A walk around any allotment at this time of year reflects the passion that the British have for runner beans, and my green-fingered neighbours are keen to point out that it is a very good year for the vegetable in terms of quality and yield.

On the shop floor, Marks & Spencer is promoting the crop as one of several at a seasonal peak. Beans are not just beans, however, and it seems that runners are moving in the same direction as the wide range of varieties that are on offer throughout the year. At M&S, it is exclusive White Lady runners at £1.99 for 160g, which the pack information informs us have been recognised as merit-worthy by no less an august body than the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The odd one out at this time of year always seems to be broad beans, which must still be one of the least attractive packs on the shelf, simply because they come in a range of sizes and, despite the greatest care in the world, the pods are often heavily marked.

Nevertheless, the British vegetable sector is offering more and more choice, with perhaps one of the most outstanding newcomers being chillies, once only the province of the importer. This poses the question, how hot is hot? Do the varying strengths advised by the multiples on packs of chillies relate to a common, standardised scale?

Sainsbury’s green finger chillies from Mozambique are defined as hot on a thermometer on the pack, which identifies Scotch bonnet and then Bird’s Eye chillies as those that will bring tears to the shopper’s eyes.

Perhaps going one better, Tesco has its own unique selling point with Dorset Naga (trademarked) red chillies at 79p for 10g. They are described as “scorching”, and what is equally interesting is a footnote that any comments should be e-mailed to dorsetnaga@f-h.biz

The one very small concern I have is that they are not actually grown in the county to which their name refers. Like several types I have come across in the past few weeks, they come from Bedfordshire, more traditionally associated with sprouts and onions.

Meanwhile, although the first early English apples are being harvested, they still have to compete with the weight of soft fruit and stonefruit coming forward. Strawberries and raspberries have been moving along the varietal route for some time as a way to excite the imagination, and Victoria plums have their own special place in the seasonal calendar.

But peaches, with their mass of varieties and European sources that change virtually every week, are more difficult to identify beyond being white- or yellow-fleshed, and ‘ready to eat’ or not.

M&S, however, has hit on the idea of printing messages on the overwraps, with one example being the “Sooo... Juicy” description splashed on the packaging of its Spanish Perfectly Ripe range, priced at £1.99 for four fruit.

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