Basil is the perfect herb to grow from seed if you're a keen cook and enjoy serving fresh tomato dishes with an extra fragrant kick.
Sweet peas make ideal cut flowers, as many varieties are fragrant. Sow the seeds in 3-inch pots or seed trays, filled with seed compost mixed with 10% grit.
Broad beans are a fantastic plant for beginners, and kids and grandchildren will enjoy seeing the plants grow and gathering the crop.
Although they take a long time to mature, starting parsnips early can lead to a successful harvest.
This leafy green can withstand cooler temperatures and can be sown in January for an early crop.
Starting onion and shallot seeds indoors in January can lead to an early summer harvest.
These can be started indoors and planted out under cloches or in a greenhouse.