Mediterranean Veg

Aubergine 'Black Beauty' – Seeds (Solanum melongena)

The classic Black Beauty aubergine is a time-honored variety producing large, glossy, deep-purple fruits with tender flesh and rich flavor. Compact and reliable, it’s a favorite for home gardeners and a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. Perfect for grilling, roasting, baking, or adding to curries and stews, this aubergine is as versatile as it is delicious.

How to Grow

• Sow seeds indoors from January to April in trays or pots.

• Sow 0.5 cm deep in moist compost, keeping warm at 20–25°C.

• Transplant seedlings into larger pots when big enough to handle.

• Harden off and plant out in a greenhouse or sunny, sheltered spot once frosts have passed.

• Support plants as they grow and keep soil moist.

Key Features

• Classic heirloom aubergine variety

• Large, glossy, deep-purple fruits

• Rich, tender flesh with excellent flavor

• Reliable and high-yielding

• Suitable for greenhouses, polytunnels, or warm outdoor sites

Ideal For

• Mediterranean cooking

• Roasting, grilling, frying, and stews

• Greenhouses, polytunnels, or sunny patios

• Home gardeners seeking a proven classic

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: January to April (indoors)

• Depth: 0.5 cm

• Transplant spacing: 40–50 cm

• Harvest: August to October

Quick Tip

• Pinch out the growing tip when the plant reaches about 30 cm to encourage bushier growth and more fruit.

Greek Oregano – Seeds (Origanum hirtum)

Greek Oregano (Origanum hirtum) is a robust perennial herb, prized for its intensely aromatic leaves that are essential in Mediterranean cooking. Known for its strong flavor, it is a must-have for seasoning pizzas, pasta, roasted meats, and vegetables. Easy to grow and drought-tolerant, it also produces clusters of small white flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.

Why Grow Greek Oregano?

• Classic Mediterranean herb with strong, authentic flavor

• Hardy perennial, easy to maintain

• Drought-tolerant and thrives in poor soils

• Attracts bees and pollinators when in bloom

Key Features

• Type: Perennial herb

• Height: 30–60 cm

• Spread: 30–45 cm

• Flowering: June–August

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Light, well-drained

Ideal For

• Culinary herb gardens

• Mediterranean and rock gardens

• Container growing

• Pollinator-friendly borders

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April in trays/pots

• Germination: 10–21 days at 18–22°C

• Transplant outdoors: After frost risk has passed

• Direct sow outdoors: May–June

• Spacing: 25–30 cm apart

• Harvest leaves regularly for best flavor

Tip: Trim plants after flowering to keep them compact and encourage fresh growth.

Artichoke ‘Violet de Provence’ – Seeds

(Cynara cardunculus) – Perennial Globe Artichoke

The ‘Violet de Provence’ is a classic French heirloom artichoke renowned for its beautiful purple-tinged flower heads and gourmet flavor. This perennial vegetable produces compact, tender buds that can be harvested young as a delicacy or left to bloom into striking thistle-like flowers for the pollinators. Hardy and long-lived, it is both ornamental and productive, making it a superb choice for kitchen gardens and edible landscapes.

Key Features

• Type: Perennial vegetable

• Heads: Purple-tinged, compact, tender

• Flavor: Rich, nutty, gourmet quality

• Height: 120–150 cm

• Position: Full sun, sheltered spot

• Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained

Ideal For

• Gourmet vegetable gardens

• Edible landscaping and ornamental borders

• Cutting gardens (flowers can be dried)

• Mediterranean-style gardening

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April, in pots or trays.

• Plant out: May, after the last frost, spacing 90–100 cm apart.

• Harvest: From the second year, June–August.

Care Tips

• Mulch well to retain soil moisture.

• Remove side shoots for larger main heads.

• Protect crowns in winter with straw or fleece in colder climates.