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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Glasnevin No.1 Barley

€3.50

An improved cultivar, bred at the Albert Agricultural College, Glasnevin, Dublin. A medium-length spring variety that performed very well when grown out at Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 1000

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Purple Sprouting Broccoli

€3.50

A beautiful plant to have in any garden, this variety is a prolific producer of succulent, deep purple broccoli spears. When sown in late spring or early summer the tasty spears can be harvested from February the following year. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200

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Zebrune Shallots

€3.50

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

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Verdante Broccoli

€3.50

This variety of Italian origin can be grown all through summer, or, if sown in August, in a cool tunnel for a winter/spring harvest. It produces a decent-sized head and will continue to grow side shoots for several weeks after the main head is harvested. This calabrese is tender and delicious, perfect lightly steamed or roasted. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200

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Superschmeltze Kohlrabi

€3.50

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

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Stamme Mix Onion

€3.50

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

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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

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McAnallen Sunflower

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

This is a remarkably large and robust sunflower. With food or oil crops in mind for the future this variety has serious potential. It is a striking and lovely plant, and also supports hordes of pollinator insects and birdlife. These flowers have been a gorgeous talking point in the Seed Savers gardens over the summers. Kindly donated by Brendan (RIP) & Bridget McAnallen of Co. Tyrone. Average seeds per pack 15

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Lucky Leprechaun Tomato

€3.50

A red-coloured Irish heritage variety dating back to the early 1900s. Stout, compact plants producing early yielding, juicy, sweet, medium-sized fruit. Cropped very well even in very wet, cool conditions. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 40

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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

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Golden Rain Dwarf French Bean

€3.50

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

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Chocolate Miniature Pepper

€3.50

Both the plants and fruits of this heirloom pepper are small and stocky, with the fruits almost having the appearance of tomatoes. The ‘chocolate’ name refers to the colour of the peppers, which is a rich, dark brown/red, rather than the flavour, which is mild and sweet when cooked. The texture is firm and crisp, so this little pepper would be ideal for stuffing with cream cheese and roasting whole. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 25

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Aurora Tomato

€3.50

This tomato variety comes from Siberia. It germinates at low temperatures and grows well in cool conditions. Though it is a bush variety it is quite large and might benefit from some support. Can be grown outdoors as well as indoors. The large, slightly flattened fruits are red, juicy and ripen early. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30

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Verdonnet Leek

€3.50

Originally from Switzerland, this old landrace was selected and bred by a Swiss farmer. We shared the seeds of this variety with our friends at Adaptive Seeds in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, where they have been undertaking leek trials. This reliable leek has good large stalks, dark green leaves and is hardy through winter. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 250

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Electric Daisy ‘Bulls Eye’

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

Traditionally used in Brazil as a herbal remedy for dental pain, this plant is also known as ‘toothache plant’ and ‘tingflower’, owing to the numbing-buzzing sensation delivered to the mouth if leaves or flowers are chewed. The cone-shaped flower head is golden-yellow, with a dark red ‘bullseye’ in the centre. Flowering from mid-summer to early autumn, this plant is a lovely and intriguing addition to the garden. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 100

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Sean Flynn’s Westmeath Greens (Cabbage)

€3.50

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

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Woad

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

Woad has been used for centuries to obtain a blue dye. Though the extraction process is elaborate, it is easy to grow this ancient plant and, as nature and culture writer Richard Mabey says, ‘it's worth having in the garden’. An attractive plant with 1m high stems, long, succulent, blueish leaves that shine like stained glass, and foamy clusters of brilliant-yellow flowers. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 160

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Oeillet Gem Tagetes-Marigold

€3.75 (€3.75 incl VAT)

The flowers of this variety are yellow and orange in colour, blooming abundantly from July until the first frost. This is an edible variety, with lovely tangerine-scented leaves and flowers making a tasty addition to salads, soups, desserts and teas. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 200

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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

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Fino Fennel

€3.50

This is a Florence bulb fennel, a wonderfully ornamental vegetable grown for its swollen leaf bases and edible leaves. Ideal for cool-weather growing. Very reliable, high yielding, quick-maturing and bolt-resistant, producing crisp bulbs with a strong liquorice flavour. The stalks can be eaten raw or cooked like celery, and later in the season the seeds have a lovely anise flavour. SHORT-LIVED PERENNIAL Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 80

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