Pisum sativum 'Capucijner'

Peas are easy to grow, producing masses of pods loaded with sweet-tasting peas that can be eaten raw or cooked, and used in salads, stir-fries and as a traditional accompaniment to meat dishes. The sweetness of peas quickly diminishes after picking, so it's best to eat them as soon after harvesting as possible.

There are many pea varieties to choose from, ranging from early maturing peas that can be sown in autumn and are ready to harvest in June, to maincrop cultivars that don't mature until October. Dwarf varieties don't need staking but produce fewer pods, while sugar snap and manetout peas are the easiest to grow.

Pisum sativum 'Capucijner' is a fantastic heirloom pea, bearing purple-blue pods of large olive-green peas – perfect for use in soups and stews. A highly ornamental variety, 'Capucijner' flowers are pink-white, making it the ideal choice for ornamental borders as well as the vegetable patch.