Eighteen new flower and vegetable varieties have been introduced to the main Johnsons Seeds collection for the coming season. 

Exclusive Echinacea Paradiso Super-Duper leads the flower offering - with an RRP of £2.85 for 10 seeds, the highly unusual blooms double as they mature, for an eye-catching display. 

Larkspur Fancy Belladonna (RRP £2.40 for 300 seeds) is another exclusive for Johnsons this coming season. The annual cousin of the delphinium, these tall upright plants produce elegant stems covered with ornate pretty coloured flowers.

Single coloured California Poppy Lady Marmalade has delicately fluted petals and thrives on even the poorest soil. This quick and easy to grow annual has an RRP of £2.40 for 300 seeds. Cosmos Candyfloss Red (RRP £2.65 for 60 seeds) is a versatile compact variety, ideal for smaller borders or patio containers. Trials have shown it to flower much earlier than many other cosmos types. Limonium Pink Pokers, a half hardy annual with long lasting blooms, is a great flower for cutting and drying. Each packet contains 500 seeds and has an RRP of £2.20.

Unusual Poppy Paeony Lilac Pompom (RRP £2.40 for 750 seeds) has dramatically tousled, double flowers and is an ideal filler for mixed border displays. The seed pods also provide winter interest once the flowers have disappeared. Sisyrinchium Moody Blues, also known as ‘Blue Eyed Grass’, is a semi-evergreen grass-like flowering plant providing stunning displays for the front of borders. RRP £2.40 for 20 seeds. The final new flower for Johnsons is Trachelium Black Knight (RRP £3.65 for 15 seeds), a half hardy perennial, with fast growing upright plants topped with domed, lightly scented flower heads. This variety creates lovely interest in mixed borders or as cut flowers.

New to the vegetable selection is Aubergine Jewel Marble F1 (RRP £3.65 for 10 seeds). Ideal for patio pots it’s a compact variety with plants that produce lots of useful sized fruits with excellent flavour. Johnsons Beetroot Mixed provides a great range of coloured roots, each colour providing a subtly different flavour. The delicious young leaves can also be used – RRP £2.40 for 250 seeds. Another colourful variety, Carrot Harlequin F1 (RRP £2.85 for 500 seeds) is incredibly easy to grow, for deliciously healthy snacks, cooked dishes and salads. A mix of colours, each with a slightly different taste.

Carrot Nerac F1 is a top quality ‘James Scarlet Intermediate’ type. Reliable and productive, it performs exceptionally well in a wide range of soils and conditions. Each packet has 350 seeds and an RRP of £2.85. Another high quality variety, Leek Autora F1 (RRP £3.65 for 30 seeds) is a delicious autumn/winter type producing high yields of easy to clean leeks. With excellent disease resistance it’s also suitable for growing in any region and soil type. New Lettuce Little Gem (Pasatiempo) is a real favourite, with exceptional vigour and crisp, tight heads and a sweet flavour. Ideal for smaller spaces it has an RRP of £2.65 for 500 seeds.

Spinach (Climbing) Malabar (RRP £2.20 for 50 seeds) is popular for its great flavour and productivity in hot summers when spinach usually struggles. Leaves are succulent and can be used in the same way as traditional spinach. New Squash Mashed Potato does exactly what it says on the tin! A low calorie alternative to traditional mashed potatoes, the vigorous plants produce squashes with tasty nutritious flesh. RRP £3.10 for 10 seeds.

Johnsons has added two new varieties to its pea and bean category. Broad Bean Bartek – RRP £2.85 for 50 seeds – is a mid-early variety which is productive and reliable. The full flavoured beans are ideally suited to freezing for later use. Pea Ruselago (RRP £3.10 for 250 seeds) is downy and powdery mildew resistant. The productive plants produce a generous amount of easy to pick pods, each filled with sweet and tasty peas.

The Sarah Raven range from Johnsons offers two new varieties for 2022. Stylish Agrostemma Milas White Queen is one of Sarah’s favourite summer plants in her white garden at Sissinghurst. A white corncockle type, this easy to grow flower is also perfect for cutting. Each packet has an RRP of £2.65 for 250 seeds. Anchusa Blue Angel (RRP £2.65 for 50 seeds) is ideal for the wildlife garden but just as striking in patio pots. With stunningly blue and edible flowers, it will self seed happily.

Microgreens remain as popular as ever for a quick and easy way to add colour and flavour to any meal, all from a kitchen windowsill. Helen Clayton, Brand Manger for Johnsons commented: “We have continued to see excellent sales of our microgreens seeds and seed based kits over the last few seasons. During the last year in particular, people have been looking for different ways to keep occupied and many have enjoyed growing from seed for the first time. Microgreens are perfect for new gardeners as they provide harvests quickly, without the need for outside growing spaces.”

New for 2022, Johnsons has extended their microgreens seed range, introducing eight new varieties, providing added interest and more unusual flavours:

• Basil Lemon has an incredible basil flavour with a fresh lemon twist.
• Basil Red is rich in colour and flavour, delicious in Mediterranean dishes.
• Chervil has a tangy and bright anise flavour, perfect for soups and salads.
• Chicory has mild, non-bitter leaves and is a great addition to salads and sandwiches.
• Mizuna Red is mildly spicy and a favourite for noodles and soups.
• Mustard Oriental produces great looking, full-flavoured spicy leaves.
• Pak Choi has tender leaves and adds interest to salads and stir-fries.
• Spinach Komatsuna is a favourite in Eastern cooking, with oriental leaves and a tangy spinach flavour.

All are ready to harvest within a month and have RRPs from £2.65 to £3.65.

Johnsons is offering a new style hot spot stand for the 2022 season which presents all 16 microgreens seed packets on hooks, along with space to display 36 growing trays. 

To find out more about the Johnsons range, log on at www.johnsons-trade.com or telephone 01638 554111.