NEW Varieties for 2025!
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Cosmos 'Apricotta'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** An electric combination of apricot orange and lavender pink. These are show stoppers with a bit of rustic charm. Their big blousey blooms have jagged edges, often combined with a delicate inner circle of petals, similar to 'Fizzy White'. They often stop us in our tracks as we're walking through the field. Like all cosmos, they attract a tonne of bees and beneficial insects to your garden. Sow: Mar-April undercover, May-June outside. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing at 30cm. Wait until risk of frost has passed. Harvest: Pick stems when flowers are half open. 60cm stem length. Vase: Expect a vase life of 5 days. Cosmos bipinnatus0.5g (approx 75 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Germ: 83% Sept 25 All cut flower seeds are subject to 20% VAT which is added at checkout. If your order contains VAT-able goods, 20% VAT is also charged on shipping.
£2.85
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Tomato 'Uralski Ranniy'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Let me introduce you to the winner of our 2024 outdoor dwarf tomato trials! Uralski Ranniy is a Russian heirloom tomato which performs extremely well for us in South West England. It produces mini-beefsteak tomatoes, the size of a salad tomato but beautifully ridged. They are excellent eaten fresh but come into their own when they're cooked down into sauces or fried for breakfast. Happy growing outside, and will yield well in a sunny spot. Sow: March, with heat (25C) Harvest: July-September Kitchen: Pairs with savoury (anchovies, capers, cured pork), aromatic (basil, coriander, thyme), spicy (anise, clove, cinnamon), fats (avocado, cream cheese). Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Solanum lycopersicum Germ Rate: 88% Oct 25
£2.55
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Orlaya grandiflora (Lace Flower)
Gorgeous lacy umbels of fresh white flowers which add a touch of romance to your borders. Excellent cut flowers through spring to mid-summer. Blooms are very versatile in the garden and in the vase. As with all umbellifers, they are very popular with pollinators and autumn sowing provide vital nectar for bees in spring.Sow: September-October for overwintering seedlings. Sow undercover or outside Mar-May, depending on soil conditions. Loves to be sown direct into the soil. Seed needs to be exposed to cold to germinate well.Plant: 30cm apartHarvest: Expect 60cm stem length.Vase: Pick when two thirds of the flowers on umbel are open. Vase life of 7 days.1g (approx 50 seeds) Germ 73% Aug 25
£1.50
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Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist'
'Green Mist' produces a profusion of billowing, cloud-like blooms. The umbels can be picked when small and green or once they've began to sparkle with little white flowers. They are extremely popular pollinators. Ammi visnaga is taller than its close relative Ammi majus. The plants are tall and stately, growing to at least 1m tall. They are generous flowerers and make a real impact when grown on mass. Sow: September-October for overwintering seedlings. Sow undercover or outside Mar-May, depending on soil conditions. Loves to be sown direct into the soil.Plant: 30cm apartHarvest: Expect 60cm stem length.Vase: For best vase life, pick when two thirds of the flowers on umbel are open. Vase life of 10 days. N.B. Poisonous to livestock. Sap can cause skin irrigation in some people. 0.25g (approx 300 seeds)Germ: 71% Aug 25
£1.25
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Spring Onion 'Lilia'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Lilia is a lovely little spring onion - vibrant red, right to the core. Leaves are a deeper shade of green than most spring onion varieties. We love to harvest this variety once it has begun to bulb up. The gorgeous, shiny salad onions have a mild flavour, lending themselves to be eaten raw. Sow: Feb-March undercover, April-July outside. Sow clusters of 10 in modules or sow direct 5cm apart. Stagger sowings every 8 weeks for continuous supply. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing, plant clusters 20cm apart Harvest: June-October Kitchen: Best used in salads or slowly caramelised. Notes: Keep cool while germinating. Temperatures above 20C inhibit germination. Allium cepa 1.5g (approx 375 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Germ Rate: 92% Sept 25
£1.95
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Tomato 'Gardeners Sweetheart'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Gardener's Sweetheart is an overachiever. It produces trusses as long as your forearm, laden with cute red tomatoes, shaped like anatomical hearts. Unusually for most heirloom varieties, Gardener's Sweetheart has a high resistance to splitting so you can leave whole trusses of tomatoes to ripen before picking them. The tomatoes have a lovely firm texture (they make great sauces too) and sweet flavour. As with many tomatoes, the flavour of this variety is deadened with over-watering. Once plants are established, water the absolute bare minimum (if growing in open ground) and you will be rewarded with the sweetest fruits. Gardeners Sweetheart is a vining, (indeterminate) variety which is best grown undercover, grown up strings - either in the ground or in containers. Sow: March, with heat (25C) Harvest: July-September Kitchen: Pairs with savoury (anchovies, capers, cured pork), aromatic (basil, coriander, thyme), spicy (anise, clove, cinnamon), fats (avocado, cream cheese). Approx 20 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Solanum lycopersicum Germ Rate: 100% Oct 25
£2.55
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Sweetcorn 'Golden Bantam'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** The OG heirloom sweetcorn variety which is the ancestral parent of many hybrid varieties. It is early and sweet with satisfyingly large yellow kernels. Sweetcorn is one of the best vegetable varieties to grow because the ears are so much sweeter when picked fresh. Plant in a block rather than row to ensure good pollen circulation and full kernels. Our favourite way to eat it is rubbed with lemon, salt and chilli then barbecued or grilled. Sow: April-May (undercover), end May-early June (direct) Plant: 2 weeks after sowing into warm soil, 45cm apart. Harvest: September Kitchen: Boil, grill or barbecue. Pairs with spice (chilli, paprika), salty (soy sauce, capers, feta, bacon), aromatics (coriander, thyme), citrus (lime). Notes: If growing in modules, plant seedlings promptly - they don't like to get pot bound. 10g (approx 40 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Zea mays Germ Rate: 85% Oct 25
£1.95
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Mangetout Pea 'Carouby de Maussane'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** A fabulously large podded heirloom mangetout, originating from the south of France. Brilliant to grow with kids because the sweet, 12cm long pods are easy to spot and pick. The peas keep on the vines for ages before they get starchy or stringy. Unlike most modern pea varieties, Carouby de Maussane produces long vines (up to 1.5m) and has an extended harvest season - ideal for home gardeners. Sow: March to May outside Harvest: June - July Kitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli). 18g (approx 100 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Pisum sativum Germ Rate: 96% Oct 25
£2.25
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Tagetes 'Cinnabar'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** An exceedingly elegant French Marigold, with long stems, aromatic foliage and deep red flowers edged with gold. They are extremely easy to grow (and save seed from) and extremely useful in a cut garden. One sowing will give you buckets of foliage followed by bunches of richly coloured flowers. Cinnabar is a Great Dixter original (go visit this garden if you haven't already) - selected from a particularly tall specimen found in their borders. When I say tall, I mean tall - Cinnabar reaches 1.2m, so don’t plant it in between your tomatoes! Give it its own area of the garden to flourish in. Sow: Mar-April undercover, May-June outside. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing at 30cm. Wait until risk of frost has passed. Harvest: Pick stems when flowers are half open. 60cm stem length. Vase: Expect a vase life of 7 days. Approx 100 seeds Germ 85% Oct 25 All cut flower seeds are subject to 20% VAT which is added at checkout. If your order contains VAT-able goods, 20% VAT is also charged on shipping.
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Blooming Prairie'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Finally, a deep purple bean that actually tastes good! The pods are slender, slightly flattened and beautifully straight. They start off as soft lilac flowers which are something to be appreciated in their own right. As with most purple vegetables, the purple colour disappears once they're cooked. Fun while it last though, and the beans are easy to spot when you're harvesting. Blooming Prairie is a dwarf French bean and the plants will grow to 30cm off the ground - no need to stake. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). Notes: Sow a second succession in June for continuous harvest. Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 80% Oct 25
£2.25
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Winter Squash 'Black Futsu'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** The daintiest winter squash we grow! The plants are much less brutish than other varieties, co-existing well with the other plant life in your vegetable patch. The squashes themselves are small too - rarely weighing over a kilo - making them the perfect size to roast whole. Fruits have a creamy texture and thin, digestible skins so no need for peeling. If the season is long, the fruits will mature to a dusty orange - pick at any stage. Sow: April (undercover, ideally at 21C), late May outside Plant: end May, 60cm spacing Harvest: Sept-Oct Kitchen: Roasted whole. Pairs with fats (hazelnuts, peanut, walnuts, goats cheese, feta), citrus (lemon, lime), aromatics & spices (coriander, sage, rosemary, thyme, chilli). Notes: Protect early plantings from frost. approx 15 seeds Cucurbita moshata Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
£2.25
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Orach 'Rose Gold'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** An opportunity to grow a very rare, dual-use variety. Orach is a drought resistant plant, producing very tasty salad leaves and cooking greens, not dissimilar to spinach. Rose Gold produces zesty green leaves on pink stems. When the plant goes to seed, the party really begins, with tall, pink and gold spangly seed heads. Use fresh, dry or just enjoy the sound of them rustling in the wind. Plants come back best when self sown - allow at least one plant to self sow for next year's supply. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing at 30cm. Wait until risk of frost has passed. Harvest: Young leaves for eating. Pick stems when flowers are half open. 60cm stem length. Vase: Expect a vase life of 7 days. Approx 100 seeds. We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Atriplex hortensis
£2.55
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Tuscan Kale 'Nero di Toscana'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** A kale that needs very little introduction. Nero di Toscana has a reputation for being the kale of choice for any gardening gourmet. The long, deep green leaves are more tender than standard curly kales with a flavour that sweetens after the first frost. A Tuscan heirloom which has been bred to withstand both hot and cold temperatures, you can harvest this kale from late summer to early spring. Sow: March-April (undercover or outside with fleece or cloche) Plant: May, 45cm apart Harvest: Late summer- early autumn Kitchen: Roast, steam, sautee or braise. Pairs with acidic flavours (lemon, white wine), fats (sesame, bacon, chorizo, walnuts, parmesan), alliums (garlic, leeks), aromatics & spice (mustard, cumin, parsley, coriander, ginger, chilli). Notes: To avoid massive cabbage heads, grow no further than 45cm apart. As with all brassicas, plant deep to avoid toppling 0.5g (approx 150 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Brassica oleracea Germ Rate: 97% Oct 25
£1.95
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Courgette 'Costata Romanesco'
If you can call a courgette bodacious, then Costata Romanesco is the one. Big bold plants, with flowers bright and brazen, it really is something to behold. This Italian heirloom has been bred to produce exceptionally large flowers - perfect for stuffing with goats cheese, dipping in batter and frying. The courgettes themselves are also second-to-none. Beautiful striped skins, firm texture and nutty flavour.You’ll only need one or two plants to feed a family. Grow a couple more and you’ll be feeding the whole street. Sow: April (undercover, ideally at 21C), late May outside Plant: end May, 60cm spacing Harvest: July-Sept Kitchen: Slow cook, BBQ or roast. Pairs with fats (pine nuts, goats cheese, ricotta, feta, halloumi), citrus (lemon) salty flavours (capers, olives, anchovy, bacon), aromatics (coriander, dill, basil, marjoram). Notes: Protect early plantings from frost. This variety has a tendency to develop yellow patterns on the leaves. This is a quirk of the variety, not a defect or disease. ~15 seeds Germ 92% Oct 25
£2.75
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Cornflower 'Black Ball'
Cornflowers are some of the most robust cut flowers out there - they thrive in poor soil and are rarely bothered by pests and diseases. They attract a wide range of pollinators to your garden and I often find them covered with hoverflies.Flowers are edible - sprinkle the petals in salads or in cocktails.Sow: September-October for overwintering seedlings. Sow undercover or outside Mar-May, depending on soil conditions. Loves to be sown direct into the soil.Plant: 4 weeks after sowing at 30cm.Harvest: Expect 60-80cm stem length.Vase: Pick when flowers are beginning to open for vase life of 5 days.1g (approx 200 seeds)Germ 79% Aug 25
£2.25
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Sweet Pepper 'Lesya'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** A very tasty sweet pepper with lipstick-red, heart-shaped fruits. Lesya is often touted as being one of the sweetest peppers around, we're a little dubious of the title, but what we will say is that Lesya reliably produces very tasty peppers with thick flesh, thin skins and rich flavour. And they're very popular with kids. Despite their compact size, these plants don't take well to being grown in pots. Sow: Valentines day to end March, with heat (25C) Harvest: July-September Kitchen: Pairs with savoury (olives, bacon, cured pork), aromatic (parsley, coriander, oregano, ginger), spicy (paprika, cumin, cinnamon), fats (avocado, soft cheese, eggs). Notes: Grow in greenhouse or similar. Stake plants using a tripod method - they don't get very tall but branches are liable to snap under the weight of their fruit. Approx 20 seeds We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Capsicum annuum Germ Rate: 78% Oct 25
£2.55
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Spring Onion 'Ishikura'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Vibrant green leaves a top long, slender white stems with no bulbing. Ishikura is a fantastically robust and frost hardy Japanese variety with a crisp texture and mild onion flavour. Awarded an RHS AGM for its vigorous growth. Sow every couple of months for harvests throughout the year. Sow: Feb-March undercover, April-September outside. Sow clusters of 10 in modules or sow direct 5cm apart. Stagger sowings every 8 weeks for continuous supply. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing, plant clusters 20cm apart Harvest: Year round Kitchen: Best used in salads or slowly caramelised. Notes: Keep cool while germinating. Temperatures above 20C inhibit germination. Allium fistulosum 1.5g (approx 375 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Germ Rate: 91% Sept 25
£1.85
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Spinach 'Matador' Seeds
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** A robust, slow-to-bolt spinach with beautiful deep green leaves. If you're looking for a spinach to succession sow throughout the year - this is the one for you. Sow in successions every 4-6 weeks from March until September. Awarded the prestigious RHS AGM for its thick, succulent leaves and upright growth habit. As with all spinach varieties, Matador is high in vitamins A and C. Sow: March to Sept. Sow early sowings undercover. Plant: densely for baby leaves, 20cm for greens Harvest: 4-8 weeks after sowing Kitchen: Eat young leaves fresh, mature leaves just wilted. Pairs with citrus (lemon, lime), aromatics and spices (basil, turmeric, cumin, chilli), alliums (spring onion, garlic, garlic chives), fats (sesame, cashew, bacon, feta). Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece. Succession sow for continuous supply. Spinacia oleracea 5g (approx 460 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Germ: 82% Aug 25
£2.25
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Rare Seeds Vegetable Seed Gift Collection | Heirloom Eco-Friendly Seeds for UK Gardeners | Gourmet Christmas Present
Our vibrant collection of rare, heirloom vegetable seeds make an excellent gift for the nature-friendly kitchen gardener in your life. Our Rare Seeds Luxury Vegetable Seed Gift Collection has been carefully curated by Ellen to offer something new to the gourmet gardener. Locally adapted to UK growing conditions, most of the varieties in this collection have been saved on our 3 acre farm in Dorset, giving you the best chance of kitchen garden success! ***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Broccoli 'Piracicaba' Climbing French Bean 'Marvel of Venice' Perpetual Spinach 'Verde da Taglio' Physalis 'Mary’s Niagra' Shallot 'Cuisse de Poulet du Poitou' Salad Rocket 'Astro' Cucumber 'Mideast Peace' Why buy this collection? Rare & Gourmet Seeds: Features 7 unusual varieties, all grown and selected for flavour. Many of the varieties and selections we offer aren't available anywhere else - perfect for the gardener who has everything! UK Sourced & Adapted: Our seeds are selected for their resilience and ability to thrive in the British climate, giving you the best chance of success! Most of our varieties are produced on our organically managed, 3 acre farm in Dorset. Sustainable & Eco-friendly: We only sell open-pollinated & heirloom varieties (no F1 hybrids) which means you can save your own seeds for the next year. A Thoughtful Christmas Present: Sharing seeds over the darkest months of the year is an ancient tradition we can all be part of. Our gift collections are beautifully packaged in a plastic-free, eco-friendly gift bag made from recycled cotton - perfect for anyone who wants to experience the joy of growing your own produce. Gift mindfully this Christmas and give a gift that grows! Our Rare Seeds Luxury Vegetable Seed Collection is the ultimate Christmas gift, putting flavour back into the kitchen garden and inspiring joy, hope and growth in the year ahead.
£20.00
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Lettuce 'Maravilla de Verano'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Maravilla de Verano was the stand out lettuce in our 2025 lettuce trial (one of the driest summers on record). While all the other varieties had bolted or turned bitter, this beauty stayed luscious, succulent and sweet. It's a glorious Batavian type with large green leaves, tinged with red. A standout variety for summer salad production and great for gardeners who tend to forget to water their plants. Sow: Feb-May undercover, May-July outside. Stagger sowings for continuous supply. Plant: 4-6 weeks after sowing, plant 20cm apart Harvest: Feb-April Kitchen: Best used in salads. Notes: To make the most out of your space, you can sow/plant 10cm apart then harvest every other plant leaving the remaining half to head up. Do not let seeds get hot when germinating. 15C is ideal, anything above 18C encourages seed dormancy. 0.25g (approx 200 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Lactuca sativa Germ Rate: 100% Sept 25
£2.25
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Dwarf French Bean 'Faraday'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** The best dwarf french bean we've found for delectable, fine green beans. The beans are straight, narrow - what we think of as a true French bean, quite different from thicker green bean varieties. The plants are upright with strong growth to support heavy harvests. Like many dwarf varieties, Faraday has been bred to produce abundant beans over a few weeks. Sow a second succession for late summer harvests, or a later maturing variety such as Dior. Sow: April undercover, May-June outside Plant: 30cm apart Harvest: July-September, pick regularly. Kitchen: Cook lightly and pair with savoury (parmesan, bacon), aromatic (tarragon, ginger), acid (white wine, lemon), fats (olive oil, almonds). 7.5g (approx 45 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Phaseolus vulgaris Germ Rate: 94% Sept 25
£2.25
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Drying Pea 'Carlin'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** A true British heirloom, dating back to 12th century and hailing from the North of England. Once a staple, today they are most frequently found doused in salt and vinegar. They are as delicious as they sound. Carlin peas are traditional drying peas, grown to harvest and eat as a pulse rather than the sweet fresh peas we're more familiar with. Grow these fuss-free plants and feel the wholesome satisfaction of loading up your store cupboard with home grown pulses this winter! Sow: March to May outside Harvest: June - July Kitchen: Steam or sautee. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, onions, shallots), fats (butter, feta, smoked fish, bacon), aromatics (mint, dill, parsley, chilli). 18g (approx 100 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Pisum sativum Germ Rate: 98% Oct 25
£2.25
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Chard 'Fireworks'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Fireworks makes a beautiful addition to your garden (vegetable or ornamental) and a very nutritious addition to your plate. You can 'eat the rainbow' by growing just one variety! It's a celebration of colour and diversity. You'll find stems in icy white, canary yellow, zesty orange, and cerise red with leaves ranging from verdant green to deep burgundy. Say goodbye to uniformity and say hello to diverse form and colour. This is a diverse interbreeding population of plants rather than a single variety. If you dig up a seed cluster as its germinating and you'll see different coloured shoots stretching out of a single cluster. Each cluster is made up of several individual seeds, each with their own unique genetics. What a joy. Sow: April (undercover) & July (outside or undercover) for continuous supply. Plant: 4 weeks after sowing, or sow direct. Harvest: Baby leaves in 6 weeks, big leaves in 8-10 weeks. Harvest outside leaves. Kitchen: Eat baby leaves raw and cook older leaves - steam, sautee, or braise. Cook stems a little longer than leaves. Pairs with acid (lemon, balsamic vinegar, lime), fats (goats cheese, walnuts, coconut milk, butter), salty (olives, feta, parmesan), aromatics (chilli, nutmeg, dill, fennel, thyme). 3g (approx 150 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Beta vulgaris var. cicla Germ Rate: 84% Sept 25
£2.25
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Carrot 'Little Fingers'
***COMING NOVEMBER 1ST*** Little Finger is one of the best carrots to grow with children. They are fast growing, sweet tasting and a very satisfying size. The medium-long roots grow up to a finger-width wide (hence the name) so they are ideal left whole and crunched as kids snacks or crudites. Unlike most carrot varieties, Little Finger is specifically adapted to clay soils - one to try if you’re still trying to grow your first straight carrot! Sow: May until mid-July, direct sow. Harvest: At least 12 weeks from sowing. Kitchen: Roast, braise or eat raw. Pairs well with acid (balsamic, white wine, lemon), aromatics (cumin, dill, mint, thyme, rosemary, coriander, ginger, chilli), fats (sesame, olive oil), alliums (leeks, garlic). Notes: Sow late May to early June to avoid carrot root fly. 1g (approx 800 seeds) We pack seeds by weight, the number of seeds in a packet is an estimate. Daucus carota
£1.75
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