Vigorous and productive Algarve produces lovely green beans, totally stringless, and doesn’t seem to mind what the weather throws at it. The flat pods can grow to 25cm while the plants can reach 2m. Its AGM reflect the quality of this variety Price for 50 seeds

BARLOTTO LINGUA DI FUOCO has spectacular green pods splashed with red. For fresh use pick young or grow on and dry at the season’s end.

SOW: in pots inside or in a greenhouse (we always start ours in pots) but you can sow them in situ. Don’t start them earlier than mid April unless you warm the soil with cloches as germination is poor in cold soil. French beans are also happy sown in May to July in the open.

GROW: Plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Put one or two plants at the bottom of each cane.

EAT: Pick young and cook whole or sliced or leave the pods at the end of the season for drying. Dry on the plant if you can or pull up the plants and hang in a cool dry place until the pods are brittle then shell and store in an airtight container. They are super in winter casseroles. All of our French bean varieties freeze well.

Blauhilde has super, long, oval pods which stay beautifully tender even when they grow quite large. The plants are strong growing and you can expect a high yield.

SOW: start these off in pots or modules placed in an unheated greenhouse or even on a window during April or May. You can sow directly into the sol but wait until mid as they really do not like cold soil. You can sow as late as July for a later harvest.

GROW: plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Blauhilde is happy climbing canes in a row or arranged as teepees. French Beans are self pollinating. They also cope well with drier summers

EAT: pick young and cook whole or sliced or leave the pods at the end of the season for drying. They are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.

Blue Lake is a very productive variety. The dark green pencil pods can be cooked whole when young; the bean seeds are white and can be dried for winter use  Price for 50 seeds

SOW: start these off in pots or modules placed in an unheated greenhouse or even on a window during April or May. You can sow directly into the sol but wait until mid as they really do not like cold soil. You can sow as late as July for a later harvest.

GROW: plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Provide canes to support Blue Lake as it is a vigorous climber. French Beans are self-pollinating. They cope well with drier summers

EAT: pick young and cook whole or sliced or leave the pods at the end of the season for drying. They are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.

Giving you superb quality beans over a long harvest period, Cobra has bright green pencil pods that are very straight and smooth and grow to about 20cm long. It is also a disease resistant variety. This is a professional quality bean that we are bringing to you in a garden size quantity and a price to match: this is our top selling climbing French bean.

Price for 50 seeds

SOW: start these off in pots or modules placed in an unheated greenhouse or even on a window during April or May. You can sow directly into the soil but wait until mid as they really do not like cold soil. You can sow into July for a later harvest.

GROW: plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Cobra is happy climbing canes in a row or arranged as teepees. French Beans are self pollinating. They also cope well with drier summers. This variety is also disease resistant

EAT: the pods are straight and smooth, growing to 20cm long. Pick young and cook whole or sliced or leave the pods at the end of the season for drying. They are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.

Cosse Violette is a fabulous & versatile heirloom variety with purple pods that can be easily spotted amongst the green leaves and harvested over many weeks. It is strong growing with an excellent flavour at all stages. Pods can be harvested young for whole use or left for longer and shelled for flageolets and even makes an excellent dried bean at the end of the season.

Price for 50 seeds

CLIMBING FRENCH BEAN FASOLD 50 seeds This black seeded variety is particularly long cropping, it can supply you from late May to September – a real boon if you find it hard to keep up with picking as the pods are slow to turn seedy. SOW: start these off in pots or modules placed in an unheated greenhouse or even on a window during April or May. You can sow directly into the sol but wait until mid as they really do not like cold soil. You can sow as late as July for a later harvest. GROW: Plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Fasold is happy climbing canes in a row or arranged as teepees. French Beans are self pollinating. They also cope well with drier summers EAT: Pick young and cook whole or sliced. Leave the pods for a longer and shell them for flageolets (Fasold is slower to develop seeds than our other varieties). At the end of the season leave the pods for drying; the dried beans are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.

Golden Gate is an AGM winner that has everything: heavy cropping with pods have that marvellous snap quality and an exquisite flavour.  Whilst the bright and attractive golden-yellow beans are easy to find amongst the leaves they do give the impression of pretending to be runners with their flat pods: but make no mistake this is a quality French bean just waiting for you.

Price for 50 seeds

This is part of our naturally nurtured range from an organic supplier.

Golden Gate can be sown in a polytunnel or greenhouse from April.  Planting out into the garden, or sowing in the open, must wait until all frost danger is passed so no earlier than May.  You can sow to the end of July.

This variety is happy growing in a poly tunnel – good news if you are growing in a cooler area of the UK where open growing is not so reliable.

Goldfield is the solution if you ever find it hard to spot the pods amongst the leaves… the delicious flat pods are bright yellow. They look so good you may well be tempted to grow them in your border: and they don’t just look good, they are delicious too.  Height 1.5m-1.6m (5 to 6ft)

Price for 50 seeds

Hunter is a very popular, tasty, white seeded and flat podded variety. The pods are about 2cm wide and can grow to 25cm long. It is happy sown early from mid April and will crop abundantly and will crop abundantly in July and August. A super choice

Price for 50 seeds

SOW: start these off in pots or modules placed in an unheated greenhouse or even on a window during April or May. You can sow directly into the sol but wait until mid as they really do not like cold soil. You can also sow this variety in May or June for a later harvest.

GROW: plant out after hardening off when about 15cm tall after all frost danger has passed. Hunter is happy climbing canes in a row or arranged as teepees. French Beans are self pollinating. They also cope well with drier summers. April sowings will crop in July and August.

EAT: pick young and cook whole or sliced. Leave the pods for a little longer and shell them for flageolets. At the end of the season leave the pods for drying; the dried beans are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.g; the dried beans are super in winter casseroles. All of our French beans freeze well.