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Scarlet runner beans, Phaseolus coccineus, are traditionally the bean of choice in Britain, for eating as a green bean. My father, who grew only the one vegetable, grew runner beans every year. He had a trellis which remained in place at the bottom of our garden and the beans were his pride and...

I'm growing La Vigneronne as a network bean. It's a bean with splashes of red on the pods. Of the four plants I have, one is throwing plain green pods and is more vigorous that the true plants. I wondered whether there are any other reports of this stock of La Vigneronne having crossed or not...

When I was using just unsupported cane teepees, they regularly had to be rescued with guy ropes and heavy stakes. The whole garden became crisscrossed guy ropes and you couldn’t get down the paths for access or mowing. Not satisfactory! Eventually I constructed some wooden frameworks to support...

That really is a work of art. I love it! But unfortunately I think we must have stronger winds than in New England, as we seem to need thicker posts and more bracing to withstand the occasional gale force winds we get once or twice a season.

Very pleased to have this history as I’m growing Noir de Belgique too - from the same source. Thanks for the great research.

Interesting. How big a block do you go for? My concern would be that it might be more difficult to get to the pods in the centre of the block for picking?

The weather here in eastern UK has also been quite kind. No late frosts, some good soaking rains about 10 days ago, and now warm. I agree that Dow Purple Pod is fast growing and racing ahead. For me too it is leading the race up the poles (followed by Mantra).

Could it be a Viburnum? Viburnum dentatum, for example.

After a lot of trouble with voles and mice I now use a lot of plastic water or milk bottles with the top and bottom cut off. These make a tall collar which I hold in place with a stick or cane. It’s made a great difference. I guess it only works for transplants.

YEs, I do remember and did wonder whether it was growing conditions. The seed I received was indeed a bit more coloured, somewhere between yours and mine perhaps. For comparison - mine, donors, yours..... I rather like yours!

I grew the bush bean Squaw this year and found it healthy and productive. It's difficult to find out much about it thoughexcept that I think it has been offered by Sandhill Preservation Centre at some point. Also looking back at past Easy Garden threads, I find that you received it in 2016...

I grew Mona Lisa last year from seed supplied by Bohnen-Atlas. It's very beautiful but wasn't very productive for me.

Thank you! Yes, I was intrigued by the Mascherina del Cadore which seems to mean Mask from Cadore. I don't think I've met a bean with that kind of bi-colouring where the coloured section is so clearly stripy. I'm also interested in what the definition of a borlotto bean. I guess they are...

And another one: Mascherina del Cadore

This year I had some P. vulgaris varieties from a swap with an Italian grower. It's really difficult to find any information about some of the varieties he sent me, and some of them didn't thrive. But the ones below are all pole beans which I really enjoyed and which did very well. I wonder...

I think my soil in England tends to bring out the white in beans quite well. I grew Pawnee this year and the seed produced has a good amount of white. I could have sent some, Russ, had I known it’s one which varies quite a lot. But actually I like the heavier speckling in your 2014 crop.

Hi from England too. I imagine like me you’re probably hoping the rain/snow stops soon. Do you have any beans you’re specially looking forward to growing?

Yes, the Czechoslovakian I grew is also a pole bean.

Your Veitch Wonder seems to be the same as one I have from Bohnen-Atlas called Nain de Veitch. I believe Nain de means dwarf or bush. Nain de Veitch is also a hybrid with Phaseous coccineus.

Interesting. Another naming mystery. Heritage Seed Library in UK has an entirely different bean named Czechoslovakian which I grew this year. It was also prolific but not Romano type.