May

Transform the way you think about basil with a whole new palette of flavours and aromas. Basil ‘Spice Boys Ararat’ produces metallic grey-purple leaves that turn a darker shade of purple when the plant is in flower. Aromatic and striking, the leaves and flowers and are often incorporated into bouquets.

Blooming earlier than most varieties, Basil ‘Blue Spice’ is a heavily fragrant variety with flavours of vanilla, spice and lemon. The dark purple flower stems produce dense spikes of dark purple bracts with light purple flowers. Add the floral sweetness of their perfume, and you have a plant well worth including in any ornamental planting.

Basil ‘Red Rubin’ is a purple version of Italian large leaf basil, a multi-purpose variety that is one of the mainstays of many herb gardens. Distinguished from other purple basils by its sweeter aroma and flavour, the rich, dark purple leaves are more consistent in colour than some of the other purple basils.

Lettuce leaf basil is a popular old Italian variety, a large leafed variety of Sweet Basil and one of the most productive of all basils. With very large, crinkled and highly aromatic leaves, it adds the texture of leaf lettuce while packing a tasty basil flavour to brighten up your summer sandwiches.

Considered one of the best by gourmets and gardeners alike, Aubergine 'Rosa Bianca' is a gorgeous variety with a delicate, mild flavour, creamy consistency. The fruits are produced in abundance, have a meaty flesh and a delicate flavour. They are both lovely to look at and lovely to eat.

Aubergine ‘F1 Patio Baby’ is a unique, high-yielding, compact variety that reliably produces flavoursome, oval fruits with beautiful glossy purple skins. Ideal for growing in the greenhouse and are absolutely perfect grown in containers on the patio. Each plant can produce up to 25 to 50 deep purple-black, egg shaped fruit.

Black Beauty has long been popular with home gardeners. An excellent quality variety, early to mature it gives and abundant crop of tasty fruits that are clear of the ground. Early and prolific, it will be ready to harvest in 78 days, the sturdy plants produce high yields of glossy, purple-black, pear-shaped fruit.

Earlier and hardier than most varieties, Asparagus 'Precoce D'Argentuil’ is an excellent choice for the impatient gardener. Highly esteemed for its thick, rose-purple spears with tender tips and an excellent flavour. In France it is the traditional variety used to create the popular white asparagus.

Anise, Pimpinella anisum is one of the oldest known herbs, famous for its liquorice flavour it has assumed a popular stature for both its culinary uses and in herbal medicine. Use seeds for flavouring cookies, pastries, and confections and the leaves fresh in salads and soups.

Most gardeners are familiar with ornamental amaranth, but few realise that this plant is a delicious nutritional powerhouse. In the hot summer months, when growing spinach is near impossible, amaranth thrives. A favorite with chefs, Amaranth tricolor ‘Red Army’ is an intense cherry red selection with a delicate pea-like flavour. Use at babyleaf stage for salad or garnish, or leave to mature for steamed vegetable or soups.

Amaranth 'Passion' has attractive oval, mid-green leaves that are streaked through with shades of red and purple. Easy to grow and tolerant of wide-ranging conditions. Its soft leaves are a great addition to salads and, like spinach they melt delectably when cooked. The plants are very ornamental and also look good in the border

Amaranth 'Green Giant' is a vigorous selection that produces slightly savoyed, large mid green leaves. With a mild spinach flavour, the leaves can be used at babyleaf stage for salad or garnish, or at maturity for steamed vegetable or soups. The gluten free, protein rich seeds can be eaten as a grain, perfect for vegetarians and vegans.