INTERESTING SEED AND PLANT COMPANIES AND GARDENING SUNDRIES

Catalogues

Plants of Distinction www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk

Their two brochures Seeds and Plants of Distinction and the accompanying Simply Vegetables are highly coloured works of art. Superb and very wide range of amazing, multicoloured and heritage tomatoes and peppers. Beautifully illustrated the brochure is worth having for the photographs alone. Flowers and veggies.

Plants of Distinction, Abacus House, Station Yard, Needham Market, Suffolk . IP6 8AS. Tel. 01449 721720; Fax: 01449 721722.

Edwin Tucker & Sons Ltd. www.edwintucker.com

Garden Seed Catalogue. Venerable and wonderful old family firm of seedsmen established in 1831. Huge range of heritage and unusual varieties. Splendid range of seed potatoes and offer wide range of 1kg trial packs. One of a very few companies to offer crimson flowered broad beans. Catalogue is short on illustration but long on choice and interest. Flowers and veggies.

Edwin Tucker & Sons Ltd., Brewery Meadow, Stonepark, Ashburton, Devlon, TQ13 7DG. Tel 01364 652233; Fax 01364 654211.

Simpsons Seeds www.simpsonsseeds.co.uk

2007 Catalogue. If you're a chilli fanatic or totally tomato orientated you will be familiar with this small family company who provide a big service. One of the first companies to offer a huge range of chillis and heritage tomato seeds as well as mail order plants. They are stalwarts at the annual Chilli fiesta at West Dean Gardens , West Sussex and their Walled Garden Nursery is a mecca for chilli and tomato pilgrims. They also offer a wide variety of interesting veggies and some good gardening sundries. (Check out the Tangle Free netting). Always courteous, and willing to answer questions and give advice over the ‘phone – great people, great service. Catalogue is short on illustrations but long on varieties, information and charm. Flower and veggies.

Simpson's Seeds, The Walled Garden Nursery, Horningsham, Warminster, Wiltshire , BA12 7NQ. Tel: 01985 845004. Fax: 01985 845052.

Seeds of Italy www.seedsofitaly.com

Fantastic old established and family owned Italian seed company. They offer a great range of Italian seed varieties that are big on taste and grow well in this country – Italians really know their veg! This catalogue is an education and includes recipe and cooking advice. Packets are very large compared with ours so price compares well when you look at the contents – Italian families tend to like to grow their own. Great range of vegetables, especially the courgette, squash, pumpkin and beans sections fantastic range of leaf and salad vegetables. Some really interesting varieties, try cima de rapa, shrimp or ring shaped and borlotti climbing beans and the ‘romanesco' courgette. Tomatoes and pepper varieties are based on taste. Great range of gifts including boxed vegetable seed collections and Italian cookery and preserving equipment. Check out the passatta maker. Excellent website.

Seeds of Italy , C3 Phoenix Ind. Est., Rosslyn Cres , Harrow , Middlesex HA1 2SP. Tel: 0208 427 5020; Fax 0208 427 5051.

Thomas Etty Esquire www.thomasetty.co.uk

Heritage, Unusual & Regional Vegetable Seeds specialist catalogue.

Another old family firm offering an unusual range of heritage seeds. Many are very old varieties and curiousities. Catalogue is in the form of an old-fashioned seeds list and no photographs but packed full of interesting historical information on the varieties offered.

Thomas Etty Esquire, 45 Forde Avenue , Bromley , Kent . BR1 3EU. 020 8466 6785.

Deacon's Nursery www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk

The sheer range of fruit trees and bushes provided by mail order will take your breath away. Vaste range of old and heritage varieties as well as modern. Fantastic range of shapes and fruit stocks from dwarf, cordons and espaliers to fruit size. For anyone interested in fruit trees whether patio pot or planning an orchard, great reading.

Deacon's Nursery, Moor View, Godshill, Isle of Wight , PO38 3HW.Telephone 01983 840750 or 01983 522243; Fax 01983 523575.

The Real Seed Company www.realseeds.co.uk

Small not for profit family company run by real enthusiasts aimed at offering interesting and ethically grown and sourced seeds for the home gardener, not the commercial grower. Old and interesting varieties, all open-pollinated. Good range of the unusual and exotic. Catalogue available but excellent web site with great photographs and information. Excellent hints and tips on growing and seed saving – this is a company run by enthusiasts. Also offer seed saving courses and a good range of seed collections and gift ideas.

The Real Seed Collection Ltd. Brithdir Mawr Farm, Newport near Fishguard, Pembroeshire , SA42 0QJ . Tel: 01239 821107

The Organic Gardening Catalogue www.OrganicCatalogue.com

Essential reading for the organic gardner . All things seedy, garden sundries, sowing and growing, green manures and gifts, kitchen paraphernalia, sprouting accessories.

Garden Organic (formerly Henry Doubleday) members get 10% off. Even if you're not organic, there is a great range of stuff.

Riverdene, Molesey Road , Hersham, Surrey . Phone 0845 1301304.

Local Nurseries

Jane Lane Nurseries, Jane Lane , Catforth, Preston

Great, slightly ramshackle nursery that provides a wide range of veggie and flower plants, seed potatoes, hanging basket plants, shrubs and trees including fruit bushes and trees at unbeatable prices. Regular devotees visit every 2 weeks or so to see what's in or ready. You'll wonder why you grow your own from seed. (Not far from the Running Pump pub so a good excuse to treat yourself to a run out and a bar meal). They also have a website.

Jane Lane Farm, Jane Lane, Catforth, Preston, Lancashire PR4 0HS. Tel. 01772 691635

W. Robinson & Son Ltd.

Local celebrities and long established family firm. Now in the umpteenth generation of Robinsons and proudly representing Lancashire at all serious garden shows. Their own nursery and range of seeds and famous for their ‘mammoth' onions and leeks and range of seeds. Well known by veggie show growers. Well worth a trip out to nursery when it opens for sales in April. The Robinson sisters are friendly and more than willing to provide advice. A little dearer than your standard nursery but quality plants and heritage range of varieties.

W. Robinson & Son (Seeds & Plants) Ltd. Freepost, NNW2347A, Preston PR3 0BR

Embleys Nursery

Good value nursery specialising in shrubs, plants and trees. They stock an excellent range of fruit trees including fan trained, espalier and family trees.

Just off the A59 at Much Hoole (past the Black Horse pub).

Essential Information

The Allotment Site www.allotment.org.uk

Site for allotment growers, all sorts of information tips and links to other sites.

The Allotment Regeneration Initiative (ARI)

Garden Organic www.gardenorganic.org.uk

Web-based wonders

There is a wealth of small and interesting companies offering sales over the internet with wonderful (and sometimes weird offerings). Go with google, try typing in ‘interesting vegetables' or similar phrases and see what pops up. The following are personal favourites of the Secretary, (so a slight chilli bias). There's also a huge range of veggie growing and allotment sites, many of them linked.

The Chilli Seed Company www.chileseeds.co.uk

Fantastic range of chilli orientated sauces, powders and pastes and an extensive range of interesting and unusual chilli seeds that you won't find at your local seeds merchant. Also good selection of heritage tomatoes. Excellent website.

The Chilli Seed Company, StoneyBridge, Cark-in-Cartmel , Cumbria , LA11 7PE.

Nicky's Nursery Ltd. www.nickys-nursery.co.uk

Web based supplier of interesting range of vegetable and flower seeds, plants, garden sundries and garden games. (Giant Jenga, quoits etc.) Excellent range of unusual varieties especially chillis, tomatos and herbs but many others. Good seed collections.

Nicky's 33 Fairfield Road , Broadstairs , Kent , CT10. Phon/Fax 01843 600972.

Horticultural supplies, gardening sundries and kitchen paraphernalia for the veggie grower

Two Wests & Elliott www.twowests.co.uk

Family firm offering everything for the greenhouse, the sower and the grower. From greenhouses to greenhouse accessories and benching, potting sundries, propagators and gardening accessories its probably in here.

Unit 4, Carrwood Road , Sheepbridge Industrial Estate, Chesterfield , S41 9RH. Tel: 0870 444 8277.

N.K. Kays Horticultural Products

Mail order supplier of vast range of garden products supplied singly to larger quanities and cases. Cumbrian based firm supplying the commercial grower and the gardener. Bits and bobs, feeds and fertilisers, tools, greenhouses, heating, polytunnels, plant protection and support, sowing and growing - If its not in their catalogue it probably doesn't exist. Good website and efficient and quick delivery.

Kays Horticultural Products, Unit 10, Sneckeyeat Ind. Estate, Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 8PF.

Ascotts www.ascott-shop.co.uk

Supplies small holders and good life enthusiasts. Catalogue includes good range of bottling and preserving equipment, kilner jars, jam jars and bottles in wide range of side by the case. Sausage making kits etc. If you are a serious jam and preserve maker this could be great news. Also has seed sowers and growing and a range of machinery for the larger plot.

Ascott Smalholding Supplies Ltd, Units 9-19 The Old Creamery, Four Crosses, Llanymynech, Powys, SY22. Tel. 0845 130628 0870 774014.

Lakeland Ltd. www.lakeland.co.uk

The Windermere-based company that is a mecca to all food preservers and jam makers as well as serious cooks. Jam making equipment, jelly bags and stands, and freezer bags and accessories; kitchen storage. Great web site and mail order service. Pilgrimages can be made to their stunning shop at Windermere (worth it for the cafe/restaurant along but be prepared to queue).

ESSENTIAL READING

Kitchen Garden Magazine

Grow Your Own magazine

WHY NOT TRY GROWING......

Rainbow garden –

• Yellow, white, red and stripey beetroot
• Rainbow chard ‘bright lights' – brilliant multicoloured stems
• Climbing French beans – purple, yellow and green
• Multicolour radishes
• Red, purple, white and orange carrots
• Borlotti beans ‘Firetongue' – speckled red and white pods
• Purple broad beans

The World on Your Plate:

Latin America

• Red and green amaranth – useful and hardy leafy vegetable
• Green and purple tomatillos from Mexico . Will grow outside if started in greenhouse. Essential for Mexican salsa verde, salsas and stews
• Red orach
• pizote – skunk herb – great with beans and very hardy
• Papilla – coriander tasting spicy herb

Japan and the orient

• Red and Green Perilla – aniseed taste, very ornamental bedding herb
• Oriental greens, chrysanthemum greens
• Bok choi and pak choi and Chinese cabbage

Olde England

• Purslane
• Skirret (root vegetable from roman times)
• Buckler sorrel
• Good King Henry

Italy 's glories

• Cima de rapa
• Nero de Cavolo (Tuscan black strap-leaved kale)

Or why not try..

• Russian Kale
• Indian coriander and fenugreek – spicy, delicate and delicious