"Cat" wrote:

Also, I am looking for slightly unusual (i.e. not readily available in
shops) but easily grown veg I could put in right away for either Winter or
Spring?


Try oriental greens such as mizuna, green-in-snow and giant red mustard.
These will normally produce usable leaves before winter sets in and,
depending on conditions, may well continue yielding modest pickings
right through into spring. Turnip tops develop quickly and are good
stir-fried. I'd also recommend some slightly less exotic winter salads
such as land cress, lamb's lettuce and various chicories. These are all
pretty easy to grow. Chard may still be worth sowing now but will
probably only really get going next spring. The further north you are
(I'm in London myself) the more beneficial it may be to give the plants
some protection using horticultural fleece or plastic.

--
Max Wright
www.wys-systems.demon.co.uk/plotcrop