Versatile, easy to grow and packed with fiber, protein (including the amino acid lysine) and numerous other nutrients, beans can produce all summer and may be eaten fresh or stored for many months. Thriving in the garden or containers, beans are grown in two ways: vining (pole bean seeds) or mounding (bush bean seeds), boasting an array of colors, flavors, shapes and sizes. The three main bean groups are snap or string (eaten pod and all), green bean seeds (intended to be eaten young) and dry bean seeds (meant to be eaten after the seeds inside have dried out).