Vegetable : Healthy Vegetable Collection

Thompson & Morgan are pleased to be working with Dr. Laurence J. Trueman, the research leader at Horticultural Research International. Dr. Trueman says that the 5-a-day mantra is eating as wide a variety of fruit and vegetables as you can. However, if your plot is small he suggests the following Top 11 Healthy Vegetables to help you maximise the potential for health benefits.

Collection comprises 1 packet each of:

Pea Rondo - Rich in vitamins, they help remove harmful cholesterol.

Onion Red Baron - The red ones have an extra benefit for the heart; anthocyanin.

Spinach Perpetual - Popeye was right! You can eat no better vegetable.

Kale Dwarf Green Curled & Broccoli Tendergreen - The only brassicas you really need!

Watercress - A rising star: the healthiest natural super food available.

Leek Oarsman F1 Hybrid - Enjoy to combined advantages of onions and green leafy vegetables.

Tomato Aviro F1 Hybrid - Red pigment lycopene is a very big asset to health.

Soya Bean Elena - The Chinese know about healthy food - they eat lots of these.

Carrot Rainbow F1 Hybrid - Try the multicoloured ones for the full benefit of plant carotenoids.

Pepper Summer Salad F1 Hybrid - Antioxidants in bright colours help fight the war against ageing.

Vegetable : Mini Vegetable Collections A & B

You can grow a healthy crop of vegetables even if you only have a small garden or patio by using this unique collection of compact vegetables! Each variety can be harvested at a small size, which ensures a succulent flavour.

Collection A comprises one packet each of:

Beet Pablo, Carrot Mini Finger, Courgette Black Forest, Lettuce Minigreen, Radish Rougette and Pea Half Pint.

Collection B comprises one packet each of:

Cabbage Shelta, Calabrese Kabuki, Leek King Richard, Parsnip Dagger, Runner Bean Hestia and Sweetcorn Minor.

Vegetable Spaghetti : Hasta La Pasta F1 Hybrid

A major improvement on the old spaghetti squash, this variety offers appealing, deep orange flesh with a sweeter flavour. Extract the 'spaghetti' flesh from each boiled fruit to experience a very unusual vegetable. Generous yields of pale orange-skinned fruits of up to 1kg (2.2lbs).

Venidium fastuosum Jaffa Ice

A dazzling blend of orange and white, I0cm (4in) blooms, like miniature sunflowers, all with a purple to black centre. An excellent border filler and container plant, easy to grow, with deeply lobed silver-green foliage. Flowers summer. Height: 60cm (24in).

Venus Fly Trap

Fascinating plant. We provide sensible instructions so you can watch this one off' plant mature into an avid fly catcher before your eyes. Suitable for a warm windowsill, conservatory or greenhouse.

Verbascum boerhavii bicolor

Towering spires of rich yellow blooms, each with a contrasting red centre, all rising from silver felt like, wide foliage. Outstanding border plant.

Verbascum bombyciferum Silver Lining

Silver leaves, erect fleecy silver stems, heavily studded with cool yellow flowers.

Verbascum chaixii Album

A stately perennial for the back of the border with slender spires of white flowers with mauve eye. The leaves covered with white woolly hairs add to the overall charm and make this a fine subject for blending with plants of harsher colours. Useful for flower arranging. Flowers summer. Height 120-150cm (4-5ft).

Verbascum hybrida Banana Custard

A fantastic new Verbascum! Strong, erect spikes literally packed with very large 2in. flowers of brightest, dazzling two-tone yellow. A glowing, valuable back of border, cottage garden plant. Remove spent stems to encourage a second flush of flowers. Height: 150-180cm (5-6ft).

Verbascum hybrida Snow Maiden

A first class garden plant! Well branched, erect spikes covered in large 4cm (1½in) pure white flowers, over a long period. An incredibly beautiful plant for the back of borders, seldom requiring support.

Verbascum phoeniceum hybrids

Slender spikes of various shades. Grows freely from seed and always much admired. Height: 60-90cm (2-3ft).

Verbascum x hybrida Copper Rose F1

The robust plants are actually incapable of setting viable seed, so we must offer seed which has been pollinated meticulously by hand between the two parent plants. As with most F1 Hybrids, special factors are tremendous vigour and a plant that just keeps on flowering, as it tries to produce seed which it cannot do. The gorgeous silky, large blooms will smother the soft, silver stems which reach up to 3ft. A great range of fashionable and delicious colours - ranging from copper to buff, apricot, old rose, tan and other lovely blends, all bursting from the contrasting silvery-grey flower spikes and buds. Sown in January/February they will easily flower during the summer of their first year, and if cut back will often re-bloom. An excellent performer.

Verbascum x hybrida Southern Charm F1

Thanks to successful breeding we can now have the versatile Verbascum in gorgeous pastel shades. Long spikes bear 1in flowers in shades of apricot, dusky pink, cream and lavender-pink over a long period. Use them for bedding (sown in the previous autumn), herbaceous borders and containers. Do not forget that they make fantastic cut flowers too. Height: 660-120cm (2-4ft).

Verbena bonariensis

Tall heads of bright, eye -catching rosy lavender, adding a tranquil tropical feel to borders.

Height: 120-150cm (4-5ft).

Verbena hastata Pink Spires

A stunning Verbena, enhanced by vivid deep pink flowers borne on well branches spikes. Flowers over a very long period. Adds height to borders as well as making a splendid cut flower.

Height: 90-120cm (3-4 feet)

Verbena rigida (venosa)

Dense 5cm (2in) clusters of purple fragrant flowers and dark green leaves. Adds height and interest to bedding displays. Lift tubers in autumn. Height: 30-60cm (1-2ft).