Supporting Fleuroselect’s Year of the Carrot, we have added four new varieties to its existing selection.

• RHS AGM winner Carrot Malbec F1 (RRP £3.05 for 350 seeds) is a red long rooted, imperator type. It is perfect for roasting with exceptional flavour. The unusual hue makes it a greatest addition.
• Carrot Gold Nugget F1 (RRP £3.05 for 350 seeds) produces long smooth-skinned yellow roots.
• Exclusive to Mr Fothergill’s, Carrot Volcano F1 (RRP £3.05 for 350 seeds), distinguishes itself with strength and reliability. It is resistant to breakage, splitting and disease.
• For maincrop, Carrot Purple Haze F1 (RRP £3.05 for 350 seeds) provides ‘Nantes’ type, dark purple roots with a bright orange core.

Kale Candy Floss (RRP £2.10 for 50 seeds) features large leaves enveloping a central heart in an eye-catching pink colour. Its leaves are full of flavour and will retain the colour when cooked. It is a vibrant variety that can be grown for both ornamental and edible purposes.

Other vegetable highlights include new and exclusive Dwarf French Bean Red Swan (RRP £3.05 for 100 seeds), a remarkably decorative heritage variety with pink flowers and pink tinged pods.

For high yields of extra fine green pods Dwarf French Bean Nautica (RRP £2.75 for 100 seeds) is a perfect choice, whereas Dwarf French Bean Cala d’Or (RRP £2.75 for 100 seeds) provides large crops of yellow, great flavoured beans.

Among the new flower varieties look at Morning Glory Party Dress (RRP £2.30 for 30 seeds), which produces pink blooms that flower noticeably earlier than other cultivars. This vigorous climber will keep this colour spinning all summer long. Large magenta flowers contrast beautifully with white centres.

• Other new include Brachycome Blue Star (RRP £1.80 for 200 seeds)
• Cornflower Classic Fantastic (RRP £2.35 for 200 seeds)
• Poppy Lauren’s Grape (RRP £2.10 for 500 seeds)
• Silene Blue Angel (RRP £1.80 for 1000 seeds)
• Sweet Pea Balcony Mixed (RRP £2.35 for 25 seeds)
• Sweet Pea Teresa Maureen (RRP £2.35 for 20 seeds)
• Sweet Pea Terry Wogan (RRP £2.35 for 20 seeds)
• Sweet Pea Capel Manor (RRP £2.35 for 20 seeds)

We have strengthened our vegetable seed range with the introduction of nine new and two exclusive varieties for the 2018 season, all of which promise excellent yield and flavour.

Carrot Speedo (RRP £2.29 for 350 seeds) is a fast growing and early maincrop ‘Nantes’ variety which matures 90 days after sowing. It has a uniform, cylindrical shape and smooth skinned roots. This high quality carrot has good external and internal colour and a well-rounded tip at maturity.

In support of Fleuroselect’s Year of the Pepper campaign we have introduced the exclusive Pepper (Hot) Curry Pepper (RRP £2.45 for 10 seeds). It produces 15cm long fruits on compact plants. It is full of hot flavour, can be used both fresh or dried and is at its best when still green or light green.

Another new pepper added to the range is Pepper (Hot) Havana Gold (RRP £2.69 for 10 seeds). It is a vigorous plant, great for large crops of attractive fruits. Havana Gold has the amazing habanero flavour but with half the heat. Perfect fresh or dried and suitable for freezing.

Besides peppers we have also introduced a selection of other varieties including Pea (Mangetout) Sweet Sensation (RRP £2.69 for 150 seeds), well-known for good resistance to mildew. It is an early crop variety producing sweet and crunchy pods.

Broccoli (Autumn) Covina (RRP £2.45 for 50 seeds), quality harvests over a long season. It produces solid, domed heads with medium sized beads.

Carrot Purple Sun F1 (RRP £2.99 for 350 seeds), a maincrop sweet nantes type, with rich purple flesh throughout.

Leek Navajo (RRP £3.49 for 50 seeds), distinguishes itself with extreme hardiness for crops throughout winter, producing long, easy to clean shanks.

Lettuce Thimble (RRP £2.05 for 200 seeds), resistant to bolting and tipburn diseases, producing dense heads of crisp leaves. This mini-romaine type can be cooked, grilled or used fresh in salads.

Tomato Sweetbaby (RRP £2.29 for 10 seeds) is an indeterminate outdoors or greenhouse growing variety that produces delicious and sweet, small cherry-sized toms.

We have expanded our flower range with the introduction of eleven new and four exclusive varieties for the 2018 season, all of which promise colourful backdrops as well as distinctive shapes and blooms.

Verbena Scentsation (RRP £2.69 for 50 seeds) is our own super-scented compact variety. Developed from an unusual specimen discovered by trials manager Brian Talman. An annual verbena not only pretty enough for patio pots, but also has the potential to be a scented star in vases and posies. This half hardy annual flowers from summer to autumn. The plants grow up to 20cm high and create a beautiful carpet of fragrant pink, white and bright purple flowers.

Sweet Pea Lady Salisbury (RRP £2.45 for 20 seeds) is named after the patron of Capel Manor College, Lady Salisbury. Lady Salisbury is a passionate gardener as reflected in the magnificent grounds at Hatfield House. She has visited the Mr Fothergill’s trials ground and demonstrated a keen interest in our work in ensuring the quality of seed supplied. The easy-grow annual is ideal for use on trellis, fences and frames, offering a long summer of colour and fragrance. The classic, highly scented, grandiflora blooms are cream and white, many with picotee edges in blue, pink or lavender. Being long-stemmed it is superb for cutting as well as garden display.

Other exclusive flowers added to the range include: Calendula Orange Flash (RRP £2.29 for 75 seeds enough for 50 plants) which is an uniquely bicoloured, dwarf variety with double blooms in warm tones of orange, apricot and caramel up to 10cm across. Plants are attractive with a nice bushy habit. Adds beautiful colour and style as a cut flower in arrangements. Excellent in landscapes and borders where it exhibits impressive garden performance. Cosmos Double Dutch White (RRP £2.29 for 30 seeds) has large double and semi-double, extremely showy, long flowering blooms. Plants are tall with an attractive bushy habit that makes it an ideal border variety.

Calendula Orange Flash

Cosmos Double Dutch White

Sweet Pea Lady Salisbury

Among the new varieties in our Mr Fothergill’s main seed range are:

Lupin Avalune Bicolour Mixed (RRP £2.05 for 30 seeds),
Marigold (French) Red Knight (RRP £2.29 for enough seeds for 30 plants),
Poppy American Legion (RRP £2.29 for 2000 seeds),
Poppy Maanzaad (Bread Seed) (RRP £2.29 for 1000 seeds),
Sunflower Sun King (RRP £2.69 for 20 seeds),
Sweet Pea Little Red Riding Hood (RRP £2.29 for 20 seeds)
Sweet Pea Turquoise Lagoon (RRP £2.29 for 20 seeds).

Visit your local garden centre for the full range or head over to www.mr-fothergills.co.uk

We are delighted to announce the launch of three new ranges of perennials, adding to our already comprehensive plant offering.

“We are always very interested in plants which attract pollinating insects to the garden and these new ranges of Echinacea, Monarda and Rudbeckia do just the job” says Emilia Merola, Mr Fothergill’s Brand Manager.

Echinacea from the Meadow Mama Series are incredibly prolific with bright and unusual coloured flowers which have perfectly flat petals and prominent central cones in shades of gold and russet brown – easily identifiable for bees and butterflies. The plants reach a height of around 60cm and have particularly strong and sturdy stems. Ideal for the border and quite striking in patio pots. “We are confident this new series is going to be very popular with our customers” comments Emilia. Five varieties are available; Fiery, Innocent, Laughing, Playful and Sweet Meadow Mama, all priced at £12.95 for 3 young plants. A collection of all 5 can be purchased for £18.95 with a collection of 10 (two of each) for £29.90, saving £8.

Sweet Meadow Mama

Playful Meadow Mama

Innocent Meadow Mama

Monardas are much famed for attracting pollinators to the garden and plants from the Bee Series are no exception. Reaching a height of 45cm, plants are naturally bushy, well-branched and totally mildew free – often a problem with older varieties. “Bees and butterflies just can’t resist their sweet nectar and fragrance” says Emilia. “They performed brilliantly in our trials last summer with their strong and bold colours retaining their richness well into autumn”. Three varieties are being offered; Bee Free, Bee Happy and Bee Lieve, all priced at £9.95 for 3 young plants. A collection of all 3 can be bought for £10.95 and a saving of £5 can be made if ordering a collection of 6 (two of each) for £16.90.

Bee Happy

Bee Lieve

Bee Free

Large flowered Rudbeckias are generally associated with annual types and are much loved for their bold colours and insect attracting qualities, whereas perennial varieties are smaller flowered and come in a more limited colour palette. Plants from the new Smiley Series, however, break this mould. Fully perennial, they are a hybrid between an Echinacea and an annual Rudbeckia resulting in plants which are capable of returning year on year with all the vigour, colour and long blooming time of annual types. “Our trials team just loved their bold colours and their ability to flower in just 8 weeks from propagation!” says Emilia. Reaching a height of 50cm, they are ideal for the mid-border and large patio pots. The company is offering three varieties; Blushing, Giggling and Lemon Smiley with 3 young plants priced at £13.95. A collection of all 3 can be purchased for £14.95 and a double collection (two of each) costs £22.90, a save of £7.

Lemon Smiley

Blushing Smiley

Giggling Smiley

The plants in the Mr. Fothergills range come from all over the world – some are developed at the Mr. F trial grounds in Cambridgeshire, some come from nearby nurseries and plant breeders, while others are from Australia, Africa, Asia, the Americas or far flung parts of Europe.

This latest newcomer was discovered almost by chance by Mr. F’s Plant Manager Tom Stimpson. He was visiting a grower in northern Italy last summer, looking over their new varieties, and before he left he was given a secret, behind-the-scenes tour of varieties that were still being assessed. There he spotted this superb new Italian verbena.

“I was hugely impressed by it,” he said, “not only because of its abundant, large flowers, but also by its vigour and habit.  It was as though it had been bred to be grown in a hanging basket because its shape was perfect. Another surprise was its sweet perfume, especially fragrant on that warm and sunny day.”

So, he brought a basket back from Italy – did he have to buy an extra seat for it on the plane? – so that he could assess how it performed here in Britain during the rest of the season. It passed with flying colours and without a hint of the mildew that sometimes ruins verbenas. It was christened ‘Italian Blue’ and is now available to order.

And take a look at the picture. You’ll notice that the individual flowers open in darker, slightly purplish blue tones and then become a clearer blue as they mature creating a lovely harmony of colours. And the tiny white eye gives the flowers real sparkle.

You can order plants of Verbena ‘Italian Blue’ from Mr. Fothergill’s now.  Last order date for this year is 30 April.   ‘Italian Blue’ is not available in garden centres – or anywhere else except from Mr. Fothergill’s.