Runner beans are one of the most beautiful sites on a vegetable garden in July and August. Climbing high up a wigwag of bean poles with beautiful red and white flowers, runner beans can look stunning. So good in fact that many people choose to grow them simply for decoration.

The hardest part of growing runner beans can be picking the pods at the right time, when young and tender as flat pods, when they can be topped, tailed, chopped into pieces, and then boiled or steamed.