Ornamental Bed or Potager

Most gardeners are familiar with ornamental amaranth, but few realise that this plant is a delicious nutritional powerhouse. In the hot summer months, when growing spinach is near impossible, amaranth thrives. A favorite with chefs, Amaranth tricolor ‘Red Army’ is an intense cherry red selection with a delicate pea-like flavour. Use at babyleaf stage for salad or garnish, or leave to mature for steamed vegetable or soups.

Lettuce leaf basil is a popular old Italian variety, a large leafed variety of Sweet Basil and one of the most productive of all basils. With very large, crinkled and highly aromatic leaves, it adds the texture of leaf lettuce while packing a tasty basil flavour to brighten up your summer sandwiches.

Basil ‘Red Rubin’ is a purple version of Italian large leaf basil, a multi-purpose variety that is one of the mainstays of many herb gardens. Distinguished from other purple basils by its sweeter aroma and flavour, the rich, dark purple leaves are more consistent in colour than some of the other purple basils.

Purple Ruffles is probably the prettiest of basils, if not of all herbs. While it deserves a place in your kitchen garden, it also makes an excellent contrasting plant in a border. Tempting though it is to admire your plant, one taste will have you tearing the leaves of by the armful.

Thai Basil 'Siam Queen' is a large leaf variety that has been cultivated to provide a distinctive set of traits preferred in Asian cuisine. It has an identifiable liquorice flavour not present in sweet basil, and its flavour is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil.

Holy basil, also called Tulsi or Sacred Basil is an ancient variety. It has highly aromatic, narrow oval leaves and pink flowers with a perfumed fragrance. This reddish-purple tinted plant exudes a delicious, sweet, clove-like aroma. The hotter the summer, the deeper the purple.

The herb borage is a well known annual. Not so well known is the equally beautiful form 'alba' which boast pure white, perfectly star-shaped flowers. Each flower is centred by five black stamens which heighten the drama. The flowers are edible, garden visitors can be converted to herbal advocates simply by offering a taste of its white flower.

The herb borage is a well known annual with beautiful blue flowers. Not so well known and not often written about is the equally beautiful form 'alba' which boast pure white, perfectly star-shaped flowers. This mixed pack of seeds gives both blue and white forms.

Borage is one of the most reliable sources of blue flowers, often flowering lavishly for weeks after sowing. The beautiful blue star-shaped flowers are edible and very important for bees, providing pollen and nectar in prodigious amounts.

Cabbage ‘Red Drumhead’ is a popular deep red heirloom variety which produces densely packed leafy heads with dark red, solid hearts in late summer through to Christmas. This old hardy variety from the 1860s is easy to grow, stores well and is remarkably tasty and sweet.

Amomum subulatum the cardamon or cardamom plant is native to damp, forested valleys from the eastern Himalayas to central China. It won't yield enough pods for a bountiful crop of the spice, but makes an interesting conversation piece and a satisfying challenge for the adventurous gardener.

Carrot F1 Red Samurai is a distinctive and beautiful carrot, with long tapered roots and uniform bright red skin. Juicy, crisp and flavourful, Samurai produces conical roots that will grow to 28 to 35cm long. Sow successionally from March to July for harvesting June to September

Launched in 2005, Purple carrots caused a great stir at grower's and farmers markets. With compelling health benefits and a thumbs-up from taste testers they have quickly established themselves as an interesting choice of many home growers. 'Purple Dragon' has a beautiful purple skin, the deep velvety exterior gives way to a starburst of brilliant orange at the core.

Cutting celery or Leaf celery is the type that is used in Europe. It looks similar to parsley but tastes like regular stalk celery, but with a slightly stronger, herbier taste. It is a darker green, with thin, rounded, flexible stalks and curly, aromatic leaves; it is much easier to grow than its big brother.

While there are now several varieties of leaf celery, one of the most popular is Par-Cel. Resembling curled parsley with the flavour of celery., this Dutch heirloom can be difficult to find in most grocers. Originated from Holland, it was dispersed by German settlers, which is why it is also known as Zwolsche Krul.

Swiss Chard is a good choice for the beginner or busy gardener, it will give you tasty spinach type leaves for up to 12 months from a single sowing. 'Canary Yellow' has an upright growth, they plants can also be used as an ornamental plant. Deliciously succulent, they are worth growing for the colour alone.