can I grow runner beans and french beans together?

I am growing my beans exactly the same way & also found the leaves were very pale- but they responded well to feeding & are looking much better now. What is your soil like?French bean flowers are lilac, tho' runner usually red. But I daresay there are other varieties - does anyone else know?

I doubt that growing the beans together is the problem... possibly the heat?

You can get white-flowered runner beans, as well.

The only problem is that (in normal cool summers) the runner beans will completely overwhelm the French beans as the foliage is far denser and the runners more vigorous. But as the French tend to crop earlier, and the runners are at their best in the autumn, it doesn't matter too much.

Too true, Bertiefox! I grew them on a wigwam last year & the French beans were completely stifled. So this time I've put the canes in ridge tent style, with French on one side & runner at the other, and Borlottis at the bottom. The runners are growing fastest but the others aren't competing for space & look fine.