Over the last 100 years we’ve lost many hundreds of rare vegetable varieties. These historic seeds - grown for generations by small seed companies, families and communities - have disappeared, thanks to seed regulations, climate change and the industrialisation of agriculture.
50 years ago our Heritage Seed Library came to their rescue - now we need YOUR help.
Our unique living library - the oldest community seed bank in Europe - has spent five decades squirrelling away parcels of precious heritage seeds to safeguard them for future generations. Become a member of the Heritage Seed Library, or donate to our work, and you can get these important varieties back into the hands of gardeners and growers where they belong.
Find out more at gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl or via the links at the top of our LinkTree.
#seeds #gardening #SeedSovereignty #HeirloomVeg #SeedsForTheFuture #HeritageSeedLibrary #HeritageSeeds #SeedSaving #HeirloomSeeds #GardenOrganic #organic #HeritageVegetables
I’m delighted to be taking part in the golden envelope seed relay, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library 🌱
I’ve chosen Golden Gazzi tomato, an Italian yellow tomato - but will have to wait until next year to taste this tomato! It’s too late now to sow tomatoes for a decent crop of fruit.
The golden envelope is now heading off to the next person in the relay
@gardenorganicuk@heritageseedlibrary
Our lettuces are flourishing in this warmer weather. This year, we're saving seed from 'Hicks Hardy Winter White' and 'Amish Deer Tongue'. And of course, we always have the colourful 'Bloody Warrior' in our Collection - so named due to the red splatter on its leaves. 🩸
Find out more a bout our National Collection of Heritage Vegetables and how to support our work in our 50th year at .uk/hsl.
#seeds #gardening #SeedSovereignty #HeirloomVeg #SeedsForTheFuture #HeritageSeedLibrary #HeritageSeeds #SeedSaving #HeirloomSeeds #GardenOrganic #organic #HeritageVegetables #lettuces #HeritageLettuce #BloodyWarrior @westonfdn
I’m delighted to be taking part in the 50th anniversary celebrations for Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library. I’m part of their golden envelope seed relay In Wales and am pictured here at the community garden near to me in Lampeter which I first started running through a Garden Organic project many years back - which is still growing strong.
I used to edit The Organic Way magazine for many years and we support the great work of the charity and it’s Heritage Seed Library through Amateur Gardening magazine now.
So off the golden envelope now goes to no-dig guru and fellow Ceredigion resident @stephaniehafferty !
#HSL50 #SeedStories #HeritageSeedLibrary #seeds #gardening #SeedSovereignty #HeirloomVeg #SeedsForTheFuture #HeritageSeeds #SeedSaving #HeirloomSeeds #GardenOrganic #organic #HeritageVegetables #Wales
What a fabulous last day @the_rhs@malvern.shows@3countiesshows !!!!!
I felt slightly anxious about being on the gardener’s question time panel with @alantitchmarshcbe but I came off stage absolutely buzzing and enjoyed every moment! Thanks @nickichappers for being such an incredible host.
It was also wonderful to host the inspirational garden designer @jamielanglandsgardens and @gardenorganicuk@heritageseedlibrary
Such a fabulous show with super fabulous people! Thanks so much to the whole team for looking after me so well and thanks everyone for coming to watch and chat 🙏🏻
Stunning suit @boden
Peppermint bag @fairfaxandfavor
Gifted
#garden #gardening #gardener #rhs
We’re hoping for a glimpse of our Heritage Seed Library seeds on @cbbc 's Blue Peter this evening – as the programme awards his Majesty The King with a coveted green badge for services to the environment.
The King, who is patron of Garden Organic, will appear alongside a time capsule @dumfrieshouse in Ayrshire – created to celebrate @kingsfoundation 's 35th anniversary – which includes our living library's precious heritage vegetable seeds.
Heritage beans, peas and tomato seeds from our living library will be buried in the special oak capsule – and not opened until 2125 – as part of the anniversary celebrations of The King's Foundation. They have previously been grown in the gardens at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The King’s Foundation - founded by King Charles in 1990.
Watch the episode on CBBC tonight, Friday 1 May, at 5pm. It will be available afterwards on BBC iPlayer.
#HeritageSeedLibrary #HeritageSeeds #HeritageVeg #seeds #TimeCapsule #DumfriesHouse #Scotland #Ayrshire #KingsFoundation #BluePeter
She might live on an exposed hill, 850ft above sea level in Pembrokeshire – but this hasn’t dampened our Seed Guardian Marie's passion for seed saving! This week, she'll be sowing our Heritage Seed Library seed relay seeds at her smallholding on the top of the Preseli hills, after receiving our golden 50th anniversary packet.
Marie said: “I’ve been so impressed by the work of the Heritage Seed Library - and it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to play a tiny part in such a hugely important project. The golden envelope arrived safely with its treasure of seed packets, and I’ve sown the tomato seeds. All the others are winging their way onwards!"
Next stop: Ceredigion and resilient GYO expert and editor kim_stoddart! 🏃♀️➡️
To find out more about our Heritage Seed Library seed relay visit gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl-50-anniversary.
#HSL50 #SeedStories #HeritageSeedLibrary #seeds #gardening #SeedSovereignty #HeirloomVeg #SeedsForTheFuture #HeritageSeeds #SeedSaving #HeirloomSeeds #GardenOrganic #organic #HeritageVegetables #Wales #Pembrokeshire
Efallai ei bod hi'n byw ar fryn agored, 850 troedfedd uwchben lefel y môr yn Sir Benfro - ond nid yw hyn wedi lleihau angerdd ein Gwarcheidwad Hadau Marie dros arbed hadau! Yr wythnos hon, bydd hi'n hau hadau ras gyfnewid hadau ein Llyfrgell Hadau Treftadaeth yn ei thyddyn bach ar ben bryniau'r Preseli, ar ôl derbyn ein pecyn pen-blwydd aur yn 50 oed.
Dywedodd Marie: “Rwyf wedi fy argraffu cymaint gan waith Llyfrgell Hadau Treftadaeth - ac mae'n wych cael y cyfle i chwarae rhan fach mewn prosiect mor bwysig. Cyrhaeddodd yr amlen aur yn ddiogel gyda'i thrysor o becynnau hadau, ac rwyf wedi hau'r hadau tomato. Mae'r lleill i gyd yn mynd ymlaen yn gyflym!"
Y stop nesaf: Arbenigwr a golygydd GYO gwydn yng Ngheredigion kim_stoddart! 🏃♀️➡️
I gael gwybod mwy am ein ras gyfnewid hadau Llyfrgell Hadau Treftadaeth ewch i gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl-50-anniversary.
Come and soak up our organic garden and Heritage Seed Library this spring and summer!
🦋Garden open day: 25 April
🥕Open days in support of the @nationalgardenscheme 11 July & 12 September
🫘Heritage Seed Library tours: 27 June & 19 September
Find out more and book at gardenorganic.org.uk/events or via the links in our Link Tree.
#OrganicGardening #OrganicGarden #garden #gardening #OpenGarden #OrganicGrowing #OrganicEvent #OpenDay #NGS
It’s The Heritage Seed Library’s 50th anniversary and to celebrate I am taking part in a seed relay. The gold envelope arrived with my Heritage seed tomatoes and I have just posted it onto Pembroke .
The library does incredibly important work preserving our rich and diverse seed heritage and it only exists with support from donations and membership. Now is a great time to join and benefit from the fantastic seeds available. Head to gardenorganic.org.uk/join
@heritageseedlibrary@gardenorganicuk #HSL50 #seedstories #heritageseeds #seedsaving #seedsecurity
Come and have a sneak peek 👀 at some of the vegetables I am growing at home for this year’s @the_rhs Chelsea flower show with @alitex_
I am a sucker for a seed with history which is why I love @heritageseedlibrary and I look forward to sharing more stories with you at the show.
Gorgeous jacket @fairfaxandfavor 🎁Gifted
Dress @rosehip_design_uk 🎁 Gifted 2 years ago ❤️
#garden #lifestyle #home #gardening #growyourownfood
A productive afternoon sowing no less than 84 bean seeds, including black bean Cherokee Trail of Tears, borlotti Gramma Walters, climbing French bean Kew Blue, borlotti O’Driscoll (see picture), pea Kola Kapucijner, butter bean Judion, mangetout Yellow Golden (I think that’s what it was 🤔). I really enjoy sowing seeds, from sieving my homemade compost mixed with sieved mole tumps and sieved leaf mould, to filling the toilet roll cores and popping the seeds in. All these elements are quiet mindful jobs. Sheer joy. Most of these seeds are from the @seedswaphereford but will have originated from the @heritageseedlibrary #organic #growyourownfood #heritageseedlibrary #seedsaving
We're so delighted our Heritage Seed Library seed relay has arrived @aberglasney Gardens. Based in Llangathen, Carmarthen, this beautiful garden includes the UK's only surviving Elizabethan Cloister Garden, as well as a veg-packed walled kitchen garden - where our seeds will be grown.
The team at Aberglasney said: "We're really proud to be a part of Garden Organic's unique Heritage Seed Relay to highlight the Library’s vitally important work safeguarding food security and genetic diversity. We've chosen to sow and grow dwarf French bean 'Golden Lumen' - and Hattie, our expert kitchen gardener, will be in charge of the precious seeds and will update you with progress."
Thank you Aberglasney and @folk_hattie (pictured) - we can't wait to see how they grow! Next stop: @walesbotanic 🏃♀️➡️
Rydym wrth ein bodd bod ras gyfnewid hadau ein Llyfrgell Hadau Treftadaeth wedi cyrraedd Gerddi Aberglasney. Wedi'i lleoli yn Llangathen, Caerfyrddin, mae'r ardd hardd hon yn cynnwys yr unig Ardd Cloestr Elisabethaidd sydd wedi goroesi yn y DU, yn ogystal â gardd gegin furiog lawn llysiau - lle bydd ein hadau'n cael eu tyfu.
Dywedodd y tîm yn Aberglasney: "Rydym yn falch iawn o fod yn rhan o Ras Gyfnewid Hadau Treftadaeth unigryw Garden Organic i dynnu sylw at waith hanfodol bwysig y Llyfrgell yn diogelu diogelwch bwyd ac amrywiaeth genetig. Rydym wedi dewis hau a thyfu ffa Ffrengig corrach 'Golden Lumen' - a Hattie, ein garddwr cegin arbenigol, fydd yn gyfrifol am yr hadau gwerthfawr a bydd yn rhoi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am y cynnydd."
Diolch i Aberglasney a Folk Hattie (yn y llun) - allwn ni ddim aros i weld sut maen nhw'n tyfu! Yr arhosfan nesaf: Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru 🏃♀️➡️
#SeedRelay #SeedStories #HeritageSeedLibrary #seeds #gardening #SeedSovereignty #HeirloomVeg #SeedsForTheFuture #HeritageSeeds #SeedSaving #HeirloomSeeds #GardenOrganic #organic #HeritageVegetables
