Phaseolus vulgaris 'Ellegance' (French Bean) – Dwarf Bush Bean Plants (12 Plants in 2 x 6-Cell Trays)

French bean 'Ellegance' is a compact, high-yielding bean for growing your own at home, with tender, flavoursome pods over a long summer cropping season. You get 12 young plants, growing in 2 plastic 6-cell trays with one plant to a cell, which gives you a head start over sowing from seed.

Grown as a dwarf, bushy plant, it is described as needing no tall support, so it suits kitchen gardens, allotments, raised beds and containers on a patio or balcony. Picking the pods regularly while they are young and tender keeps the plants cropping for longer, and sowing or planting in succession gives a steadier supply from summer into early autumn.

French beans are not hardy and frost will kill them, so plant out only once all risk of frost has passed. Choose a warm, sheltered spot in full sun with well-drained, fertile soil or good peat-free compost. Pot the plants on or plant them out into the garden or a large container, water regularly in dry spells, and water more once the pods begin to set. Feed with a balanced fertiliser once flowering begins.

Raw pods and beans are harmful to people and dogs if eaten, so cook them before eating.

Cultural Information

• Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris 'Ellegance'
• Common Name: French Bean, Dwarf French Bean, Bush Bean
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 40-50cm tall and 30-40cm wide
• Growth Habit: Compact, bushy dwarf bush type
• Perfect For: Kitchen gardens, allotments, raised beds, patio containers
• Planting Position: Full sun, warm and sheltered
• Soil Type: Well-drained, fertile soil or quality peat-free compost
• Hardiness: Not hardy, plant out after the last frost
• Seasonal Interest: Cropping July to October
• Type: Annual vegetable