Dill Dukat is grown primarily for its abundant foliage, producing much more foliage before forming seed than most varieties. It is one of the best for fresh leaf production and stands up well to the strain of intense cultivation.

Good King Henry has been used as a vegetable for centuries and was once a common sight in every garden. Good King Henry may have lost his court and become something of a rarity today, but this unique herb has much to offer to the home or cottage gardener.

Proponents of alfalfa describe it as a wonder crop. As a green manure, alfalfa can be grown for a few months or a year. The plants are able to fix large quantities of nitrogen from the air, its long roots break up soil pans, prevent erosion and improve soil and water quality.

Green Manure “General Mix” is designed to provide a short term mix for use throughout the year. The plants have nitrogen fixing properties and provide a mix of bulky foliage that add organic matter. improving the texture of the soil and suppressing weeds.

Tares and Rye are a traditional combination as they work well together. Used particularly in crop rotation prior to planting leafy crops such as brassicas, this two-way mix guarantees biomass, builds soil and leaves readily available nitrogen for hungry crops. Sow in spring or as late as November.

As a green manure Tares are an excellent choice for heavy soils, they produce a lot of bulky foliage that suppresses weeds, adds organic matter and improves the texture of the soil. Easy to dig in, this hardy annual can be sown in spring to dig in later in summer or sown in autumn to overwinter.

Where areas aren’t required for crops or bedding or if you simply plan to give a garden bed a rest, put the area to good use by sowing sunflowers. Not only will they look very attractive in a group, sunflowers act as a cover crop, protecting soil and inhibiting the growth of weeds.

Hyssop is a strong-flavoured aromatic herb similar to rosemary or lavender which is enjoying a revival with home gardeners. Young leaves are used chopped and scattered on salads. An ideal plant for use in containers or as a low hedge or border within the herb garden.

'Delicacy Purple' is much improved over the previous Vienna varieties, producing a crop that is slightly more tender and with more flavour, it has good standing ability, is low growing and matures quickly, progressing from sowing to harvesting in a couple of months.

“F1 Kolibri” is one of the best varieties for a late season harvest, remaining juicy, sweet and crunchy well into the autumn.It offers high yields and excellent interior quality. The bulbs are a flat globe shape; the medium-sized tops allow for closer planting and so can be sown at high density for ‘baby’ production.

If you haven't tried Kohl Rabi, try it as soon as humanly possible, the taste is absolutely wonderful. “F1 Quickstar” is a very versatile hybrid green skinned variety that produces flat globe shaped bulbs. It can be sown over a long period and can be produced under glass for extra-early sowings.