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.
This heavy cropping, super-sweet, large cherry tomato is a top choice for both the beginner and experienced vegetable grower. An indeterminate variety (needs support), it can be reliably grown in a greenhouse or outdoors, producing and abundance of long trailing vines with 10-14 fruits per truss all summer long - quite literally, a gardener's delight! Cropping from early summer right into October, 'Gardener's Delight' will reward with super-sweet, richly flavoured fruits with red, glossy skins - perfect for salads and sandwiches as well as for cooking. Try roasting whole trusses with fruit still attached for an attractive addition to pizzas and other savoury dishes - the deliciously sweet flavour will intensify as they cook. Easy to grow, all you need is a warm windowsill for the seeds to germinate and seedlings usually appear within 7-14 days. When large enough to grow on, they can be transplanted into moist but well-drained, fertile soil or compost in large pots, growbags or border in the greenhouse, or positioned outside in a sunny, sheltered position once the frosts are over. All they need is a sturdy support and some pinching out of sets to encourage a tall, upright central stem. Sow indoors into a pot of compost, January to April to plant out April to June, 45cm (18in) apart into warm, well-drained, fertile soil or compost in a sunny, sheltered position outdoors or in a greenhouse. Harvest from June to October, depending on position. Supplied as a packet of approx. 75 seeds ready to sow indoors.
Lobelia 'Cambridge Blue' is the perfect filler plant for pots, planters and tubs, or even large scale border plantings. Fully deserving its coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be sure that this is a proven garden performer, guaranteed to be suitable for UK gardeners at every level of experience. You can therefore plant this in the garden with confidence, for stunning displays for many years to come. Very easy to grow, its hundreds of sky-blue flowers will wind their way through the gaps in plants, filling them in with ease. A great little essential plant for all planting schemes. This compact half hardy annual will grow to be 15cm (6in) high Supplied as a pack of approx. 1500 seeds.
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.
A native of British meadows and fields, this gardeners' favourite is loved by butterflies & bees. Relive childhood memories of golden fields of corn, peppered with the bright blue cornflowers and the gentle hum of busy pollinators on a bright summer's day. Quick and easy to grow, this colourful British favourite is ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Also known as Batchelors Buttons, this showy annual is a slender, dainty plant with sky-blue flowers. Perfect for punctuating wild gardens or meadows with colour. Ideal too to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A hardy annual, cornflowers will grow and flower in the same year (or the following year if sown late in the year). Excellent as a cut flower, you can add a bunch to a vase or use them in mixed bouquets. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in) Sow outdoors, March-May or August-October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers July - September. Supplied as a pack of 70 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild.
Zinnia Jazz is perfect for summer and autumn displays, with bright colours and large flowers to light up your garden. Each plant produces a mass of bi-coloured flowers in pinks and oranges, and are perfect for larger pots and planters, or in borders where they provide useful height. They make great cut flowers too, so you can enjoy them indoors as well as in the garden. Dead-head for longer flowering, these plants are very easy to manage and deliver amazing performance all the way into autumn. This half hardy annual has a height and spread of 75cm (30in) x 30cm (1ft), flowering from July to October. Supplied in a pack of approx. 75 seeds.
Californian Poppy 'Monarch Art Shades' is a compact and wonderfully colourful addition to the summer garden. The plants produces double or semi-double flowers in powerful shades of orange. Perfect in pots and at the front of borders, or scattered amongst your planting to give intense highlights. They thrive in poor, dry soil and will self seed freely in borders, gravel and any cracks in the pavement. These hardy annuals will grow to H30cm (1ft) x W15cm (6in). Flowers from June to August. Dead-head for longer flowering, or if you want to prevent self seeding.
Beautiful five-petalled, softly coloured blooms and intricately marbled leaves are what make this nasturtium a superb choice to complement any garden scheme. The pretty salmon-orange flowers have darker veins flushing from their centres and stand above foliage that forms attractive, globe-shaped mounds. A winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, 'Alaska Salmon Orange' is noted for its reliability and good performance. This hardy annual is easy to grow and versatile, with a long flowering season from early June until the first frosts in October. They look fabulous when trained up a trellis or fence, tumbling out of window boxes and containers, or cascading over the sides of hanging baskets. Plant them as groundcover in a mixed border or rock garden, where they will add pleasing interest amid other flowers and foliage. They also look great as a cut flower in a natural arrangement. A worthy addition to a kitchen garden, nasturtiums are loved by bees and butterflies, so are good for pollination. They will attract hover flies, which prey on aphids, so make a great companion for brassicas, pumpkins, radish, tomato and potatoes - even roses - to help control pests. When they die back they will replenish the soil, adding nutrients and minerals to help other plants thrive. Being native to South and Central America, which were known as the Indies, the flowers were once commonly called 'Indian cresses'. Indeed, the leaves and flowers are edible, with a pleasant, slightly peppery flavour reminiscent of watercress. Mix them into your salads and garnishes for a pop of extra colour and flavour, or add last minute to a stir-fry. They are rich in vitamin C, too. Supplied as a packet of 25 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors in pots, from February to March, or outdoors from April to June directly where they are to grow. Nasturtiums will flower most prolifically in a sunny position in free-draining soil. They are drought tolerant but appreciate an occasional watering in warm weather. Regular dead-heading will encourage continuous flowering.
Bred specifically for growing in the Northern Europe climate, you can enjoy a rewarding crop of refreshing, sweet-tasting fruits from Watermelon ?Mini Love?.
Once a simple wild leaf, rocket has been in cultivation for centuries in its native Mediterranean countries and is now one of the most popular fresh culinary ingredients used in British kitchens today. A satisfying and easy crop to grow, it is quick to germinate and gives masses of fresh green leaves over a long season. Its distinctive peppery flavour adds an extra dimension to salads and many other hot and cold dishes, and the dark green, frilly leaves make a pretty garnish that is so tasty it is rarely left on the plate! Also highly nutritious, rocket is rich in potassium and vitamin C. Growing your own rocket is a much cheaper alternative to buying those supermarket bags, as well as being kinder to the environment and far less wasteful as you only need pick what you are going to use - the perfect 'cut-and-come-again' garden veg! Equally happy in containers as well as in the ground, rocket thrives in well-cultivated, moist but free-draining soil in a warm and sunny position, although it will benefit from some shade during very hot days to retain optimum flavour and texture. Successional sowings will give continuous crops over a long season. Leaves will be ready to harvest 6-7 weeks after sowing, or even from 2 weeks onwards for baby leaves. Supplied as a packet of 750 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors from May to August, directly into the soil or container where they are to crop. Harvest from May to October, picking a few leaves from each plant so they will carry on growing. Late sowings will crop into winter if protected by cloches or horticultural fleece.
A native of British meadows and fields, this gardeners' favourite is loved by butterflies & bees. Relive childhood memories of golden fields of corn, peppered with the bright blue cornflowers and the gentle hum of busy pollinators on a bright summer's day. Quick and easy to grow, this colourful British favourite is ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Also known as Batchelors Buttons, 'Blue Ball', is a showy annual is a slender, dainty plant with sky-blue flowers. Perfect for punctuating wild gardens or meadows with colour. Ideal too to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A hardy annual, cornflowers will grow and flower in the same year (or the following year if sown late in the year). Excellent as a cut flower, you can add a bunch to a vase or use them in mixed bouquets. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in). Sow outdoors, March-May or August-October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers July - September. Supplied as a pack of approx. 180 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild.
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.