Scottish growing tool

Broad Beans Variety Selector: Which One For Your Garden

Every recommendation below traces back to our full Broad Beans varieties comparison — this page is the fast route to one answer for your specific situation, no clicking through required.

If: I want to sow in autumn and overwinter → Yes, exposed, windy, or a container/raised bed

The SuttonAGM

A compact, bushy habit at roughly 35-45cm, needing no staking, the reason to reach for this one on an exposed or windy site or in a container or raised bed. The trade-off is a lower H3 hardiness rating.

If: I want to sow in autumn and overwinter → No, it's a sheltered spot or I want to sow in autumn and overwinter → Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice or Not sure, just give me the safest all-round choice

Aquadulce ClaudiaAGM

The best overall pick for most Scottish gardens: it carries the highest hardiness rating (H5) of the four and is named specifically for autumn sowing and overwintering outdoors, giving it the widest safety margin if a winter turns severe.

If: I can only sow in spring

Witkiem ManitaAGM

The variety most associated with a straightforward spring sowing: a fast-maturing type, H4 hardiness, sown from February under glass or March/April outdoors for an early summer harvest without needing to gamble on overwintering.

If: I want a heritage variety with big pods

Dreadnought

A heritage type with blue-green foliage and pods carrying seven or eight beans, more per pod than either Aquadulce Claudia or The Sutton. RHS's individual plant page and general growing page disagree on AGM status: the plant page shows no badge, the growing page lists it in a table of AGM varieties, an unresolved discrepancy.

Answer these as a quick wizard instead →
Broad Beans growing guide →Full Broad Beans varieties comparison →

Try another crop

Link copied

Copy this link