This year’s Heritage Seed Library Seed List has been a bumper one. Thanks to hard work of our HSL team, we’ve been able to offer 175 rare and unusual heritage varieties to choose from. This year there were also 79 certified organic varieties and 36 new rediscovered varieties available for the first time. Among them the new Alex pea and Devonia tomato.

It was also great to be able to offer leek and onion seeds once more - and a salad mix of lettuce with three heritage varieties in one packet. This mix has been very popular.

We’d love to know what you think about the seeds you choose to grow, so do share your growing stories with us on our social feeds @gardenorganicuk.

Some of our favourites

Since the launch of the list in December, we’ve hand-packed approximately 30K packets of seeds. Phew!

Our most popular choices with members so far are Beetroot Avon Early, Leek Odin Longstanton, Pepper Nardello and Squash Sucrette. But there’s lots more to choose from. Some highlights include:

Climbing French Bean Bob and Mary

This tasty and prolific bean was donated by Seed Guardian Liz Ramsay, who was given the seeds by her sister's partner, a native of British Columbia. His family have grown this variety since the beginning of the 20th century, and it’s thought the family received the beans as payment for help repairing farm equipment! Liz says: “the pods can be eaten at all stages: juicy and young, tender and mature or even as a dried bean.”

Lettuce Asparagus

Originating in China and cultivated for its stems, rather than its leaves, three to four months after sowing. Remove the outer layer to reveal the light green flesh and cut into thin slices. It’s excellent raw, like celery, or can be added to stir fries.

Tomato Wladeck's

Originally brought from Poland after WWII by our donor's neighbour, Wladeck Neitzgoda - and named after him. The heavy trusses require ingenuity to support as it produces large beefsteak-type fruits with fantastic flavour and aroma.

You can find all these and more in our Seed List.

New-look list and online ordering

It’s been wonderful to have so many positive comments about the new design of our paper Seed List – and new website ordering pages. We’re looking forward to further developing the HSL part of the website in future years with additional pictures and information.

A huge thank you to all those members who waited patiently for the Seed List and seeds during the postal strikes. We know that there were some delays, but we were pleased to see so many of you switching to placing your seed requests online too. Visit our seed shop here

We’re looking forward to another great year of seed choosing, sowing and conservation! If you’re not already a member of the Heritage Seed Library, sign up today to receive our 2023 Seed List.