9 colourful carrots for the kitchen

‘Samurai’ or ‘Red Samurai’, F1

This is said to have a sweeter flavour than its orange cousins due to its sugary core. It contains lycopene, the same healthy antioxidant found in tomatoes. The pink flesh under the red skin holds its colour well after cooking. Sow: March-July. Harvest: July-November.

‘White Satin’ F1

These white maincrop carrots grow to 8in (20cm) in length within four months. They are sweet and juicy and have a smooth texture. ‘White Satin’ is said to be one of the finest white varieties. A good choice for containers. Sow: April-June. Harvest: August-November.

‘Purple Haze’ F1

This carrot grows vigorously and stores well. Its heavy roots have a smooth purple skin and outer flesh with an orange core. ‘Purple Haze’ is a Nantes hybrid, with which it shares a crunchy texture, and is great for grating into salads. Sow: March-July. Harvest: June-November.

‘Flyaway’ F1 AGM

‘Flyaway’ was bred to be more tolerant of carrot fly. It has smooth skin and blunt ends, along with a natural sweetness. It has been awarded the Award of Garden Merit by the RHS. It can be sown and harvested early. Sow: March-July. Harvest: June-November.

‘Gold Nugget’ F1

This is a new F1 hybrid of the ‘Nantes’ type. It is yellow right to its core, with crisp and delicious flesh, smooth skin and healthy looking green foliage. It is a later maincrop cultivar that’s easy to grow. Has high levels of antioxidants. Sow: MarchJune. Harvest: August-December.

‘Purple Sun’ F1

This has purple skin and flesh, and a sweet flavour. It’s a ‘Nantes’-type hybrid that grows vigorously with good resistance to disease. The purple doesn’t fade when cooked and it contains healthboosting anthocyanins. Sow: March-July. Harvest: June-November

‘Malbec’ F1

This maincrop ‘Imperator’ type has long slender roots and a good flavour. It’s a vigorous grower not prone to bolting. Roots are red, with both the flavour and colour intensifying with roasting. A good source of antioxidants. Sow: March-July. Harvest: June-November.

‘Blanche à Collet Vert’

This heirloom variety is aromatic and tasty, and some describe it as ‘sweet and juicy’. Its large roots store well. It grows from 16-47in (40-120cm) in length. There is some evidence that this carrot is less attractive to carrot root fly. Sow: March-June. Harvest: June-October.

‘Deep Purple’ F1 AGM

This new ‘Imperator’-type cultivar is said to keep its purple colour better than other darker varieties and has a tender texture. Its feathery leaves look good in the garden. The RHS is so impressed it’s given it the Award of Garden Merit. Sow: March-July. Harvest: June-November.