West Coast Seeds

This great tasting heirloom spinach has thick, succulent, dark-green savoyed or crumpled leaves that are very sweet in salads or cooked. Bloomsdale Savoy is best planted in early spring and fall. If Bloomsdale Savoy spinach seeds are fall-planted, it will overwinter and produce much earlier than if it is spring-planted. Very fast growing plants with upright growth that can be mechanically harvested when necessary. This spinach has high resistance to blight and blue mold (BM). We recommend sowing spinach seeds in the third week in August on the coast. Enjoy a fall harvest, but only cut the leaves from the ground level. The following spring, you will get a huge harvest of incredibly early, tasty spinach before there are any pests around to compete with.

Matures in 50 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

A great substitute for Mammoth Melting peas, Avalanche snow pea seeds grow into 15cm (6") pods that are sweet and tender. Plants are "semi-leafless" so they put more energy into producing pods, making for higher yields of snow peas. Plant two to three rows close together and plants will intertwine, providing support for each other. Expect a height of 90cm (36"). Avalanche is resistant to Fusarium Wilt race 1 and powdery mildew. Plant this reliable snow pea from spring to mid-summer in rich, fertile soil.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Papaver nudicaule. The Iceland Poppy is a hardy, but short-lived perennial, grown as a biennial in Coastal gardens. Either way, they self sow readily, so will last for years at a time. The large, cup shaped blooms have a texture like crepe paper and appear in a range of subdued pastel colours - apricot, gold, tangerine, and white. Sow Iceland Poppy seeds in early spring or late fall where they are to grow permanently. The flower stalks grow to around 30c (12") tall, and are among the longest-lasting poppies as cut flowers. They are highly attractive to honeybees and bumblebees, with seeds that are easy to collect and disperse. Unlike the California Poppy, this variety usually remains where it was planted. All parts of the plant are mildly toxic, but acrid enough that animals will not eat them.

Perennial

This versatile blend contains flowers that are equally beautiful in garden beds and in bouquets as they are long lasting cut flowers. This Cut Flower Blend contains annuals and perennials, so it will provide an ongoing source of flowers to brighten up any indoor space.

Annuals and Perennials.

schscholzia californica. XL Jelly Beans is a new California poppy that features very large, semi-double blooms that feature splashes of bubblegum pink, lemon yellow, and raspberry red. These contrast beautifully against the feathery foliage with its restrained, matte silver-blue colour. The eye-catching flowers appear over a long period from spring through summer, and work well in beds or containers. XL Jelly Beans grows to about 25cm (10") tall, and is somewhat drought tolerant. It's also deer resistant.

Hardy Annual - it may overwinter in Zones 8-10

Hilda Romano pole bean has flat pods, no strings, and great flavour. This bean is one of the first to produce in the summer and keeps going until frost if kept picked. It needs a strong support, but produces an incredible harvest. The pods grow to 23cm (9”) long and the plants are BCMV resistant.

This is a similar bean to Helda, bred in southern Europe, but Hilda produces a slightly longer bean that stays tender for longer as the pods mature.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

This super-early HEIRLOOM bush pea has been a favorite both for home gardeners and commercial growers. Stocky, semi-dwarf bushes from 30-45cm (12-18") tall are well suited to container growing for balcony gardens, or in the vegetable bed. In containers, Little Marvel shelling pea seeds can be grown in spring, and cut back in time for a summer crop, leaving the soil enriched with nitrogen. Each of the 8-10cm (3-4") pods contain 6-7 mid-green, tasty peas. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Resistant to Fusarium wilt.

Little Marvel shelling pea seeds were first introduced as Sutton's Little Marvel in 1900. It is an old, dependable variety with an extended season, fine quality, and heavy yields.

Matures in 62 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

For those hard-to-establish areas that are shaded; this blend will work very well with about 40% sunshine. All flowers do best in full sun, but the ones in this Partial Shade Blend will flourish and prosper with filtered sun.

Annual & Perennials

This AAS award winning compact bush bean is great choice for the new gardener. The bushes are low-growing, self-supporting and shallow-rooted, making it suitable for container gardening. The plant is generally trouble-free and produces tasty 7" long, round green pods. Like other bush beans, Derby produces a one-time crop but the beans have a good holding ability so growers can enjoy an extended harvest. The above average yields are also easy to pick. Lengthen the growing season with succession planting until mid-summer. Derby is resistant to Common Bean Mosaic Virus

Lathyrus odoratus. Striking shades of crimson, lavender, deep rose, navy blue, rose pink, and salmon, these climbers are 1.6m (6ft) and perfect for cut flowers. Sow Mammoth Blend sweet pea seeds for the earliest sweet peas to bloom from late spring to early summer. Direct sow sweet pea seeds at three week intervals for an extended bloom period. This variety has particularly large flowers on particularly long stems, so they're a great cut flower for the farm table or the home garden. While they have a distinct fragrance, they are not like the intense Spencers or High Scent, so they will appeal to growers who prefer subdued scents.

Annual

C. maxima. Burgess Buttercup squash seeds were first introduced by the Burgess Seed Company in Illinois in 1932. Since then, this reliable heirloom has been producing small, 1.5kg (3 lb) turban shaped fruits with dark green skins and the unmistakable navel or dome at the blossom end. The golden orange flesh inside each fruit is sweet and finely textured, never watery. The thin skins are extremely hard, but that is key for long term storage. These popular squashes won't last right through winter the way a hubbard or delicata might, but you should bring one to Christmas dinner, and impress your friends and family.

Matures in 115 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Helianthus annuus. This selection of our loveliest short-growing sunflower seeds brings a mix of variety and spontaneity to the sunflower patch. Ideal for small city gardeners, they can also be grown in containers. The Short Blend Sunflowers contain a variety of field grown sunflowers ranging from 60-120cm (24-48") tall. Plant and enjoy all these lovely, height-challenged sunflowers. Even when they're small, sunflowers are extremely attractive to pollinators, so they are perfect for the edge of the organic vegetable garden, and will bring in scores of honeybees and other beneficial insects. Though their tiny seeds are, in theory, edible, they make better food for the wild birds that will frequent the garden in late summer.

Annual

Olympia spinach seeds probably produce the best dark green plain leaf type for year round sowing and harvest. This fast growing spinach holds its leaves up off the ground and is an excellent choice for cooking and salads. Harvest promptly in mid-summer to preempt bolting. This variety was bred in the Pacific Northwest and is tolerant to downy mildew races 1, 2 and 3, 5, 8 and 9, 11, 12, and 14. Depend on Olympia for upright growth and attractive round leaves for spinach salad nearly any time of the year. Try this spinach in containers for baby leaf production in your patio garden.

Matures in 45 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Tropaeolum minus. This sumptuous mixture includes flowers from solid blood red to cream with red flecks and edges. Bloody Mary Nasturtium seeds produce low growing, clump-forming plants with darker than average leaves. The edible flowers are typically spicy, but also have a certain sweetness. This annual works well in containers, and blooms continuously from June to August. It was a very popular hit in our summer trials, and drew a lot of attention.

Annual

The ultimate in baby carrots, Little Fingers is a fast-maturing Nantes type with smooth, golden orange skins, crisp texture, and a tender core. Short at 10cm (4"), Little Fingers carrot seeds are well suited to container growing and may succeed in heavier soils. For best results, plant these gourmet carrots in well-cultivated soil from March to July for continuous harvests right into early winter. The sweet flavoured, uniform roots are perfect for pickling, or eating fresh out of the garden.

Bred in France to develop their characteristic orange colour earlier than other varieties, these carrots can be harvested early at 8-9cm (3-3.5"). Don't let them stay in the ground beyond around 68 days or they begin to lose their gourmet qualities.

Matures in 60 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Mentha spicata. Compared to peppermint, spearmint has a less aggressive flavour that has fruity undertones. This mint is easy to grow, and it's fast, too. In boggy settings it can spread by underground rhizome, but this is easy to control by growing it in containers. The leaves dry well and even fresh they make a nice tea — an even nicer mojito. Sow the seeds indoors a month or two before the last frost date, and transplant out when night time temperatures are steadily above 10°C (50°F). Ninety days later, expect white to lilac flowers that are both edible and highly attractive to bees. This mint is perennial and hardy to Zone 4.

Dwarf sunflower for containers and small garden beds, perfect for children to plant! Big Smile has the classic bright sunny-yellow petals with a dark center. Compact, branching plants are 25-38cm (10-15”) when grown in pots and slightly taller at 30-60cm (12-24”) when grown in the garden. Bears Pollen.

These big beans have big flavour. The 15cm (6”) pods are broad, flat, stringless, and medium green. The intense flavour of these Italian beans remains even after canning and processing. Or enjoy them straight out of the garden when they are sweet and crisp. Romano beans typically grow on tall vines that need to be supported by canes or trellises. Campo di Fiori Romano bean seeds produce tidy (determinate) bush bean plants that have a shorter harvest window. That is, the beans will all come at once during a two to three week period. The trade off is the convenience of smaller bush plants that will produce well in large containers.

Matures in 58 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

This incredible bush bean was bred in Washington State and bears pods up to 22cm (8½”) long. They stay tender with nearly the best flavour of any bean we’ve tried. The pods are medium green and become fully mature at 28cm (11”) long. The plants are tolerant to Brown Spot and resistant to BCMV. This is a fine choice for home gardeners and market growers alike. F26 was the original breeder's personal reference number for the variety, but this titan bean will come to be known as Goliath. This bush bean is determinate and sets its pods more or less all at once in a short harvest period.

Matures in 57 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Kolibri kohlrabi seeds produce surprisingly uniform bulbous stems with bright purple, extremely smooth skins over succulent and crisp white flesh. This variety can become quite large without losing any of its appealing texture. The purple colour of Kolibri is so appealing that they really stand out in the garden. Kohlrabi has the attractive texture of a crisp apple with a mild Brassica flavour that hints of cabbage. Its crispness lends it well for use in salads with thick dressings. Shredded, it makes a delicious coleslaw. And like its Brassica cousins, kohlrabi is an excellent source of phosphorus and potassium as well as dietary fibre, and (somewhat surprisingly) vitamin C. Winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Matures in 55 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Kitchen Basil Blend seeds combines three unique basil varieties with green and purple leaves for use in the kitchen. The Blend includes basil with large, smooth leaves that are suitable for pestos, pastas and salads, and also more pungent varieties to make vinegars and herbal teas. Basil flowers are also edible so add them to your dishes too!  Basil also makes sensational microgreens - they take a little while to germinate but are worth the wait for the gourmet flavour. This Kitchen Blend can be grown on the windowsill, in the garden or in containers on the patio. All types of basil enjoy warm, freely draining soil and lots of moisture in summer heat.