This is a British bred variety that will give you a fabulous harvest of speckled green courgettes. It is an AGM winner and will fruit well into the autumn if regularly picked.  While it is fairly compact, its open habit does mean that you can see and reach the crop. We are sure this variety will become a favourite for its many qualities

SOW: between late April and on into June, inside, 1 seed per small pot. Keep moist but not waterlogged.

GROW: harden off and plant out after all danger of frost has passed. In cooler areas you can protect young plants with cloches until they have settled in. Courgettes are trouble free and prolific – Defender will crop into the autumn with regular picking

EAT: Find your favourite way to cook them – fry, steam, bake... We also use courgette as a staple in autumn stews. To Freeze – slice or dice, (you can blanch for 1 minute) pack into portions and freeze.

Look forward to a prolific crop of dark green fruits with a slight light green stripe. These can be started early under clochesor in a coldframe in March for the earliest courgette harvest. This tasty and reliable variety is a bush type and reasonably compact making it a good choice for growing in a pot or container.

SOW: for a very early start from March otherwise April to May; under cloches or in a cold frame, 1 seed per pot.

GROW: keep moist, but not waterlogged, plant out with protection until all danger of frost has passed.  Early Gem will grow happily in large pots or containers or in the soil.  Courgettes are trouble free and prolific - keep an eye on them and keep picking for a tasty and reliable harvest.

EAT: Try young courgettes (finger thick) sliced and pan fried of diced into an omelette.  These little fruits can be quartered for casseroles and stews.  To Freeze – slice or dice, (you can blanch for 1 minute, but we never have) pack into portions and freeze.

This lovely light green courgette has a velvety smooth texture and a delicious yet delicate flavour. The plant has an open bush habit and so it easy to spot the slightly bulbous ended fruit amongst the foliage. These plants can grow large and we don't find them suitable for pots or containers (unless they are also on the large size).  Genovese is both early into fruit and prolific.

Paler courgettes are becoming more popular and this is a lovely choice with lightly mottled skin

Beautiful bright yellow fruits are produced by a compact ad strong growing plant. You will be able to see your harvest among the leaves! Yummy, prolific and a visual delight on your plate: Jemmer is a must have variety

If you are growing in a mixed flower and veg border then these must be a part of your mix! They look fabulous and provide an exciting colour contrast when sliced in salads and stir-fries (or grilled or pan fried… they have even made an appearance at brunch next to tomatoes and alongside the bacon!!!)

Tidy compact plants make this an excellent choice for growing in pots on the patio or balcony. The fruits are dark green with a slight lighter speckle and they have a delightful flavour. This British bred variety has been awarded an AGM. Quality at its best. Price for 6 seeds

SOW: from March (indoors) to the end of May, under cover or on a window sill, 1 seed per pot. Keep moist, but not waterlogged.

GROW: harden off and plant out after all danger of frost has passed. In cooler areas you can protect young plants with cloches until they have settled in. Midnight is happy grown in a large pot or tub. Courgettes are trouble free and prolific - keep an eye on them and keep picking!

EAT: try young courgettes (finger thick) sliced and pan fried of diced into an omelette. Midnight stays tender and flavourful even when it grows a bit bigger than you intended! To Freeze – slice or dice, (you can blanch for 1 minute, but we never have) pack into portions and freeze.

Enjoy top quality dark green fruits.  These are not as uniform as those from an F1 but the flavour is delectable and it is simply this that has helped it become one of our most popular varieties. The plants have an open habit which makes picking the courgettes easier.  That open habit means thay are not really suitable for pots. 

This varietiy comes from the Lombardia area of Italy, we use the proper name (which translated as 'Black of Milan') but it is also known as Black Beauty with both names referencing the dark green skin colour.

Shooting Star F1 – the first golden yellow ‘climbing’ and it is British Bred!  It is well suited to growing in smaller gardens or containers. With an upright habit you can grow it against a trellis or with a cane tripod, just tie the stems in regularly to help support the weight of the fruits.  The firm fruits are good for salads, stir fries and grilling.  This variety can reach 100-120cm tall with support

Price for 6 seeds

SOW: from late April to the end of May, under cover or on a windowsill, 1 seed per pot or outside from mid-May to June.

GROW: keep moist, but not waterlogged, harden off and plant out after all danger of frost has passed.  In cooler areas you can protect young plants with cloches until they have settled in.  Shooting Star needs support (trellis or cane tripod); tie in the shoots regularly to encourage it to scramble upwards and support the developing fruits.  Plants can reach 100-200cm tall.  Use the space below for other crops such as lettuces.

EAT: the firm fruits are perfect for salads, stir fries, grilling and more… yum

Wow, what is there not to love about Sunstripe: spineless, full of flavour, fine texture, British Bred and let’s not forget their amazing golden yellow skin that sports white stripes.  Plus they are compact bushy plants that crop really well - 20 to 24 fruits from each plant make this a top choice in every way.    Price for 6 seeds

SOW: start them from late April on into June, inside, 1 seed per small pot.  Sow on their edge about 1cm below the surface.  Keep moist but not waterlogged.  We use a sand base or capillary matting under our pots to spread the moisture and avoid waterlogging. 

GROW: harden off when they have a pair of rough leaves and plant out from late May – in cooler areas you can protect young plants with cloches until they have settled in.  Sunstripe can produce 20-24 fruits per plant so keep picking!  You can pick them from 10-15cm long right up to marrow size but try to reserve one plant to give you big sized fruits as it is regular picking that encourages continuous fruiting.

EAT: use finger sized in salads, larger fruits can be baked, grilled, roasted (with or without stuffing), steamed, stewed… And then you can freeze courgettes either diced or finely chopped in a food processor, simply pack into portions and use throughout the winter in soups, casseroles, curries, stews or as part of a sauce (we add it to tomato sauces and ‘hide’ it in spaghetti bolognaise).

A heritage variety producing delightful round shaped courgettes. It is both compact and productive. The pale green fruit can be cut at golf ball size for use whole. The flavour is delicious. 

We highly recommend Tromborcino Albenga: rarely offered for sale this is a fantastic and beautiful variety: bell ended, gently curved and able to grow up to 1m in length! We suggest that if you want the best taste and to encourage more fruit then harvest when about 30cm. When larger they can be roasted - we cut these larger ones into chunks, drizzle themwith oil and give them a generous helping of herbs.  

This amazing variety can be encouraged to climb, they need a firm supporting structure (an arch way is a fun choice) and need to be tied in regularly.  They are quite sturdy so the fruits will simply damgle down even at a large size.

You might be advised not to show them to your mother-in-law or anyone with a nervous disposition!