Cool beans! We picked the best bean varieties for both classic and container gardening
Homegrown beans are a seasonal luxury. There’s plenty to choose from, whether you want towering climbers or short, bushy varieties. Would you go for the red-and-white-speckled ‘Borlotto Rosso,’ the decorative ‘Hestia,’ or some other lovely bean variety?
Low-growing bean varieties
1. Snap bean ’Nassau’
A medium-early variety that can be harvested a couple of months after sowing. Its 15–17 cm pods are stringless, tender, and soft. Mature seeds are white.
2. French bean ’Mascotte’
An easy-to-pick variety with crisp, long, narrow pods. It’s suitable for growing both in the ground and in large pots. The white flowers add a decorative touch.
3. French bean ’Purple Teepee’
A vigorous, high-yielding variety. Its dark purple pods turn dark green when cooked. Mature seeds are light brown.
4. Bush bean ’Borlotto Rosso’
A special gem for bean lovers. Both the seeds and pods sport bold red-and-white speckles that resemble chili peppers in appearance. The pods, however, still taste unmistakably like beans.
5. Runner bean ’Hestia’
This low-growing variety stays under half a meter tall, making it suitable for both vegetable beds and containers. Its striking two-tone flowers also offer decorative appeal.
6. Bush bean ’Primel’
A popular, hardy, and high-yield variety. Its dark green, stringless, straight pods are easy to pick and can grow to about 20 centimeters. The seeds are dark brown.
7. French bean "Harplinge"
A Swedish heirloom preserved in the Nordic gene bank. It has purple flowers, and even when the pods grow large, they remain stringless. Mature seeds are nearly black.
8. Wax bean ’Golden Teepee’
A medium-early, high-yield bean variety with yellow, tender pods. It’s also gentle on the stomach, which could make it suitable for those prone to bean-related digestive discomfort.
9. Wax bean ’Beurre De Rocquencourt’
An old French variety with stringless pods of about 15 centimeters that form outside the foliage. A freezer-friendly variety.
10. Bush bean ’Sanguigno’
A lush-growing bean variety with broad, flat pods that feature a marble-like red pattern against a pale green background. The seeds themselves are red but turn green when cooked.
11. Common bean ’Yin Yang’
This variety can be harvested easily while the pods are still developing. If the seeds have already swollen, it’s best to harvest only those which feature the bean's quirky signature pattern.
12. French bean ’Maxi’
An early, prolific, and flavorful bean variety. This bean is especially easy to harvest because the pods form on the outer edges of the foliage. Organically produced seeds are also available.
Tall bean varieties
13. Pole bean ’Neckargold’
This variety produces long, golden-yellow pods that are both eye-catching and tender. Like other pole beans, it climbs up, making it a prolific producer in a small space.
14. Runner bean ’Celebration’
This fast-growing variety features delicate salmon-colored flowers that blend beautifully with more vibrant bean varieties on the same support. The green pods are best when about 20 centimeters long.
15. Runner bean ’Painted Lady’
An English heritage variety dating back to 1855, with lively blooms that pop against the foliage. Ideal for both vegetable and flower gardens, especially in a cottage garden-style setup.
16. Runner bean ’Lady Di’
This runner bean has warm red flowers and vines that can reach up to five meters tall. Keep an eye out when harvesting, as the green pods often hide among the leaves. This variety also has strong disease resistance.
17. Pole bean ’Blauhilde’
A prolific, robust, and healthy old German variety. It makes quite a statement with its dark stems, purple-red flowers, and violet pods, which can reach up to 30 centimeters.
18. Pole bean ’Borlotto Linqua di Fuoco 2’
A climbing version of borlotti beans, featuring the typical red-marbled pods and seeds. This variety doesn’t grow quite as tall as other pole beans but still needs support.
