread. Harvest indoors all year round or throughout the summer when grown outdoors.
A reliable and popular, high-yielding variety, 'Masterpiece Green Longpod' is considered by many to be the best broad bean you can grow. The seeds are quick to germinate, either indoors in pots or outdoors planted directly into their cropping position, generating vigorous plants that will provide plenty of fresh, tasty beans for your plate - and plenty more for the freezer. True to its name, this variety produces particularly long, regularly formed pods, each containing 6 to 8 juicy beans. Harvesting from June onwards, the younger you pick them, the more tender the beans will be; or leave them to mature a while longer if you prefer larger beans. You can even cook the young pods whole; just top and tail them, and then gently steam to retain the best of their flavour and texture. If you harvest more beans than you can eat, just blanch them and put into an airtight container or bag, then store in your freezer until required. They will retain their shape and texture well and be just as delicious cooked from frozen. Being a worthy recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be sure of good-quality, plentiful crops that are easy and rewarding to grow. Sow indoors from February to April for planting out from April to May, or sow outdoors from February to May, in a sunny position directly where they are to crop, 60cm (24in) apart in well-drained, fertile soil. Harvest from June to August. Supplied as a packet of 45 (approx.) seeds ready to plant indoors in individual pots or outdoors in their cropping position. Grows to 1.2m (48in) by 30cm (12in) spread.
An exceptional variety that is early to crop and has a long picking season, 'Polestar' produces high yields of smooth runner bean pods that have a sweet flavour and crisp, fleshy texture. If not left too long on the vine, these beans are stringless, so for best taste and texture, pick when they reach 15-20cm (6-8in) in length. A reliable and long-standing favourite of vegetable growers, this heavy cropping variety will produce plenty of delicious fresh beans for your plate and plenty more for the freezer. Versatile and nutritious, they are a classic cooked veg, but the young beans also taste great raw - try shredding or slicing them into a salad or using as a baton for dips. For best results, sow the seeds indoors in pots from April to May for transplanting outside in May to June; or sow from April to May outdoors, directly into their cropping position. To get the growing season off to an earlier start, sow them in containers in your greenhouse. The plants produce pretty red flowers, which are very attractive to bees and other beneficial insects. Grow alongside sweet peas as these will draw in more insects that will help pollinate the runner beans and produce an even bigger crop. As well as 'Polestar' being a rewarding bean to grow, the beans are highly nutritious as they are rich in vitamin C and a good source of fibre. Trim and blanch surplus crops to store in an airtight container or bag in the freezer. They will freeze well, retaining good flavour and texture when cooked from frozen. Supplied as a packet of 50 (approx.) seeds ready to plant indoors in individual pots or outdoors in their growing position. Being deep-rooted, runner beans will thrive in well-dug, fertile, moisture-retentive but well-draining soil, in a sunny and sheltered position. Successive sowings every 2-3 weeks will achieve an extended cropping. Beans will be ready to harvest from July to October, 12-16 weeks after sowing.