New for 2013

This year we have introduced twenty-six new varieties to our catalogue

Well we thought 2011 was a hard growing season, but it was nothing compared to the difficulties we encounted last year (2012). The wet, overcast skies and waterlogged soil did not agree with most of our crops and trials, but as least it was a good test for the varieties – if they did well under those awful weather conditions we feel we can be sure they will do well in the normal season! So depite the weather, all-in-all, we had a good season and feel confident the varieties we are introducing for 2013 are worthy of any grower's garden.

Cabbage

• Wheeler's Imperial: A worthy spring cabbage that has been in British gardens for at least 75 years.

Carrots

• Atlas: Very short, roundish carrots that are suited to growing in shallow containers or heavy soil.

Chillies – vegetable types:

• Piment Curry: An unusual aji originating from Mauritius.
• Thai Green Curry: A dark green chilli that is ideal for making Thai green curry.
• Tangerine Dream: Round, thick-fleshed, very mild, tangerine-coloured chili that is perfect for stuffing.

Chillies – spice types:

• Apache: A bushy, dependable chilli that is both very hot and productive.
• Spike: A bushy plant that produces a multitude of very hot and very thin, sharply-pointed, upright fruit.

Chillies – habaneros:

• Devil's Rib: A Ghanaian chilli that produces extremely hot, elongated fruit that ripen from green to red.
• Hot Scotch: A bushy habanero that produces masses of chillies that are the classic Scotch bonnet shape but half the size.
• Raindrop: Small, raindrop-shaped fruit that hang downwards on compact, bushy plants.

Cucumber:

• Burpless Tasty Green: An indoor or outdoor cucumber that has a superb flavour and crunchy texture - though the tough skin should be peeled.

Exotics:

• Callaloo (aka amaranthus) var. Blondie: A genuine Caribbean spinach (callaloo) that produces yellowish green leaves spaced equidistance along an upright stem.
• Kasuri Methi: A genuine Caribbean spinach (callaloo) that produces yellowish green leaves spaced equidistance along an upright stem.
• Karela (aka Bitter Melon): A genuine Caribbean spinach (callaloo) that produces yellowish green leaves spaced equidistance along an upright stem.
• Poi Saag (Malabar Spinach): Also known as Malabar or Ceylon spinach, this tropical green is popular in Asian, Chinese and Thai cooking.

Kale:

• Black Tuscany (Nero di Toscana): A dark leaved kale from Tuscany, Italy.
• Scarlet Kale:A strikingly red curly kale that wouldn’t look out place in an ornamental border.

Lettuce:

• Lettony: A green lettuce with attractive, frilly-edged leaves. Suitable for harvesting as baby leaves or for growing into large, loose-leaved heads.
• Loboits Green Cos: Labjoits is an older variety which is the standard for large cos-type lettuces. Highly rated for both taste and its memorably crisp texture.
• New Red Fire: A red-tinged, soft-textured leafy lettuce.
• Tom Thumb: A diminutive, quick maturing lettuce that is perfect for a small servings.

Tomatoes:

• Honey Drop: A small, yellow, pear-shaped variety that is both sweet and tender-skinned.
• Nectar: A delicious cherry tomato notable for its great tomato flavour and balance of sweetness and tartness.
• Orkado: A vigorous variety producing standard-sized red fruit with a juicy, buttery texture and tender skin. Highly recommended.
• Sakura: A vigorous growing, superbly tasting tomato producing round, red fruit that are slightly larger than a cherry tomato.

 Turnip:

• Tokyo Cross: A quick maturing, white turnip.