Beautiful beans: The Variety Directory

Beans, beans, beans… How many beans can there be in the world?

There is, quite frankly, a bewildering cornucopia of colours, textures, flavours and growth habits to be had: in fact, a bean for all tastes, preferences, growing abilities, and gardens no matter how big, small or in between. But choosing which one to grow this year can be overwhelming. Do you go runner, or French? Dwarf, or climbing? And what about those fancy ones from south Asia, then?

Cobra climbing French beans

Well: that’s what I’m here for! Regular Greenery readers will know we’re planning a big beany growalong, starting this spring and spanning two whole years. This season we’re sticking with your standard green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris and coccineus, mostly), moving on to broad, or fava beans (Vicia faba) and their relatives, plus soya beans and the like next year. If you’re a bit confused about the difference between one bean and another, I had a quick gallop through all the various types of bean in last month’s post:

So I’ve been squirrelling away bean seeds this spring ready for planting from April. Some are old favourites of mine which I’m really excited to introduce to you. Others I’m revisiting after growing them in the past; and then there are a few heritage varieties – always interesting to explore. Plus I’m including some interesting experiments: dwarf runner beans for growing in a container, some interesting new shelling beans, yard-long beans in the greenhouse and another go at lablab beans (I tried them once, years back, and they didn’t do well – but I think with the warming climate they may do better now).

So…. *drumroll*…. Here are the varieties we’ll be growing together in this year’s growalong!

In the garden:                  

• Climbing beans: Cosse Violette (purple) and Helda (flat podded, green)

  Extra Hatif de Juillet (French heirloom)

  Sunset (runner bean), Moonlight (hybrid)

• Shelling beans: Borlotti, Cherokee Trail of Tears (climbing)

  Canadian Wonder, Cannellino (dwarf)

Borlotti beans

In containers:                                                   

• Hestia (runner bean)

• Bonne Bouche (climbing French bean)

• Eastern Butterwax (dwarf French bean)

• Navy beans (dwarf)

In the greenhouse: Yard-long beans

Goodness, that list makes me feel quite faint. Good job I like beans.

Join in at whatever level you like: if you’re feeling strong, grow as many of the above as you can track down seeds for and we can compare notes. If you’d rather keep things more manageable (sensible you) just choose one or two of your favourites and grow those: do feed back though on how you found them to grow, what you thought of the flavour, and any other observations you make along the way.

As for the tomatoes last year, these varieties will become the first to add to our new beany directory – which I’m hoping will grow steadily as the seasons pass. I’ll also add a few favourite varieties I’ve already grown (like the climbing French bean ‘Cobra’ which is a firm favourite – I’m not growing it this year as I’m feeling this may be a bean too far and I already know how well they grow, but I do highly recommend it if you want to try it out).

The Greenery Beautiful Beans Variety List

*Varieties marked with an asterisk are part of the 2024 growalong: reviews added at the end of the season!

*Bonne Bouche Climbing, French

Heirloom variety from Rouen, in Normandy: an ex-commercial (so vigorous and prolific) bean dating back to the 1950s. White flowers, brown seeds, slight red stripe on the pod. Heritage Seed Library

Blue Lake Climbing, French/shelling

Generous green bean: the pods are OK but so-so in flavour and I find they’re much better saved for shelling beans. The pure white seeds are the classic haricot with a great flavour and texture: they keep for ages. Suttons

*Borlotti Climbing, shelling

Borlottis come in bush (dwarf) or climbing versions; mine are from home-saved seed and were a climber (Firetongue, I think). Beautiful pink-splashed pods – you can eat them, but don’t bother – and nut-brown, fat shelling beans to dry and keep through winter. Thompson & Morgan

*Canadian Wonder Dwarf, shelling

These need a little warmth to do well so I’ll be growing them in the greenhouse (with an experimental crop outside in a container). I’ll be growing them for the shelling beans – pink when picked, dark purple once dried, and the original kidney bean. Organic Gardening Catalogue

*Cannellino Dwarf, shelling

I love cannellini beans: this is another one which needs some warmth so they’ll be going in to the greenhouse alongside the Canadian Wonder (and again, in containers outdoors). White, fat cannellini beans for drying and eating through winter. Organic Gardening Catalogue

Cherokee Trail of Tears (top), borlotti (bottom left) and Blue Lake (bottom right)

*Cherokee Trail of Tears Climbing, French/shelling

Heirloom with an interesting story – said to have been carried by Native Americans in 1938 during their terrible journey across the US, during which thousands died. They are one of my all-time favourite shelling beans: the pods are fine, but you really grow them for the jet black beans; easier to grow than kidney beans and every bit as good. Beans and Herbs

Cobra Climbing, French

My go-to French pencil bean – super generous, very reliable, delicious flavour – all in all, hard to beat. Suttons

*Cosse Violette Climbing, French

Prolifically generous – and very, very pretty, having pink flowers and deep purple pods (they turn dark green on cooking). Another favourite for me. Moreveg

*Eastern Butterwax Dwarf, French

Heirloom variety originally from Ontario in Canada, with creamy-yellow pencil beans said to have an exceptional flavour. The seeds are, weirdly, black. Heritage Seed Library

*Extra Hatif de Juillet Climbing, French

Another heirloom; this time a connoisseur’s superthin French pencil bean. Since it’s French, I’m also expecting a superior flavour. Heritage Seed Library

*Helda Climbing, French

This is flat podded, even though it’s a French bean; it’s in the list because I read a trial of French beans in which this beat my hands-down favourite, Cobra, so I’ve wanted to grow it ever since to see if the hype is true. Organic Gardening Catalogue

*Hestia Dwarf, runner

The original dwarf runner bean, this is a variety ideal for container growing: it reaches about 60-90cm tall then branches naturally instead of climbing. Moreveg

*Moonlight Climbing, hybrid (self-fertile)

When you’re not too keen on runners, like me, this is a good halfway house. All the long cropping time of a runner, with the tenderness and sweetness of a French bean. And tolerant of droughts and hot weather, too. Organic Gardening Catalogue

*Navy beans Dwarf, shelling

The original baked bean. Heritage Seed Library

*Sunset Climbing, runner

I had to have a nod to the vast array of runner beans out there: but I’ve tried Scarlet Emperor before, back when I had an allotment, and it was the variety that put me right off runners (stringy, even when young, and outstayed its welcome). Let’s see if this one restores my faith. Pink-flowered, which should be nice at least. Organic Gardening Catalogue

*Yard-long beans Climbing

Needs a greenhouse to do well in the UK: super-long beans at least a foot long. Just a couple makes a meal. Or so they say. We’ll see! Moreveg