Grow your own peas and beans from our range of rare and unusual heirloom seeds. Open pollinated, heritage varieties of peas, mangetout, drying peas, runner beans, broad beans, french beans and storage beans all locally adapted to UK gardens. Shop our seeds to add more tasty legumes to your plot - whether that's a few pots, an allotment or a bit kitchen garden!
Peas & Beans
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Broad Bean 'Ratio'
Ratio is a short, well branched broad bean which is our pick for small vegetable gardens. It was a top performer in our container growing trial of 2024 and its bushy habit makes it perfect for anyone who wants to avoid staking their beans. The pods are shorter-than-average (much like the plants) and the beans are plump and delectable.This is an all-round brilliant variety specifically bred for organic growing conditions by De Bolster in the Netherlands. Sow: Valentines day - May direct 20-30cm apartHarvest: June - JulyKitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli).Notes: Keep an eye out for black fly and nip the growing tips off at the first sign of invasion.~30 seedsGerm: 92% Oct 25
£2.75
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Runner Bean 'Brit Pop'
***BACK IN STOCK JAN 25*** Brit Pop is our solution to a very British problem - the late summer runner bean glut. Those few weeks in August when you have runner beans growing out of your ears and your neighbours, fellow allotmenteers and in-laws are trying to sneak their excess runners into your doorstep. Brit Pop is a beautifully diverse mix of varieties which all flower and pod up at slightly different times - giving you an extended harvest, without a massive glut. Each year we allow the plants to freely pollinate and set seed, keeping our Brit Pop population diverse. And if that's not a good enough reason to buy them, just look at the seeds themselves - a stunning mix of purples, pinks, blacks, blues, whites and browns - no two are the same!These are very rare seeds which we have a limited supply of. There is nothing similar on offer in the UK and we continue to bulk these up year-on-year.Sow: May in pots or modulesPlant: 1-2 weeks after sowing, 30cm apart.Harvest: July-SeptemberKitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), citrus (lemon), fruity (tomato), salty (feta, olives, capers), fats (ricotta, butter, bacon, almonds), aromatics (paprika, cumin, parsley, chilli), Notes: Protect emerging seeds from rodents. Plants need a strudy structure to climb up. Plants will have different flower colours - red, white and bicoloured - maybe some apricot shades if you're very lucky.~15 seeds Germ 80% Nov 24
£3.00
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Mangetout Pea 'Carouby de Maussane'
A fabulously large podded heirloom mangetout, originating from the south of France. Brilliant to grow with kids because the sweet, 12cm long pods are easy to spot and pick. The peas keep on the vines for ages before they get starchy or stringy. Unlike most modern pea varieties, Carouby de Maussane produces long vines (up to 1.5m) and has an extended harvest season - ideal for home gardeners. Sow: March to May outside Harvest: June - July Kitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli). 18g (approx 100 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Pisum sativum Germ Rate: 96% Oct 25
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Faraday'
The best dwarf french bean we've found for delectable, fine green beans. The beans are straight, narrow - what we think of as a true French bean, quite different from thicker green bean varieties. The plants are upright with strong growth to support heavy harvests. Like many dwarf varieties, Faraday has been bred to produce abundant beans over a few weeks. Sow a second succession for late summer harvests, or a later maturing variety such as Dior. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). 7.5g (approx 45 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 94% Sept 25
£2.25
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Climbing French Bean 'Marvel of Venice'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Crisp, sunshine yellow beans with a bright, buttery flavour. One of the best tasting French beans we've grown. We offer the white seeded strain of this variety which we think is more tender than the black seeded type. The pods are wide and flattened and tend to curve if grown outside. An easy-to-harvest variety on account of the brightly coloured beans. Our original seed for this variety was gifted to us by incredible heirloom bean seed producer Pippa Rosen from Beans & Herbs. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). Notes: This is a climbing French bean and will easily grow to 6ft so stake accordingly. Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Blooming Prairie'
Finally, a deep purple bean that actually tastes good! The pods are slender, slightly flattened and beautifully straight. They start off as soft lilac flowers which are something to be appreciated in their own right. As with most purple vegetables, the purple colour disappears once they're cooked. Fun while it last though, and the beans are easy to spot when you're harvesting. Blooming Prairie is a dwarf French bean and the plants will grow to 30cm off the ground - no need to stake. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). Notes: Sow a second succession in June for continuous harvest. Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 80% Oct 25
£2.25
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Drying Pea 'Carlin'
A true British heirloom, dating back to 12th century and hailing from the North of England. Once a staple, today they are most frequently found doused in salt and vinegar. They are as delicious as they sound. Carlin peas are traditional drying peas, grown to harvest and eat as a pulse rather than the sweet fresh peas we're more familiar with. Grow these fuss-free plants and feel the wholesome satisfaction of loading up your store cupboard with home grown pulses this winter! Sow: March to May outside Harvest: June - July Kitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli). 18g (approx 100 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Pisum sativum Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Flageolet Vert'
Flageolet beans are some of the tastiest drying beans you can grow - so creamy, so good. We think of them as luxurious legumes, grown to feed French aristocrats in 17th century. Despite their pedigree, it's incredibly difficult to find seeds of these varieties in the UK. Flageolet Vert is our offering - a very rare variety which forms beautiful pale green beans which hold their shape when cooked. The plants are very productive, dwarf types. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 100% Oct 25
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Dior'
Beautiful butter yellow beans which are easy to spot and harvest. A great variety to grow with children. The beans are succulent with a mellow, grassy flavour. Dior is a slower maturing variety which offers longer harvests than most dwarf varieties. It works well grown with fast-maturing Faraday for extended harvests. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). 7.5g (approx 45 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 98% Sept 25
£2.25