Allotments

For centuries, Samphire was food for the poor, free to those who picked it, usually ordinary people living by the sea. It is ironic that today it is regarded as a specialty food and is often served with an accompanying price tag. Somewhere between asparagus and seaweed in flavour, Rock Samphire has the thrill of a mermaid’s kiss.

F1 Burpless Tasty Green: According to most experts, this is the one to choose. The fruits are not giants, harvest when they are about 23cm long and enjoy the crisp, juicy flesh from which both bitterness and indigestibility have been eradicated. Very easy to grow.

Lemon Cucumbers are a very old variety cultivated since in 1894. Each fruit is the size of a small apple, hence it was known as 'Apple Cucumber', but as its fruit is a pale yellow in colour it is often called 'Crystal Lemon'. Very similar to a typical cucumber, with tender pale greenish skin and sweet flesh.

The original Marketmore was released in 1968, it is now firmly established as one of the 'Greats' in the cucumber world, very reliable and disease resistant it produces a large amount of fruit which usually grow to over 20cm in length Perfect for salads and with fresh, crisp and mild flavour.

Cucumber F1 Partner is a superb variety. A mid to early parthenocarpic variety, the plants are short jointed with mainly female flowers. With good disease resistance, they produce a high yield of medium to dark green fruits around 10 to 15cm long.

Cucumber, 'Parisian Pickling' is the ideal cucumber for use in pickling and for eating fresh in salads. The fruits can be harvested while small and young at around 50 days for pickles or left to mature to 67 days for slicing cucumbers. Suitable for indoor and outdoor sowing and ideal for container growing.

The popularity of Field Beans for use as a green manure has increased steadily over recent years due to its value as a full-foliage legume with deep nitrogen-fixing roots. Very hardy and suitable for overwintering, it can be sown September to late November. It is particularly good on heavy soils, helping to break it up and improve its structure.

Forage Pea Green Manure is a fast growing member of the legume family. An excellent nitrogen fixer, it is suitable for most soil types, including heavy soil. Ideal for sowing late in the season; they are excellent for over wintering and can be sown from September to November.

Kale 'Black Magic' is an improved Italian Black Kale, bred to be more tender with better flavour. The winter hardy plants more cold tolerant, vigorous and slower-to-bolt than other Italian kales. They form an easy-to-harvest rosette of very dark, savoyed leaves with a flavour that is rich and mild.

Until recently Cavolo Nero, or 'Tuscan Kale', was one of Italy's best kept secrets. Simply adored, especially in the north of Italy, it has been an essential fare of traditional dishes for centuries. Cavolo Nero can now be found in garden markets, specialist greengrocers and trendy restaurants throughout Europe.

As its name suggests, this classic butterhead lettuce can be the basis of fresh daily salads throughout the year. This is no 'supermarket' variety, but rather a proper lettuce with an exquisite flavour unavailable from anywhere but from your own vegetable patch.

This French butter-head lettuce is famous for its signature butter-head shape boasting the appearance of a bibb-type rosette with an array of beautiful colours ranging in bronze, gold, red and green. The “Four Seasons” will thrive in a range of climates and its texture always remains crisp and its taste unforgettable.

Lettuce Meraviglia d'Inverno is truly a ‘Marvel of Winter’, it is from one of the coldest regions of Italy and is hardy to around minus 10°C (14°F). Compact and tender, it will stand in perfect condition right through winter and can be harvested from September right through to March.