Would you like to become one of our seed guardians for an open pollinated variety of seeds?

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The Incredible Seed Library has some seeds from our stock that are in short supply that we would like to bulk up.

 

We are really pleased with how this has been going, thank you for all your efforts. The new Incredible Seed Library volunteer team are keen to see this experiment continue, and welcome any new or returning Seed Guardians.

 

We now have a number of easy to save seeds which we would like some of our members to grow on and save for us. This year we have Tomatoes, beans, peas, cucumbers, a pumpkin and a radish.

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They are all easy to grow and save.

 

There is information on saving seeds from these plants on our YouTube channel

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl4E9y-04SScD7PlqE8u20Q

 

Please watch these videos before choosing which seed you would like to save for The Incredible Seed Library, as they give information on the number of plants we would ideally like you to grow for us. It would be useful if you could offer us a couple of choices as we have a limited amount of seed for each variety.

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We would like you to choose one or two varieties to grow on for us and would like you to save as many seeds as you can for us to give away next year. Please grow all the seeds you are sent to ensure the genetic diversity of the variety.

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We are trying to ensure that the seeds that we all grow are viable and genetically diverse and so we are mostly looking for 2 or 3 growers to become seed guardians for each variety of seeds to give a greater number of parent plants. This should take the pressure off everyone as should things go wrong (and as gardeners we know that happens) then saving from a smaller population will be added to by another grower, thus ensuring the genetic diversity of the variety.

 

When we have allocated and sent out the seeds that you have asked to become a seed guardian for, all you need to do is grow them on as you would your regular plants.  If you feel you would like any further support, then feel free to email us at incredibleseedlibrary@gmail.com and we will endeavour to answer your questions.

 

Seeds for Seed Guardians to grow in 2026

 

Beans

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When growing beans it is worth protecting the germinating seeds from mice. I grow mine on in pots hanging from my greenhouse supports until they are strong seedlings and then harden them off before planting in the garden. Then leave them to grow until the seed pods go papery, and harvest the pods. Dry them completely and then pod the beans before you send them to us.

 

Afia Dwarf French Bean

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These fine pencil dwarf French beans produce vigorous plants with pretty lilac coloured flowers, which are followed by tasty beans. 

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Brighstone Beans

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Brighstone Beans are named after the small village of Brighstone, on the Isle of Wight. Brighstone Beans have a creamy texture, the perfect balance between a pinto and kidney bean. They are early maturing with high yields, a new garden favourite for every bean lover! Brighstone seeds mature in 90 days and are an open pollinated dry bush bean variety.

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Cosse Violette Climbing Bean

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French Climbing Bean Cosse Violette is a striking climbing variety. Produces impressive lavender flowers and high yields of crops throughout summer. Each stringless bean pod appears in deep purple shades, a gorgeous crop to grow in the garden. Sow April - May.

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Faraday Dwarf French Bean

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A vigorous and prolific variety producing lots of thin green pods over a long cropping period. Sow March-April under glass, or in succession outdoors from late April until mid-July.

 

Lady Di Runner Bean

 

Completely stringless, dark green 30cm pods. Delicious flavour, retaining a fleshy texture as the seeds are slow to develop. Crops 12-16 weeks from sowing. Tasty, nutritious and easy to grow! Sow undercover in April for early crops, planting out in late May.

 

Montezuma's Red Dwarf French Bean

 

Montezuma’s Red Dwarf French Bean is a Heritage Seed Library variety. Sow March-April under glass, or in succession outdoors from late April until mid-July.

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Neckar Gold Climbing French Bean

 

A reliable yellow wax climbing bean with high yields of crunchy, oval and stringless 8″ pods with excellent sweet flavour. The vines are vigorous climbers which easily top 8 feet, so you need some serious support.

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Peas

 

When growing peas it is worth protecting the germinating seeds from mice. Maggie grows hers in a length of guttering hanging from her greenhouse supports until they are strong seedlings and then hardens them off before planting in the garden. Give the guttering a sharp knock to free the length of seedlings before sliding them into a pre-dug trench. Then leave them to grow until the seed pods go papery and harvest the pods. Dry them completely and then pod the beans before you send them to us.

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Bream Black Peas

 

These are new to the Incredible Seed Library, so we don't have any details! Any information and photos you can provide when you grow them would be very gratefully received.

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Mr Bounds Pea Bean

 

Mr Bounds Pea Bean is a tall growing pea that has a very large dark brown seed. This is an easy to grow plant - just sow the seeds in a wide row in spring and provide support. Perfect for drying and cooking in the winter.

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Mr Bethell's Purple Podded Pea

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A vigorous, tall pea producing pink and maroon flowers followed by large purple pods. Can be picked young as mangetout or left to mature when peas taste deliciously sweet straight from the pod, retaining their flavour when cooked.

 

Boddington's Peas

 

A productive soup pea from the Clydach valley in Wales. Real Seeds haven't been able to trace much of its history, but have been impressed with its performance. This variety has smooth greeny-grey seeds, that make a traditional UK style pea soup or tasty mushy peas. Allow for growth to 6 foot plus, so make frames for them as you would runner beans or climbing french beans. Can be overwintered in a polytunnel for early crops and eaten podded, as mangetout or dried.​

 

Carlin Peas

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These peas are commonly called maple peas or pigeon peas. These fantastic peas can be eaten fresh but are also great for drying and using in the winter.

 

Champion of England Pea

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A really good, traditional tall pea to 8 - 10 ft, dating from the 1840's. the only reason tall peas have been abandoned commercially is that you can't harvest them with machines. But for home gardeners, they give a great return for a small space.

 

Roi de Carouby Snow Peas

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​This rare and delicious heritage mange-tout pea was bread in France in the nineteenth century. It grows about 1.8m tall and has pretty pink and burgundy flowers. Eat raw or stir fry for just a minute. ​

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Pumpkin

 

Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin

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One of the prettiest, sweetest and best tasting pumpkin varieties. This beautiful heirloom variety dates back to 1893. The fruits average 2-3 kg with an attractive white netting to the skin.  The vines can be big, therefore they will need plenty of space.

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Radish

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Rats tail Radish

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Grown for its edible immature seed pods, similar in texture to pea pods, but with the full flavour of radish. The true rattail variety has slim purple pods, the earliest being over a foot long with a glossy waxed sheen. Great in stirfries, salads and dips.

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Tomatoes

 

These varieties are most suitable for growing with the protection of a polytunnel of greenhouse. Please grow in isolation from beefsteak or potato leaved tomatoes and at least 2m from other varieties. Preferably grow it as a single variety in your polytunnel or greenhouse.

 

Garden Peach Tomato

 

A unique heirloom tomato, ‘Garden Peach’ produces 3-4in pale yellow fruits that have a pink blush to them and soft peachy skin, with pale yellow very tasty flesh. . This extremely productive and unique variety often comes top in tomato tastings with a mild sweet taste.  Best grown as a cordon under glass in cooler climes.

 

Marmande Beefsteak Tomato

 

Marmande is a popular heritage French variety which produces medium to large fruit with a full rich flavour. As with many older varieties, fruit shape can be irregular which looks great sliced in a salad.

 

Roma Tomato

 

 A determinate, paste-style tomato, Roma has thick, meaty flesh and relatively few seeds, which is why we need Seed Guardians for it! The vines are compact and yield copious amounts of 3-inch long fruits that come out either pear- or plum-shaped. Set in a sunny location and get ready for a large harvest.

 

Stamford Ugly Tomato

 

Large ridged oddly shaped red fruits with a firm thick flesh. This is a very tasty tomato for its size which produces well. Provide plenty of support as the fruits grow or you'll find that the plants may snap under the weight of the fruit.

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Stupice Tomato

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This cold-tolerant, potato-leaf heirloom from Czechoslovakia, bears an abundance of very sweet, flavourful, 2 to 3 inch, deep-red fruit. It is very high yielding, producing quickly, heavily, reliably early, and continuously throughout the long fruiting season. Keep this potato leaved variety isolated from regular leaved tomatoes to avoid crossing.

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