Sunshine yellow, golf ball sized tomatoes which are always the earliest to ripen. A great tomato to kick off the season and for areas with a cooler climate. This British heirloom dates back to 1890s and produces prodigious quantities of delicious, juicy salad tomatoes. Like all yellow tomatoes they have a mild, fresh flavour - perfect for salads.
Sow: March, with heat (25C)
Harvest: July-September
Kitchen: Pairs with savoury (anchovies, capers, cured pork), aromatic (basil, coriander, thyme), spicy (anise, clove, chilli, cinnamon), fats (avocado, cream cheese).
Notes: Potato-leaved variety - broader leaves than standard tomatoes.
~15 seeds
Germ 96% Aug 25
Often the best things in life are found in unlikely places. Who would have guessed that earliest and most productive pepper would hail from the warm Middle Eastern gardens of Turkey? Not us. But Turkish Dolma produces bountiful harvests of sweet, palm-sized peppers from July to September. The peppers are blocky with shiny skins which turn from green to red.Turkish Dolma has been bred to be picked green and stuffed ('dolma' is Turkish for 'stuffed) then baked. We find them very versatile peppers in the kitchen. Roast the young fruits whole and eat them seeds and all; fry them up for breakfast menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs) or let them ripen fully for the perfect snack pepper.Sow: Valentines day to end March, with heat (25C)Harvest: July-SeptemberKitchen: 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.
~ 20 seedsPepTDma-00135-WNO-C
Germ: 82% Aug 25
The sweet, tender-leaved basil variety from the homeland of pesto A.K.A. Genoa. These plants produce bountiful leaves which can be harvested young to use in salads or whizzed up into pesto to top pizzas, pastas and minestrone soup. A classic basil variety which we grow alongside our tomatoes every year. We find basil benefits from rich soil and a little shade. Remember it grows very happily in containers too - perfect for a sunny kitchen window sill.Sow: mid March-July (at around 22C)Plant: 20-30cm apartHarvest: 8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or just wilted. Think pizza, pasta, pesto (and soup).Notes: Bolted plants bring in a tonne of pollinators. Best grown undercover for unblemished foliage.~0.5g/300 seedsGerm 80% Jul 25
An early spring treat for anyone who loves butterhead lettuces. Leaves are bright green, buttery soft, lightly dimpled and pleasantly sweet from growing in the cool. A key addition to my quest for a year round supply of butterhead lettuces! Harvest as a looseleaf salad mix by harvesting individual leaves or wait until for the dense heads to form in early spring.Lettuce is a very ancient crop, originally domesticated by the ancient Egyptians for its seeds and sap which were used as a pain killer and sedative. The Romans went on to cultivate lettuce for its leaves and used it as a braising green.Sow: Sept-November undercoverPlant: 4-6 weeks after sowing, plant 20cm apartHarvest: Feb-AprilKitchen: Best used in salads.Notes: Best grown undercover. 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 in early spring. Do not let seeds get hot when germinating. 15C is ideal, anything above 18C encourages seed dormancy.
Also available in our 'Cool Greens' winter salad seed collection. Download our Winter Salads Growing Guide to learn more about growing winter greens.
~200 seeds/0.25gLetWcp-00029-KNG-OGGerm 70% July 25
Our pick for a classic salad rocket - green, lobed leaves with strong peppery flavour. A fast growing, vigorous variety which works well as a cut-and-come-again salad leaf. It bolts faster than our other salad rocket variety 'Astro' which is slower growing. Ideally, you'll sow this variety thickly in successions. The flowers are a delicious salad ingredient too. It makes a flavoursome addition to salads from autumn until early spring. Sow: mid March-May & Aug-Sept (undercover or outside)Plant: densely for baby leaves, 20cm for salad leavesHarvest: 4-8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or just wilted. Pairs with citrus (lemon, balsamic vinegar), aromatics (basil, dill, mint) and spices (chilli), salty (capers, olives, feta), fats (blue cheese, goats cheese, pine nuts).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece. Sowings bolt around the solstice.~1g/500 seedsRocVic-00112-CNS-CGerm 98% Aug 25
Uber has all the vigour of a salad rocket with wild rocket flavour. It adds another dimension to a salad mix. Plant grow fully upright, even in winter, making them easy to harvest. It makes a flavoursome addition to salads from autumn until early spring. Leave to bolt - the flowers are delicious and provide early forage for pollinators.Sow: mid March-May & Aug-Sept (undercover or outside)Plant: densely for baby leaves, 20cm for salad leavesHarvest: 4-8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or just wilted. Pairs with citrus (lemon, balsamic vinegar), aromatics (basil, dill, mint) and spices (chilli), salty (capers, olives, feta), fats (blue cheese, goats cheese, pine nuts).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece. Sowings bolt around the solstice.~1g/500 seedsRocUb-00110-CNS-CGerm 95% Aug 25
Thai Sweet Basil is a delight to grow for three reasons. Firstly, it is the perfect herb for Southeast Asian dishes, adding a complex bitter-sweet-spicy aroma to your cooking. Secondly its a glorious scented filler for flower arrangements - shiny green leaves, plum purple stems and a sweet anise scent. Thirdly, pollinators love it - leave it to flower and you can enjoy watching the bees buzzing around it all day.Its easy to grow but as with all basil, its best to grow it in a greenhouse or cloche for blemish-free leaves. If growing outside, wait until the soil and nights are warm before planting.Sow: mid March-July (at around 22C)Plant: 20-30cm apartHarvest: for leaves 8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Use fresh or cooked. Pairs with aromatics (lemongrass, coriander, mint), spices (ginger, cinnamon, chilli), fats (coconut milk, cashew), citrus (lemon, lime).Notes: Best grown undercover for unblemished foliage.~0.5g/200 seedsGerm 71% Jul 25
As far as we're concerned, no productive garden is complete without a few nasturtiums romping around the place. Kaleidoscope is a vigorous mix with flowers in a jolly array of cream, peach, yellow, red and of course orange. Enjoy the peppery flavour of the flowers and leaves all summer long. Don't be afraid to cut the plants back if they stray into neighbouring beds.Nasturtiums are a joy to have in your garden and a hardworking companion plant. Aphids (particularly blackfly) love nasturtiums and will colonize them preferentially - saving your vegetable plants from attack.Sow: March - MayPlant: 4 weeks after sowing at 30cm apartHarvest: 8 weeks after sowing - will continue to produce all summer. Smaller leaves have a milder flavour.Kitchen: Eat fresh in salads or whizz up into a salsa verde or pesto. Pairs well with alliums (garlic, shallots), salty (parmesan, capers), acid (lemon, pickles) fats (pinenuts, parmesan, oily fish), sweet flavours (pear, apple), aromatics (parsley, coriander, basil).~30 seeds
68% Oct 25
Stridolo (A.K.A. Sculpit) is the cultivated form of wild plant Bladder Campion. It's a beautiful Italian heirloom which we love to grow as a delicate addition to salad mixes. The glaucous green foliage is very elegant. Leaves are succulent with a mild flavour - a little aromatic with a mild, pleasant bitterness. One sowing will last you the year. We also love the dainty white flowers for cutting.Sow: April-MayPlant: 4 weeks after sowing once soil has warmedHarvest: 8-10 weeks after sowingKitchen: Use fresh or just wilted. Used in Italy as part of a bitter greens mix, in pasta and egg dishes.~0.25g/400 seedsSaLStr-00120-CNS-CGerm 99% Sept 25
Healthy, vibrant and flavoursome flat leaf parsley. Bred by Bingenheimer Saatgut, this variety has been selected for beautiful uniformity, cold hardiness and year-round leaf quality. The name translates to 'Easy cut' and this variety is as at home in a productive market garden as it is on an allotment. It's shorter than 'Italian Giant' giving a higher ratio of leaf to stem. Sow: March-April undercover, May outside. Early August sowing for overwintering.Plant: 6 weeks after sowingHarvest: 8-10 weeks after sowingKitchen: Parsley is a balancing herb which pairs with nearly anything.Notes: For best quality overwintered leaves, grow in a greenhouse or polytunnel or protect with fleece.0.5g / ~200 seeds
Germ 83% Aug 25
Pizzo is a lovely broad-leaved salad mustard with squiggly serrated edges. It adds verdant volume to winter salad pickings. Its visually similar to 'Green in Snow' but much milder. Definitely our preference for a productive winter salad leaf.Sow: mid March-May & Aug-Sept (undercover or outside)Plant: densely for baby leaves, 20cm for salad leavesHarvest: 4-8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or stir fried. Pairs with citrus (lemon, lime, ponzu), aromatics and spices (turmeric, ginger, five spice, chilli), alliums (spring onion, garlic, garlic chives), fats (sesame, cashew).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece. Sowings bolt around the solstice. Long harvest period, particularly over winter - you'll have greens from October into spring.
Download our Winter Salads Growing Guide to learn more about growing winter greens.~1g/450 seedsGerm: 88% Sept 25
Purple Top Milan is bred to grow fast and be eaten young. Harvest when they are ping pong sized and cook whole - skins and all. We are really happy with this selection of the variety - the roots are beautifully flattened with excellent bright violet colouring. They have a nice firm texture and well-balanced flavour. Turnips excellent way of making use of any gaps in the vegetable garden which begin to show in late summer. It's worth having a packet of seed spare just in case!Sow: Valentines day-March (undercover), July-August (direct)Plant: multisow and plant 20cm apart or sow direct and thin to 5-10cm apart.Harvest: 6-8 weeks from sowingKitchen: Eat fresh, pickled or stir fried. Pairs with acid (lemon, lime, ponzu, balsamic, wine), aromatics and spices (coriander, ginger, five spice, chilli, thyme), alliums (spring onion, garlic), fats (bacon, sesame, cashew).~1g/450 seedsGerm 996% Aug 25
***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
Life is about the little things and having fresh herbs on hand is a joy. Grow a pot of chives and you'll have an abundant supply. They are generous producers which will happily self seed and bulk up year on year. Your bagel with cream cheese will never be without a sprinkling of chives.Sow: Direct sow into pots March-September (undercover or outside)Harvest: Lightly harvest 12 weeks after sowingKitchen: Pairs with proteins (eggs, fish, ham), fats (avocado, cream cheese), aromatics (chervil, basil, coriander, tarragon, parsley).Note: Chives are herbaceous perennials and die down over winter. They self-sow and clumps will bulk up. You can divide them in spring.~0.25g/ 200 seeds
Germ 78% Jul 25
Introducing your Christmas dinner Brussels sprout variety! Groninger produces classic green, dense sprouts from November to December. Unlike F1 varieties, Groninger crops over a longer period of time so you won't get overwhelmed by sprouts. Its tried and tested mid-season sprout variety which has been awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the RHS. This means they've trialed it against lots of other varieties and found it to be exceptional. Classic sprout flavour - earthy, with a hint of bitterness which mellows in cool weather. Try them roasted - its by far the best way to eat them. Oh, and don't miss out on the sprout tops - the rosette of leaves at the top of the plant which resembles a cabbage - it's our favourite part of the plant!Sow: March-April (undercover or outside with fleece or cloche)Plant: May, 60cm spacingHarvest: Nov-Dec Kitchen: Roast, bake, braise or shred fresh sprouts into salads. Pairs with acidic flavours (lemon, balsamic vinegar). fats (bacon, ham, blue cheese, parmesan), nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts), aromatics (parsley, thyme).Notes: Plant deep and firm plants in very well to avoid toppling.~0.5g/125 seedsGerm 94% Aug 25
***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
***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
***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
Mizuna is one of the most popular winter salad leaves out there. It produces succulent, green winter leaves with a mild, peppery flavour. It is more vigorous than the other winter salad leaves we offer and very frost tolerant. A brilliant bulker for winter and early spring salad mixes. Sow: mid March-May & Aug-Sept (undercover or outside)Plant: densely for baby leaves, 20cm for salad leavesHarvest: 4-8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh, pickled or stir fried. Pairs with citrus (lemon, lime, ponzu), aromatics and spices (coriander, ginger, five spice, chilli), alliums (spring onion, garlic, garlic chives), fats (sesame, cashew).Notes: Early sowings benefit from fleece. Sowings bolt around the solstice. Long harvest period, particularly over winter - you'll have greens from October into spring.1g / ~450 seedsGerm 94% Aug 25
Celeriac 'Monarch' is a substantial winter vegetable with a subtle, refined taste. This variety produces large, smooth roots which are *relatively* easy to clean. Sow early, plant shallow and keep watered during the summer and you'll have nice big roots to harvest in the autumn. They store really well and make a great addition to the winter vegetable menu. We use them to make creamy soups and remoulades. We also love to grow them in the veg garden because they are fantastic at opening up heavy soils - their extensive root networks penetrate far down into the soil.Sow: March-April with heat (18C) or April in a greenhouse. Light aids germination - lightly cover seeds with fine compost or vermiculite. Seeds are small so it's easiest to broadcast sow then prick out.Plant: 8 weeks after sowingHarvest: August-OctoberKitchen: Mash, braise or grate into salads. Can also be used to replace celery in mirepoix. Pairs well with aromatics (chives, dill, rosemary, thyme, parsley), spices (chili, horseradish, mustard, caraway), fats (walnuts, creme fraiche, cream, butter), citrus (lemon).~0.1g/250 seedsGerm 82% Jul 25
Cute, compact basil with bright, fresh flavour. Greek basil is Italian basil's smaller cousin - it has small leaves and only grows to 25cm high. It is sweeter than traditional Genovese types which we think makes it well suited to using in salads and as a garnish. Its small stature also makes it perfect for growing in pots on a window sill. Sow: mid March-July (at around 22C)Plant: 20cm apartHarvest: 8 weeks after sowingKitchen: Eat fresh or just wilted. Think pizza, pasta, pesto (and soup).Notes: Bolted plants bring in a tonne of pollinators.~0.5g/300 seedsGerm 74% July 25
Thyme is a beautifully savoury herb which is very versatile in the kitchen - pick it fresh and it's even more aromatic. It's easy to grow - choose a sunny spot in a flower bed or pot and it will look after itself. It is a perennial herb which will last for years but we find it's best to resow every 3 years for strong lush growth. Sow: March - April (at around 18C)Plant: 30cm apart in MayKitchen: Use thyme to enhance the flavour of roasts, soups and stews. You can also pick the flowers and eat them in salads or as a garnish.Notes: Prefers well drained soil. On heavier soil, add gravel to hole before planting.~0.25g/1000 seedsGerm 79% July 25
We are really excited to be offering this rare and beautiful Northern Italian heirloom cabbage - Violaceo di Verona. It has lightly crinkled leaves which range from glaucous green to plum purple. This selection is a beautifully diverse - each plant has slightly different colouring and leaf texture. One thing that stays consistent is the flavour - the cabbages are top-knotch - deliciously sweet, particularly after cold weather. Plants are on the larger size, so perhaps not the most sensible choice for smaller gardens.Sow: March-April (undercover or outside with fleece or cloche)Plant: May, 45cm apartHarvest: Autumn-WinterKitchen: Roast, steam, sautee or braise. Pairs with acidic flavours (lemon, white wine). fats (sesame, bacon, chorizo, walnuts, parmesan), alliums (garlic, leeks), aromatics (mustard, cumin, parsley, coriander, thai sweet basil, ginger).Notes: To avoid massive cabbage heads, grow no further than 45cm apart. As with all brassicas, plant deep to avoid toppling.~0.5g/150 seedsGerm 95% Sept 25
***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