GARDENERS could soon be able to grow a heritage broad bean thanks to the work of two local residents.
Steve and Gill Bullock and followed in the footsteps of four generations of their family by nurturing the Uncle Maurice’s variety in their vegetable plot.
And now it could become available for others to grow thanks to the Heritage Seed Library.
As part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund two-year Sowing your Seeds project, the green-fingered couple have passed the precious beans on to the National Collection of Heritage Vegetables, based at Garden Organic near Coventry.
The broad beans are named after Gill’s uncle Maurice, whose father Andy was a First World War veteran.
In the 1930s, Andy was working as a maintenance man for the Nielsen family at Kiora House in Norton on Tees and became friendly with the gardener, who gave Andy a parcel of broad bean seeds that he’d been growing since the early 1920s.
After the death of his father, Maurice continued to grow them – even after emigrating to Canada. His daughter Judith also raised Uncle Maurice’s beans before Steve and Gill inherited their own packet of the precious family heirloom 20 years ago.
Steve said:
“We were chuffed to bits to be trusted with Maurice’s legacy and continue this little bit of horticultural history
“It was a bit of a responsibility, of course, but we felt proud we could carry on the family tradition that has spanned more than 100 years.
“It’s fantastic to be able to pass them on to the Heritage Seed Library so other gardeners in different parts of the UK can continue to grow and enjoy them for years to come.”
Catrina Fenton, head of the Heritage Seed Library, said:
“We are thrilled Steve and Gill wanted to share this bean with its wonderful backstory as part of our project.
“It is always a joy to hold the seed and a privilege to be part of conserving Maurice’s legacy.
“The cultivated biodiversity secured and shared by the Heritage Seed Library is a real testament to those – like Maurice and his family – who have carefully grown and saved seed from valued plants.”
For more details on the historic seeds project visit gardenorganic.org.uk/seed-search.
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