Native to Europe, Bloomsdale spinach is an old variety renowned for its hardiness in the garden and its delicate flavor. Prized for decades, it graces vegetable gardens throughout spring and autumn with its beautiful, large, curly leaves.

In the garden, Bloomsdale proves to be generous and hardy, able to withstand cooler temperatures while offering tender leaves with a slightly sweet flavor. It plays an essential role in crop rotation and vegetable diversity, enriching salads and cooked dishes with deliciousness.

Native to the tropical regions of South Asia and India , Malabar spinach , also known as purple basella , is a perennial climbing plant cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. Once a staple in tropical vegetable gardens, it has now become a popular choice for kitchen gardens worldwide thanks to its elegant shape , vigorous growth , and glossy, purple-tinged leaves .

In the garden, it grows quickly and climbs enthusiastically on trellises, fences, or vertical supports , forming truly productive vines . It tolerates summer heat admirably and provides a continuous harvest of fleshy, slightly mucilaginous leaves , perfect raw in salads or cooked like spinach . In hot, humid climates, it is a valuable plant for summer crops , where regular spinach struggles to grow.

Strawberry spinach is a cool-climate annual that thrives in rich, moist, well-drained soil . It can be sown directly in May or August , and the leaf harvest begins about two months later , continuing throughout the season.

From late spring onwards, thin stems that can reach 1 meter bear discreet green flowers , which then transform into edible, decorative and slightly juicy red pseudo-fruits from July to October .

It grows best in full sun , but in warmer climates, partial shade and a good layer of mulch are recommended to prevent water stress. It's ideal for filling gaps in the garden with an edible and unique touch.

Giant Winter spinach is a hardy variety known for its high cold tolerance and ability to produce early in spring. It forms large, thick, dark green leaves with a fleshy texture and mild taste, particularly appreciated after cool periods.

Designed for late-season cultivation, this spinach slowly develops its rosette before winter, then resumes vigorous growth as soon as conditions improve. This strategy allows it to offer early harvests at a time when few other leafy vegetables are available.

In the garden, Giant Winter thrives in rich, well-drained soil that is kept consistently moist. It adapts very well to late summer or early autumn sowing, as well as to protected cultivation. Its slow but steady growth promotes thick, well-structured leaves that are less prone to bolting than summer varieties.

Caucasian climbing spinach, Hablitzia tamnoides , is a perennial native to the cool, rocky undergrowth of the Caucasus. Long cultivated as a hardy leafy vegetable in mountain gardens, it naturally finds its place in ecological gardens where the aim is to combine edible abundance with sustainable ground cover.

In the garden, this plant forms a perennial clump from which, in spring, long climbing stems emerge, clinging to a trellis or spreading over a support. Its tender green, elongated heart-shaped leaves offer edible young shoots reminiscent of spinach. In a partially shaded corner, at the foot of a fence or shrub, it creates a discreet yet faithful presence, participating in the garden's cycle by returning each year from its well-established root system.

Thanks to its ability to vertically occupy space in cooler areas, it contributes to a harmonious garden where plant layers complement each other. It's a reliable plant for anyone wishing to create a vibrant and diverse garden, requiring careful cultivation and offering excellent consistency throughout the seasons.

Originating from the temperate regions of Eurasia , Verdil spinach has become a staple in vegetable gardens , for both amateur and professional gardeners. It is prized for its supple, deep green leaves , its mild and delicate flavor , and its natural resistance to cold , making it a choice leafy vegetable as soon as the first frosts arrive .

In the garden, Verdil is a generous and fast-growing plant , perfectly suited to cool climates like that of Quebec . Its low, dense growth habit effectively covers the ground, limiting weeds while promoting biodiversity . Its easy cultivation, requiring no special care, makes it a reliable ally for gardeners seeking simplicity and productivity .

The red alpine strawberry is a perennial variety prized for its delicate fruit and intense aroma. Unlike large-fruited strawberry varieties, it produces small, conical, bright red strawberries with a highly fragrant taste reminiscent of wild strawberries. Their flavor is concentrated, sweet, and slightly tart.

The plant forms compact clumps of bright green, toothed leaves that spread gently over the seasons. With little or no vining habit depending on the variety, it devotes its energy to flowering and fruiting rather than producing stolons, making it easy to integrate into vegetable gardens, borders, and container gardening.

In the garden, the red alpine strawberry is robust and adaptable. It thrives in rich, well-drained soil that is kept consistently moist, and prefers a sunny to partially shaded location. Production is extended over a long period, often from early summer until the first cool weather, provided it is harvested regularly.

Native to the mountains of Europe , the alpine strawberry 'Yellow Wonder' is a small botanical marvel that delights with its creamy-yellow fruit , boasting very sweet and fragrant flesh . This alpine variety, which does not produce runners , is prized for its compact, bushy habit , making it perfect for borders, planters , or as a perennial ground cover in eco-friendly gardens.

In the garden, 'Yellow Wonder' proves to be a discreet and generous companion , offering abundant and continuous harvests throughout the season, right up until the first frosts . Its natural hardiness and ability to thrive in light, well-drained, and undemanding soils make it an ideal plant for vibrant and resilient vegetable gardens .

Its nectar-rich white flowers attract numerous pollinating insects , enhancing local biodiversity. When ripe, the fruits fall to the ground on their own, signaling their peak flavor — but they must be eaten or processed quickly , as their fragility is also part of their refinement.

'Yellow Wonder' embodies a form of wild and rare indulgence , inviting contemplation, careful gathering, and wonder at simple gardens.

Born from the millennia-old agricultural heritage of the Andes and adapted to the needs of modern gardeners, the Henderson Bush Lima Bean embodies the alliance between nourishing tradition and ease of cultivation. Its compact, bushy shape, requiring no staking, makes it an ideal choice for small gardens, container gardening, or urban vegetable patches.

This old cultivar, introduced to North America in the late 19th century, is prized for its hardiness, drought tolerance, and continuous production. It thrives in light, well-drained soils under ample sunshine, where it forms a dense ground cover that protects the soil. Its inconspicuous flowers herald full pods, each containing up to four plump, melt-in-your-mouth seeds.

An ideal companion plant, it enriches the soil with nitrogen, promotes microbial biodiversity, and embodies a form of sustainable and resilient food crop, perfectly integrated into a nourishing ecological garden.

Native to central and eastern North America, the ground-climbing bean, also called bracteole amphicarpus , is a graceful and unique plant belonging to the Fabaceae family.

A perennial with flexible growth and twining stems, it clings to natural structures or neighboring plants in the garden, rising with a confident lightness. It is perfectly at home in shady corners, damp edges, or transitional gardens, where it integrates effortlessly into the cycle of life.

Its unique botanical feature lies in its dual fruiting: inedible aerial pods and edible underground seeds resembling small peas. It enriches the soil with nitrogen and promotes a thriving root system. A perfect partner for permaculture, it combines discretion, hardiness, and resilience, while supporting valuable biodiversity.

The Grandma Dinel climbing bean embodies much more than a simple vegetable variety: it is a living testament to a family legacy passed down with care and affection. Its story begins in 1907, when Maximilienne Corbeil Dinel received, as a wedding gift, a packet of beans she affectionately called "her runners." She immediately adopted them, sowing them every year in her vegetable garden in Chénéville, in the Outaouais region. Even at over 94 years old, she continued to cultivate them with the same unwavering dedication, faithful to a silent but tenacious tradition.

It was her granddaughter, Judith David, who in 2008 took up the mantle of preserving this memory by entrusting these seeds to the Jardins de l'écoumène (Gardens of the Ecumene), concerned that they would not be forgotten. Despite research carried out in collaboration with the Potagers d'antan (Vegetable Gardens of Yesteryear ), the exact origin of this variety remains a mystery. It is therefore in homage to Maximilienne that this bean now bears the name Grand-maman Dinel (Grandma Dinel ).

In the garden, this climbing or trellising variety displays delightful vigor. The stems quickly rise to form a living web, an arch of memories to climb, flowering relentlessly until the first frosts. The long, pale yellow, flattened pods spread gracefully, containing plump berries to be harvested just before they are fully ripe—a key moment to avoid a mushy texture.

This hardy and generous bean naturally finds its place in a heritage vegetable garden. It loves to climb, reaching for the light, as if to tell its story again and again, season after season.

Yardlong beans, also known as asparagus beans, are a plant that never goes unnoticed. As soon as they establish themselves, they transform the garden into a vertical stage, where long, slender, elegant pods hang in verdant cascades. Some reach impressive lengths, sometimes nearly a meter, giving the plant an almost sculptural appearance.

Native to the tropical regions of Asia and Africa, this bean belongs to the large family of climbing legumes adapted to warm climates. Its mild flavor is reminiscent of both green beans and asparagus, especially when harvested young. It is at this stage that its texture is at its most tender and enjoyable in cooking.

In the garden, the asparagus bean is a vigorous and expansive plant. It requires sturdy supports to fully express its potential, as it can climb up to three or four meters high. When it receives warmth, plenty of sunshine, and regular watering, it produces abundantly over a long period.

In the ecumene, yardlong beans are particularly valued for their ability to combine productivity, aesthetics, and culinary uses. They integrate naturally into vertical gardens, living trellises, or temporary structures, where they serve as both a food source and a design element. When cultivated with care, they reward the gardener with a generous and spectacular harvest, provided they pay close attention during the picking process.

Native to Central America, the Monte Gusto climbing bean embodies the ingenuity of vertical gardening, where every square meter is showcased with artistry. This variety is distinguished by its vigorous, slender growth habit, its stems twining securely around supports, and its long, golden-yellow pods measuring up to 20 cm. The dense foliage and discreet flowers create a microclimate favorable to pollinators and beneficial insects in the garden.

Resilient, productive, and generous, Monte Gusto adapts easily to both small spaces and large vegetable gardens. Its rapid growth and continuous flowering make it an excellent choice for extended harvests until the first frosts. It also adds a vertical and luminous touch to ecological landscaping, actively contributing to soil fertility through natural nitrogen fixation.

Native to North America, the Northeaster climbing bean stands out with its slender form and exceptional vigor. This heirloom variety, prized for its productivity, has been passed down through generations, contributing to bountiful summer harvests for gardeners here.

In the garden, its supple, climbing stem twines easily around supports, unfurling dense, dark green foliage that creates a slender and generous silhouette. Highly productive, it yields flavorful, long, and thin pods, ideal for those who love fresh vegetables for cooking or preserving. This bean is a valuable ally, structuring the verticality of the garden and promoting space-efficient landscaping.

In a communal garden, this variety embodies dynamism and resilience; it thrives among other crops, promoting biodiversity and soil fertility thanks to its nitrogen-fixing capacity. A generous and sociable plant, perfect for gardeners whose patience is rewarded.

Native to North America, the Rattlesnake climbing bean has earned a prominent place in vegetable gardens for its long, green pods streaked with purple. In a thriving garden, it quickly grows tall, twining steadily around its supports to form a nourishing curtain that peacefully accompanies the cycle of the seasons.

Its beautifully mottled, drooping pods immediately stand out in the privacy of the vegetable garden. Harvested young like string beans, they offer a generous contribution to the kitchen; left to mature, they yield flavorful dried beans. This is a reliable, productive, and adaptable variety that integrates naturally into a diverse growing environment, where each plant participates in a harmonious relationship with the soil, wildlife, and the gardener.

The Rocquencourt Butter dwarf bean is a heritage variety of French origin, renowned for its reliability and the remarkable quality of its pods. The compact plants, with their upright growth habit, quickly form neat and easy-to-maintain rows, typical of well-structured dwarf beans.

They produce tasty, smooth, uniform, golden-yellow beans, generally measuring 12 to 17 cm in length. These pods are free of parchment, the tough fiber sometimes found on certain beans, giving them a particularly tender and pleasant texture, even at a slightly later stage of harvest.

In the garden, Beurre de Rocquencourt stands out for its exceptional performance, even under more demanding growing conditions. This variety demonstrates good tolerance to humid and relatively cool climates, where other beans may struggle to produce. This hardiness makes it a reliable choice for unpredictable seasons or vegetable gardens subjected to prolonged periods of rain.

Harvested regularly, it offers a generous and consistent production, ideal for gardeners looking for a reliable, tasty butter bean that is easy to integrate into a vegetable rotation.

In the local area, the Rocquencourt Butter bean is seen as a reliable plant. It embodies the qualities of well-selected heritage varieties: consistency, adaptability, and the simple pleasure of successful harvests, even when conditions are not ideal.

Native to North America, the Black Valentine dwarf bean is a heritage variety that combines refinement and efficiency in the garden. Prized for its glossy black beans, resembling small ebony pearls, it evokes both the aesthetic simplicity and the bounty of traditional vegetable gardens.

Its bushy, compact, and elegant habit makes it a wise choice for small spaces, containers, or mixed planting borders. It offers discreet flowering followed by short, light green pods containing shiny seeds when ripe. Early-maturing and robust, it tolerates varying conditions well and is easy for gardeners to grow without staking. Its ability to fix nitrogen also makes it a valuable ally for naturally enriching the soil.

Originating in France, the Comtesse de Chambord dwarf bean embodies the refinement of old gardens and the richness of a seed heritage to be preserved. A descendant of period kitchen gardens, it evokes the orderly plots of château gardens, while also appealing to modern gardeners seeking elegance, gentleness… and flavor.

Its compact, bushy habit, adorned with medium-green foliage, reveals long, straight, glossy pods. Inside are small, white seeds of exceptional culinary quality. But the Comtesse is not without its demands: it is capricious with the first spring frosts and dislikes overly cool mornings. While it may appear fragile at the beginning of the season, it thrives magnificently under a tunnel or in a sheltered location, where warmth and attention provide it with peace of mind.

When cultivated with care, it yields one of the most tender and melting flesh imaginable, rewarding the attentive gardener with a generous harvest of rare refinement. A precious, delicate yet reliable variety, it invites us to rediscover the gentle touch and the pleasure of cultivating slowly and lovingly.

Originating in Central America, the cradle of bean domestication for millennia, this mixed dwarf bean blend brings together three of the most popular vegetable varieties, carefully selected for their vigor, flavor, and beauty. This combination of shapes, colors, and textures offers a vibrant display from sowing to harvest, blending green, yellow, or purple pods with beans in a variety of hues.

In the garden, this mix proves to be a true ally for nourishment. Thanks to its compact habit and rapid growth, it integrates easily into small spaces, container gardening, or crop rotations. Each plant contributes to soil enrichment through nitrogen fixation, while respecting the principles of the Ecumene Approach. Robust, easy to maintain, and productive, it charms gardeners with its aesthetic appeal as much as its usefulness. This mix is ​​an invitation to cultivate diversity to strengthen the resilience of organic vegetable gardens.