Why are growing numbers of people choosing to buy seeds from Irish Seed Savers?

The ethos here at Irish Seed Savers Association, is to conserve and distribute wonderful rare and heritage varieties, as well as to encourage the skills of saving your own seed and empowering people to do this in their own gardens, small holdings or farms.

All of our seeds are grown and saved in Ireland and are Open Pollinated which allows you to save your own seeds from them, keeping the variety true to type. By choosing Irish Seed Savers Open Pollinated Seeds you contribute to keeping food security in your own hands and Irish agricultural biodiversity alive and vibrant.

Download 2023 Heirloom Seed Catalogue

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  • This variety was repatriated from the Vavilov Institute for Plant Genetic Resources in Russia, and, as is the norm with most gene banks, background information is scant and we haven't been able to locate any references to this particular variety to-date. We have however unearthed the root of the expression "tow-head" or "toe-head," which was used to describe a person with blond hair; it comes from the name for the fine, oft-tangled fibers left behind in the hackles, when processing flax into linen! The familiar wispy blue flowers of this variety transform into beautiful golden orbs full of plump, nutritious seeds. It's very easy to grow and to save the seeds if you're happy to share some with the birds who have that inherent ability to determine the optimum time for seed maturation! Grows to 80cm, 5 seed heads per plant. Sow: March/April Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • Given to us by Pam Savidge in Wales, who describes the bean as “A variety usually grown in West Wales, they have survived many a bad summer. I have saved my seed since 1961 when I was given seed by a neighbour who was in his 80s. He was given the seed by his grandfather, a stonemason that mended church spires.” What a wonderful history. This variety has grown outstandingly well outdoors at Capparoe this summer, giving beautiful, long, slender beans pods that contain gorgeous pink and black bean seeds when mature. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 15
  • This productive heirloom bears fruits of varying sizes, some as large as beefsteaks. The beautiful fruit starts out yellow and ripens to a deep, glowing orange. The fruits have a pleasant, mild flavour, with very low acidity. As a slicing variety it is well-suited to sandwiches and salads, though is also delicious cooked. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 40
  • The name ‘Stamme’ translates from Norwegian to ‘strength and rootedness’ and indeed these onions do very well in our short, often cool summers. Upon grow-outs we found the crop to be of mixed types and we have been selecting out different strains for subsequent grow outs. This variety has golden, globe-shaped bulbs. You might observe a few in your population that display other traits (e.g. slightly red skin/flesh or more flattened bulbs) if some of the dominant genes re-present themselves. Fancy a spot of plant breeding for the home gardener? Starting your own line? Average seeds per pack 200
  • This robust landrace bean has references as far back as 1293 in English manorial account rolls. It is an attractive plant, with lovely purple/maroon mottled flowers. The pods of the beans are small but extremely numerous, containing small, brown, meaty, delicious beans, used fresh or kept for drying. Average seeds per pack 20  
  • Nasturtium

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    These classic garden flowers are lovely prolific plants, providing plenty of colourful, edible flowers, leaves and seeds. With a trailing habit and tendency to self-seed readily, they may take over the garden if left unchecked. Grown around the garden they can help to keep aphids at bay. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 20
  • A delightful Japanese heirloom squash with deeply ribbed skin. It is an early ripening variety, green-black when young but turning a warm buff orange colour as it cures. The small fruits are slightly nutty in flavour with a smooth and creamy texture. Excellent when roasted. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 10
  • The seeds of this variety were brought back to Irish Seed Savers from an international slow-food gathering in Turin, Italy. A vigorous, hardy crop, with wonderfully large, light green leaves. Average seeds per pack 200
  • Grown originally by Sean Flynn of Killucan or Cloughan, Co. Westmeath, we trialled this cut and come variety in 2020 and found it worthy to save the seed in 2021. A mild flavored medium sized cabbage green with a lightly crinkled semi-flat leaf. Average seeds per pack 250
  • This Northern Irish heritage variety is a superb, purple-topped globe swede, with an excellent sweet flavour. It’s great raw and stores well – if you don’t eat them all straight away of course! Probably the same cultivar as Major Dunne, based on observation trials. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 450
  • This mid-late variety is known for its bolt-resistance, even in especially hot conditions. It produces a half-open, good-sized head, with round, ruffled leaves that are bright green, turning deep red at the edge. Crisp in texture with crunchy ribs, this lettuce remains sweet and juicy for a good amount of time in the ground. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • This beautiful tall pea came originally from the ‘Northern Irish Organic Garden Society’, having been grown in Ireland for three generations. Growing to a height of 2.5m, these plants need good support, but it’s worth the effort as the plants give a great abundance of large pods, filled with the sweetest of peas. Thanks goes to our loyal supporter Liam Gaffney for sending this seed for us to grow on and for coming to visit us in person this year. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • Ruby Regis Lavatera

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    Our seed for this variety came from ‘Bôite de Graines’ a seed company in France where our former staff member Flora Barteau now works. It is a stunning upright bushy annual with masses of deep-veined, funnel-shaped, bright pink blooms. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • A rare, smooth-skinned variety from Switzerland, the name translates to ‘fire ball’ in German. Described as being bolt resistant, and having spectacular, tender, ball-shaped roots with fantastic mild flavour. Very successful and absolutely delicious.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • An Irish Flax cultivar presumed from the North of Ireland, repatriated from the Vavilov Institute for Plant Genetic Resources in Russia c2000. This variety has been successfully regenerated four-fold since it arrived in our care; Here at Capparoe, and also grown as part of an on-farm trial in Kilkenny, at Airfield Estate in Dundrum, Dublin and by Helen Keys and Charlie Mallon as part of their regenerative farming practices at Mallon Farm where they have grown, processed and woven the flax (with other varieties) by hand to create precious pieces of history. Flax is part of our deep cultural heritage and is so giving, flowers, fiber and food. Grows to 80cm, 5 seed heads per plant. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • Honesty (White Flower)

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    This very unique white variety was donated to us by Philip McSheffrey of Donegal. Philip’s uncle John had brought it over from Greenock in Scotland in the 1970s, and the family have grown it ever since. Although there was one year when the family’s seed harvest failed, luckily they had given some seed to a 94-year-old lady who saved this rare flower from extinction. It has the most stunning display of pure white, foaming flowers, from which you can harvest the shimmering cellophane-like seed pods for displays. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • Bred by Alan Kapular and brought to us by our seed ambassadors visiting from Oregon a few years back, this variety has been described as ‘beautiful, vigorous and prolific’. The tender green beans are mild and delicious, and the mature bean seeds make a delicious addition to stews. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30
  • A Pumpkin for cool conditions. A stunning variety with sweet, thick, delicious flesh and beautiful slate blue-grey skin. Kindly donated to us by supporter Cora Hanley, and wow, what a find! Originally bred by the Gill Brothers seed company of Portland, Oregon, this variety was reselected by Oregon breeder and author of ‘The Tao of Vegetable Gardening’ Carol Deppe for cool soil emergence, large seeds, thick flesh, long storability, and vigorous growth. Average seeds per pack 10
  • Angelica

    3.50
    A herb taking its name from an angel who revealed its virtues of protection from infection to a monk. It is a biennial, though often lives longer, and can grow to a height of 2m. A statuesque plant which is is easy to grow, prefers damp ground and self-seeds readily. All parts of this lovely plant are subtly aromatic and have both medicinal and culinary uses. It is often cooked with tart fruits like rhubarb, helping to reduce the acidity. The seeds are used in biscuits, and both seed and root are ingredients in some liqueurs. BIENNIAL Average seeds per pack 100
  • This lovely rainbow chard produces a bounty of colourful stems, topped with large green and bronze leaves. Each plant reaches about 50cm in height and 40cm in spread. The leaves can be harvested from mid-summer to late autumn, and the plants can even be overwintered to provide a fresh crop in the spring. The flavour is deliciously mild, with young leaves suitable for salads and larger leaves perfect for soups and sautéing. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • Wonderful vigorous mustard greens with lush big, brilliant-green leaves. The flavour of these leaves is delicious and not too strong compared with other more pungent mustards. Especially nice steamed and served with a lemon juice and soya sauce dressing. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 500
  • Hopi Red Dye Amaranthus

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    This plant came from the Hopi people of Arizona and New Mexico, and is so-called because the stems were used to make a food colouring for their ‘Piki’ bread. The leaves can be used like spinach, and are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals. The plants can grow up to 1.4m, the flowers a vibrant, rich, deep red, making a stunning display as they hang in cascades 30-60cm long. Because of its height, this lovely plant benefits from some staking. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 600
  • An unusual variety with cherry-sized fruit that have beautiful earthy-brown skins. More than a novelty, the fruits have very good flavour- semi-sweet and juicy. The indeterminate vines are sturdy and uniform, and the plants produce well over a long season. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 40
  • A swede from our Heritage Irish Collection, returned to us from the Wellesbourne gene bank, UK. Like other native brassicas, it is hardy and disease resistant. It has a delicate, mellow, sweet flavour, still remembered fondly by many. “The flesh,” says Andrew Williams, “is not tough at all and keeps well through winter”.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 450
  • A very old variety mentioned in the book ‘Les Plantes Potageres’ in 1885. Quick to grow, producing small, tight rosettes of tasty light green leaves and loose heads. In 1904 it was listed by 116 seed merchants, yet now you would find it hard to buy anywhere! Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • Originally from China, this variety was donated to us by supporter Pam from Wales, who has saved this beautiful bean for 20 years. The pods are streaked dark purple-red against light green, making them a highly decorative plant as well as being delicious to eat. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30
  • A German heritage variety of champion size, originally from Schmeltz. Rich soil and plenty of space is required for this mammoth vegetable, which can reach up to 8kg over a long season. The colour is white to light-green and despite its large size, this kohlrabi remains tender and buttery-soft. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • Originating in Virginia, in the USA, this delicious curled spinach has the added benefit of being resistant to blight. As with most spinach, you’ll get better results if you sow in autumn as this crop tend to bolt in warm weather. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250
  • An Irish heritage variety, originally saved in the Russian gene bank and repatriated to Ireland. These plants grow quite tall (2m) so a strong fence is required but you will be rewarded with prolific small pods and sweet peas, best eaten while young. Good disease resistance, the peas can also be left to mature and dry off to be used as a soup pea in winter. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 70
  • A delicious orange-skinned pumpkin with thick, creamy-orange flesh. A rare heirloom bred and cultivated by Amish farmers in the mountains of Maryland, USA. An impressive landrace with intrinsic genetic diversity. Some fruits are heart/acorn-shaped. Others tend towards the more traditional round. These traits were also observed by other growers. It produces well outdoors and undercover. The large fruits store well, as long as you can resist roasting thick slices or baking them in a pie. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 10
  • This easy to grow, vigorous variety is ideal for spring and autumn sowing. It is mildew resistant and cold hardy. Its lovely glossy-green leaves are tender and delicate, perfect for winter salads. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • Stenu Pea

    3.50
    This is a tall variety, up to 2m in height, so the plants will need good support. the word ‘Stenu’ itself means wall or rock in several Eastern European languages, perhaps referring to what it was grown on. Gorgeous pink-purple flowers produce pods of up to 8 peas. Lovely eaten raw when young, and they sweeten up even more when cooked. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • From the North of Chile, ‘Red Faro’ is both productive and attractive with red-pink foliage and cream seed heads. Less prone to mold and suitable for our cool, damper climate. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • This prolific dwarf variety produces uniform plants with lovely yellow pods and wonderfully golden/brown beans when mature. The young pods can be steamed or stir-fried, and the mature beans can be cooked up in soups or stews.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30
  • This heirloom variety produces delicious and beautiful blue-green crinkled leaves. It is compact and very cold-hardy. Commonly eaten boiled as greens, it can also be chopped fresh for salads when young. Average seeds per pack 200
  • A wonderful mange-tout found in a market in Laos, coming to us via Liam Gaffney from Adam Alexander. There are on average 7 peas to a pod, and as plants grow to approx. 2m tall they need good supports. A wonderful productive crop of green pods comes after colourful purple and mauve flowers. The pods (7-9cm) which dry to a stunning brown and speckled purple colour, can be allowed to swell and be shelled as mature peas. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • This popular European heirloom is a quick growing, early-maturing autumn variety. It is renowned for being especially tall with a long, thin stem. Its leaves are light green and it has a delicious sweet flavour, ideal for salads and soups. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250
  • Purple Poppy

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    A large, handsome and cheery poppy, with lilac petals that form dark patches at the base. The leaves are lobed and wrinkled, the stems a beautiful bluish green. They produce large seed capsules, and the attractive seed heads make great additions to dried flower arrangements. Super easy to save the seeds. Average seeds per pack 1200
  • Bluebells

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    These beautiful late-spring native flowers like to grow in shady conditions that mirror their classic woodland habitat, but will tolerate sunny and semi-sunny sites. Lovely, tubular, purple-blue flowers droop on top of the long racemes that emerge from April-June. Seeds are best started in pots, left to overwinter outside, and planted out in plugs in the spring. Average seeds per pack 50
  • This lovely variety produces beautiful medium-sized solid heads of red cabbage, with mild flavour and intense colour. Stands well over winter with little loss to frost. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250
  • This leafy-green perennial has its origins in the Mediterranean region. It is straightforward and quick to grow, with its characteristic lobed leaves ready to harvest only 6 weeks after sowing. The flavour is sweetly peppery when the leaves are young, becoming spicier and more intense as the plant develops. A lovely addition to salads. Certified Organic
  • Named after the famous plant biologist and pea breeder Thomas Laxton, a heritage variety dating back to the 1800s. Quite an early-maturing pea, with 7-9 peas per pod, and a long harvest season. The vines are relatively short, reaching almost 1m in height. Cold resistant and particularly suitable to a maritime climate such as ours. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 50
  • A variety of Sweetcorn that has been selected from a 1955 hybrid and which is now open pollinated. Described as an ‘old fashioned’ corn that will transform any plate to a luxurious meal. A late season corn that delivers tender, sweet, rich, delicious golden cobs up to 3 per plant.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 26
  • Also known as Chinese cress, this variety originally comes from China, and was made popular by the grower and gardening writer, Joy Larkcom. This mild and tasty brassica plant is usually used for salad or cooking greens. If sown in summer and autumn it will produce leaves through the winter, followed by beautiful edible violet flowers in spring. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 150
  • A vigorous, robust red onion. Dark round-flat bulbs. Matures quite early and is very productive, also stores very well for a red onion if kept under optimal conditions (cool, dark and dry environment). Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • This rare variety comes from the Amish people of Pennsylvania. The bountiful plants give many trusses full of fruit all throughout the season. The plum-shaped fruit is medium-sized and pink-red in colour, with a lovely fresh sweet but tangy flavour. Excellent sliced for salads, and good cooked too. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30
  • This quinoa variety has a mix of the many colours of different types of quinoa: tan, red, orange and black. These plants make a stunning addition to any garden with their bright and colourful seedheads, not to mention the nutritional powerhouse of the seeds. Each colour has a slightly different attribute – sweeter, nuttier or chewier - we hope you enjoy them all! Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • This seed of Norwegian origin will produce a diverse range of onion shapes, sizes and colours. Expect to obtain a richly diverse, healthy crop of round to slightly flattened onions with colours ranging from light-gold and copper to purple. Well suited to our short growing season and temperate climate. Average seeds per pack 200
  • ‘Runde Kugel’ translates from German simply as ‘round ball’. Deep red in colour with a delicious fruity and mild taste. Particularly good raw in salads.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 300
  • A Japanese pumpkin also known as ‘Kabocha’ squash, grows several small fruits per plant with mottled green skin. The flesh is a deep yellow to orange with a firm, fine texture, quite dry with a sweet, delicate flavour, not unlike a sweet potato. The skin itself becomes quite tender when cooked so does not need peeling. Excellent keeping qualities. Ebisu is the name of one of the Gods of Luck, so it must be good to have in the garden! Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 10
  • This fabulous variety was bred by biodynamic growers in Germany. The plants have good resistance to fruit-splitting and blight. It yields very well, providing plenty of juicy oval-shaped plum tomatoes throughout the season. Firm skin means the fruit holds it shape when cut, perfect for salads and sandwiches. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 35
  • A rare heritage variety, coming originally from an heirloom collection offered by ‘Seeds by Size’ in England. This variety has long tapering roots, is sweet to eat and very hardy. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 1000
  • Kindly donated to us by supporter Stephen Marsh, this is a lovely, large, green lettuce with an upright growing habit. The loosely curly leaves are very crunchy and strong-tasting, a great texture to have in a salad mix. Grows well year-round.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • A superb French heirloom variety, often called Banana-type shallots for their torpedo shaped bulbs. The skin of this variety has a wonderful pink-brown colour, and it is very productive, producing good-sized bulbs which are useful for storing. Easy to slice and deliciously sweet and mild. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250
  • A Swiss ‘ruby’ variety, this lettuce has an upright habit and a loose head of stunning, deep maroon leaves. A reliable, cold-hardy plant, excellent as a ‘cut and come’ variety.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • This variety is of Italian heritage and was named after the Roman General ‘Lucius Luccullus’, renowned for his splendid banquets and vast gardens some 2000 years ago. It was introduced in 1914 and won the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Quite hardy through the winter, with heavily ‘crimped’, bright, lush green leaves and white stalks that are almost like asparagus when cooked. Young flowering stalks in spring can be eaten like sprouting broccoli. It has the seal of approval from ‘Scoil Chroi’, in Galway who shared that “Lucullus was a big hit with students of all ages, they loved it, devouring it raw”.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200
  • This is the oldest known local vegetable variety in Scotland, grown on the Shetland Isles since as far back as the 1500s. Due to the extreme weather on the Shetlands, the cabbage seeds were planted in “Plantie Crubs” (small circular stone-walled enclosures) before transplanting into larger fields, which were also enclosed in stone walls. This rare cabbage grew beautifully on a windy hillside in Clare, hardy right through the winter. The heads of this variety are quite open, the green leaves tinged a beautiful pink-purple, deepening as winter progresses. The outer leaves were traditionally used as animal feed. The cabbage itself has a distinctive peppery taste that was once a prized ingredient of mutton stew on the Northern Isles. Average seeds per pack 250
  • We had seven seeds in a packet from a German gene bank, dated 1999 with the place of origin given as Sweden, the description ‘vegetable marrow’. The plants grew amazingly well, quickly covering an entire bed in the tunnel with their small, tasty courgettes, though this crop comes into its own as the more traditional marrow.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 10
  • This maize corn variety gets its name from the clay pots that the seed was found in. The history of this corn goes back to the Anasazi people some 500 years ago, with this seed coming originally from Hopi elders. It grew very high in the tunnel, providing large colourful cobs with kernels in stunning shades of violet and black to shades of red, yellow, gold and cream. As this variety is a maize type, it is more suited for grinding into flour than eating as a sweet ‘corn on the cob’. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 26
  • Sweet Pea

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    This tall, climbing sweet pea has traditional old-fashioned mix of pink, white, mauve and purple colours, and that most lovely evocative fragrance. Best given support to get the most out of this lovely flower. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 15
Supported in part by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal through the Community Services Programme. We confirm that our organisation complies with The Governance Code for the Community, Voluntary and Charitable Sector in Ireland.

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