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 2024 Heirloom Seed Catalogue

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  • 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. Average Seeds Per Pack: 250
  • A traditional French cultivar, grown originally in the alluvial plains of the Seine River in Normandy. It has quite short, wide, chunky stems, and lovely bright green foliage. Good for autumn harvesting, this flavoursome leek is well worth growing.
    Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250
  • Kuttiger is an old-type white carrot, first established in Europe in the 15th century. Now quite scarce, these types were very commonly grown until the introduction of orange carrots. With its snowy-white colour, broad shoulders, and stocky shape, this variety could be mistaken for a parsnip in appearance, though in taste it still has the mild and subtly earthy flavour of a carrot. Average Seeds Per Pack: 700
  • 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
  • Coming Soon
    This is a vigorous and dependable variety, producing between four and seven fruits per vine. The lightly tanned, smooth skinned, bottle-shaped fruits have fine-textured, golden orange flesh. Exceptionally good keepers, this variety is perfect for storage if you can resist cooking up the fruits straightaway. The fruit have a small seed cavity with a low seed count, so it’s well worth saving your own!
    Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 10
  • This is a unique variety with fine, feathery bright green foliage. It gives all the distinctive taste and aroma of coriander with an especially sweet fragrance. The leaves can be used in soups and salads, and the mature seeds can be saved as a spice. ANNUAL Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 150
  • The ‘Rose from Bern’ is a Swiss heirloom, well suited to cooler climes. A reliable cordon-type producing round, thin-skinned, pinky-red fruit. Quite large and fleshy, these tomatoes are utterly juicy and delicious. Seed Guardian Mona has been growing this one for years as her family favourite. These versatile fruits can be eat fresh, sliced and cooked. Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 30
  • A variety that goes back to 1871, this is a great winter vegetable with good sized, globed roots and creamy-white flesh. Very tasty in soups and stews or even roasted, with a distinctive ‘celery’ flavour. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 500
  • This lovely bush variety presents a huge amount of scarlet small-to-medium, juicy fruit. An early ripener, their flavour is mild, fresh, and tangy. An early ripener.  Mrs. Ruck was a lady of Audley End Estate in Essex (now managed by English Heritage) and had passed on the seed when she moved away. Our seed came to us via the Eden Project in Cornwall. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 40
  • A French heirloom variety dating back to the 19th Century. Very hardy, holding well over the winter, medium long shafts, sweet flavour, the blue/green leaves turn a beautiful violet colour in very cold weather. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 250
  • 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
  • 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: 30
  • This vigorous, quick-growing, brilliant yellow beet was developed by being rebred from old seed stocks. The round, golden roots have smooth skin and delicious, sweet-flavoured, bright yellow flesh. The colour keeps well, even when cooked. It’s also a delight in salads.
    Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 300  
  • Sweetpea

    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. Easy to save seeds. Average Seeds Per Pack: 20
  • A beautiful and unusual variety with distinctive red stalks and bright green leaves. This robust celery, more tender and juicy than might be expected from a red variety, is lovely addition to the garden. The stunning burgundy stalks are perfect in soups and salads, and retain their colour even after cooking. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 500
  • A very tender and tasty Russian heritage variety. Big oak shaped leaves develop a beautiful red tinge, especially as the cold season develops. Exceptionally resistant to cold weather, this hardy variety is a beautiful and reliable plant to have in the garden. Average Seeds Per Pack: 200
  • Pinwheel Marigold

    3.75 (3.75 incl VAT)
    Given to us by ‘Peace Seeds’ in Oregon, USA, these plants provide an absolutely stunning display of dark red, orange and yellow concentric-striped flowers, blooming in vivid profusion from May to October. Tall plants up to 1m high, with the pungent ‘tagetes’ smell that can help to put off pests. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 150
  • An Irish landrace with classic purple and white skin, growing to a good size. The golden flesh is very sweet and tasty, and the plants last well into spring before going woody. All round ‘excellent’, as described by a supporter. Madeline at Brown Envelope Seeds trialled it one winter in conjunction with popular commercial varieties and it came out ‘Best of All’.
    Certified Organic Average seeds per pack 450
  • This visually stunning and delicious chard is from an organic seed company in 'Ontario, Canada'. Gorgeous deep burgundy leaves and deep purple and orange stalks are plentiful throughout the growing season. A lovely addition to salads and soups. Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200
  • Also known as ‘Branching Borecole’, this productive variety originated in the west of France, with records dating it as far back as 1865. Growing as large as 1m high, this is an easy-to-grow, plain-leaf kale with wide spreading foliage. Particularly suited to our climate, this reliable kale is hardy and very tolerant of poor soils. Supporter Hilary Killops suggests eating it ‘lightly steamed, and served with a sauce of yoghurt and a little chilli pepper.’
    Certified Organic Average Seeds Per Pack: 200
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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