February

Blocky, deeply ribbed and extremely bumpy, for most of the season they are a gorgeous dark green to charcoal black, but in autumn 'Futtsu Black Early' mature in a fascinating metamorphosis, to a grey-bloomed dusty orange. Harvest in the midst of their transformation for funky autumn displays or wait for them to ripen completely for maximum flavour, nutty and sweet with hints of chestnut.

This very old Italian Heirloom rustic variety originates from near Venice and is considered the King of Italian Squashes. Round, short, and squat in shape, the dark green to grey-blue skin has slight, vertical ridging and is almost completely covered in bumps. When cooked, Marina di Chioggia squash is tender and sweet with nutty flavours.

This wonderful heritage variety of alpine Strawberry produces loads of little red strawberries that are bursting with flavour. Much sweeter than their traditional commercial cousins they possess a fine, old fashioned flavour. Plants have compact growth with few runners. An alpine Strawberry that is very hard to find, excellent for high altitude climates!

The European woodland strawberry is the old fashioned wild strawberry once widely grown in gardens. Called 'Fraises des Bois' meaning literally Strawberries of the Forest, the compact plants give a good yield of small, intensely sweet little berries. A burst of true, scrumptious Strawberry that puts the taste of many bigger berries to shame.

The flavour of Russian Tarragon may not be so pronounced as its French counterpart but is it is a much more hardy plant that prefers poor soils and can cope with a bit of neglect. It produces lots of leaves, which can be used for a milder flavour.

Tatsoi or Rosette Pak Choi is among the most popular of oriental greens and one of the best vegetables to grow in a cool climate. The spoon-shaped, evenly spaced leaves form a plant worthy to be grown for its decorative value alone. Given enough room the plants will form beautiful wide rosettes of regular, concentric circles.

Thymus vulgaris 'Winter Thyme' is one of the savory herbs, which are main course herbs used to flavour hardy meals, bone warming soups, and piquant sauces. They blend their essence with other savory herbs like Tarragon and Savory to create some memorable flavours.

Aromatic French Summer Thyme has more narrow, pointed leaves with a bit of a grey tint. The famed culinary thyme from France, it is higher in essential oil content than other varieties and reputedly the most flavoursome Thyme you can grow with a stronger and sweeter taste.

Orange Scented Thyme is a useful and versatile plant. The grey-green leaves are extremely fragrant with a with a delicious scent of balsam and oranges. An excellent herb and ideal added to a bouquet garni, they blend their essence with both savory and sweet dishes to create some memorable flavours.

Thymus mastichina is a very special thyme with an intense flavour. Used in Andalucía to season and preserve olives, the leaves have eucalyptus like overtones and are prized for their essential oils. Distinct and intoxicating, the flowers are like fluffy snowballs and are attractive both fresh and dry.

Thymus pulegoides has large, fleshy dark green, round leaves, known as Broad Leaf Thyme it is regarded by many as the ultimate culinary thyme. The aromatic leaves have a stronger flavour and are much easier to use than narrow leaved varieties. Very ornamental, it can be also be useful as a groundcover.

Tomato 'Cerise' is a fantastic cherry variety with a delicious sweet flavour. This heirloom variety of Italian origin is mid to early maturing, the fruits ripen at about 60 days after transplant giving high yields of superb tasting small 18 to 25 gram fruits.

Tomato 'F1 Totem' has an upright habit that is perfectly suited for a patio container. However, this is no mere ornamental. This dwarf stocky bush variety is early and heavy yielding, with large trusses of crimson fruit. From one plant you will be able to harvest several kilos of tomatoes with a delectable flavour.