Red Rum Is Just One Of The Runners In Mr Fothergill's Aintree Celebration

Wednesday 16th March 2011

The words ‘Red Rum’, ‘Aintree’ and ‘Celebration’ now stand together as naturally in the vegetable garden as they once did in horse racing, for all three are the names of runner beans which Suffolk seedsman Mr Fothergill’s has introduced to its range for the 2011 season. The company is launching 10 runner beans new to its range, all of which are British-bred to crop well in UK conditions.

Runner Bean Red Rum is an early cropper with flowers that set well even in hotter summers to yield heavy crops of delicious beans up to 10in (25cm) long. Aintree smooth, fleshy pods can grow even longer and are virtually stringless when young. A packet of 45 seeds of either variety costs £2.99. Celebration (£2.99 for 40 seeds) has attractive pink flowers and would look good growing up a ‘wigwam’ of canes in the flower border. Its beans are long, straight and succulent. Red Rum, Aintree and Celebration have all been given an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society for their excellent performance.

Also new for 2011 are Runner Beans Wey and Wisley Magic. Wey is exclusive to Mr Fothergill’s and has the ability to self-pollinate to some extent, helping the flowers to set in hot, dry summers. The pods are of excellent quality, being long, slender and straight. A packet of 40 seeds of Runner Bean Wey costs £2.99. Runner Bean Wisley Magic gives heavy crops of almost stringless pods, has a long harvesting period and, rather appropriately, an AGM from the RHS. A packet of 45 seeds costs £2.99.