This vigorous climbing vine with large exotic-looking leaves is easily grown to produce hundreds of sweet fruits, or even as a screen to cover a dead tree, the new shoots produced each summer growing 10 to 15 feet or more. For a start grow several plants together, because plants are either male or female and only the females produce the fruit! It makes obvious economic sense to remove all but one male (think of a cockerel!) plant once the sex is confirmed. Stems should be cut back during the winter months, and the rooting area mulched with manure ensuring a yearly abundance of fruit. ... Learn More

This superb fruit is relatively new on the scene, the golden variety being much sweeter, and the pulp softer, rather like a mushy fruit salad. The fruit has a smoother skin and a small nub or point on one end, whereas the green kiwi is slightly fuzzier, and symmetrically oval, and most people find the smooth skin more palatable. The plants do well to be pruned hard back at the end of each growing season. ... Learn More

With a squat bulb and antennae-like shoots, this odd-looking plant is part of the cabbage family. The name translates from German as ‘turnip cabbage’ and the mild, sweet flavour is somewhere between a turnip and a water chestnut, with a crisp, crunchy texture. It can be found in two colours, pale green and this, the less-common purple is later and hardier than its green counterpart. ... Learn More

Superschmelz is a giant variety with white and light green flesh. Slow to bolt, it is capable of reaching a whopping 8kg in weight and 25cm in diameter. With the stem just above ground level, it swells to form the crisp, juicy vegetable with a texture very similar to the Water Chestnut. Its flavour is much like that of a turnip but milder. Requires a very rich soil and plenty of space to reach gigantic proportions. ... Learn More

Sometimes called Chinese oranges, these are the smallest, weirdest, and certainly the rarest of the common citrus fruits. In a contrary turnaround from others in this group, the tasty skin and zest are extraordinarily sweet and tasty, whilst the juicy insides are just the same as many oranges. The size of very small plums, they are often used as an expensive winter treat and can be eaten whole, just as they are, (yes really, I have tried them), or cooked with sugar, spices or spirits to make sweet compôtes and aromatic chutneys, and are often sliced whole and used in curries. The small fruitin ... Learn More

A traditional French winter heirloom that is hardy and cold-resistant as well as being an attractive addition to the cottage garden. The flags are blue-green which turn violet after a cold spell whilst the shanks are thick/medium length. ... Learn More

Giant Winter is an excellent late-season variety. It produces thick, solid stems and dark, blue-green tops beautiful enough for the kitchen or showroom. Dig them up young and tender in late November, or let stand in the ground through March and harvest as you need them. ... Learn More

This famous and delicious Scottish 19th century heirloom variety of winter leek has large, very thick stems which have a fantastic sweet yet mild flavour. This variety is winter hardy and is slow to bolt. ... Learn More

Tadorna produces a leek of medium length with a white shank and contrasting, very dark blue-green foliage. It has a very upright habit and is extremely winter hardy, cropping from December to March. ... Learn More

This famous long-lived tree opens clusters of extremely fragrant white flowers, followed by big ovoid fruits, which are green when young and later ripen to bright yellow. As well as producing a large crop of fruit, it also makes the ultimate architectural courtyard plant in warmer countries, or is perfect in a container on a patio conservatory or cold greenhouse specimen as it can tolerate temperatures down to -5C. Modern forms of this fruit are selectively bred to produce few or no seeds, hence the difficulty in obtaining viable seeds. ... Learn More

This is the perfect Cos Lettuce, being quick to mature, dwarf and compact, producing crisp, sweet, medium-sized hearts. It is resistant to root aphid and perfectly-suited to sowing March-July outdoors, and is also good under cloches. The solid hearts, which stand for a considerable time before going to seed, are highly esteemed by those who prefer a small, crisp lettuce. If ever a variety deserved its name it was Little Gem! RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Also Recommended by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany. ... Learn More

A large, popular, award- winning variety, which is considered one of the finest of the Cos variety. Bearing crisp dark green leaves and firm crunchy hearts this lettuce is packed with flavour and is a favourite in many summer salads. ... Learn More

This attractive Italian lettuce produces an emerald mound of frilly leaves with a loose heart making it less appealing to slugs than Butterhead varieties. An eye-catching lettuce producing leaves for more than three months if they are taken from the outside. ... Learn More

Lollo Rossa is a pretty Italian loose-leaf lettuce with frilly bordeaux red leaves that taper to green hearts.The crisp texture, mild taste and attractive appearance make them an essential addition to salads. ... Learn More

A spectacular, good flavoured lettuce, having green outer leaves tipped with deep red surrounding a tightly folded green heart. An easy-to-grow, bolt-resistant, French heirloom, which copes well throughout the year. ... Learn More