Its vibrant stems in shades of yellow, red, orange, pink and white make it a fabulous addition to a salad or steamed as a hot vegetable and is a good alternative to spinach - and has a wow factor planted at the front of a flower bed.

If you want winter leaves sow in late summer in an open site on fertile, moist soil, sowing thinly into a wide drill. Hoe regularly to keep the area weed-free and water well during dry weather, although the plant will withstand some drought once it is well established.

Cover the plants with cloches during the winter for the best leaves. Swiss chard is best cut little and often. It will bolt in warm weather or if it's not regularly cut, but is pretty strong and can be chopped back to produce good leaves again. Large leaves should be harvested for cooking as you need them, but don't cut too close to the plant.

The tough stalks should be cooked separately as they take longer to cook than the leaves, or chopped up and thrown in the steamer a few minutes before the leaves. Alternatively, chuck the chopped stalks into a stir-fry for colour and interest.

Good varieties include Bright Lights' and Rhubarb Chard'.