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Acer campestre ’FIELD MAPLE’

Currently Unavailable

Acer campestre ’FIELD MAPLE’

[Ex. Studley Royal Park, North Yorkshire]

Currently Unavailable

Acer campestre

Acer pseudoplatanus ’SYCAMORE’

Currently Unavailable

Acer pseudoplatanus

Acer pseudoplatanus'
Old Sycamore Tree'
[Thwaite Hall Cotherstone, Co. Durham]

Said to be over 700 years old, this tree was grown from one of a hand full of seeds that made it to the dales, via a traveler who had collected them on his travels in southern Europe, or so the story goes.

Seeds Available!

'Old Sycamore Tree'[Thwaite Hall, Cotherstone]

Achillea millefolium ‘YARROW’
[Ex. Shropshire]

Asteraceae: aromatic pernnial herb growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in), hardy to zone 2,  flowers are flat umbels, mostly white with occasional pink flowered individuals occur from June to August, a common sight across Britain in grassy, open habitats and on a wide range of soils. It can be found in both short  and rough grasslands such as road verges.

The Leaves can be used either raw or cooked, they have a bitter flavour, and make an acceptable addition to mixed salads, but are best used when young. The leaves where once used as a hop-substitute for flavouring and as a preservative for beer . 

Yarrow has a high reputation and is widely employed in herbal medicine, administered both internally and externally. It is used in the treatment of a very wide range of disorders but is particularly valuable for treating wounds, stopping the flow of blood, treating colds, fevers, kidney diseases, menstrual pain etc.

Seeds germinate freely and can be sown at any time of year when conditions are suitable for growth. Can be quite competitive, producing luxuriant growth on deep fertile soil.

Seeds Available: £1.50

Achillea millefolium

Acinos arvensis 'Basil Thyme'

Currently Unavailable

Aconitum napellus NDD003 ’MONKSHOOD’

Ranunculaceae: a long lived, dark green, almost hairless perennial to 1.5m, of damp woodland, often beside streams. Bluish violet flowers, helmeted, in upright spikes, appearing from May-August. Deeply divided into palmate lobes. Very local, manly in the south and south-west. Native range covers most of Europe, including Britain, east to North Western Asia and the Himalayas.

Aconite has been used since ancient times, especially as an antidote to poisoning, since the entire plant is itself very toxic, however, any use should be under the guidance of a skilled practitioner. All parts of the plant are used medicinally. The root is the most important and this is harvested as soon as the plant dies down in the autumn and is dried before use. The other parts of the plant are less important and are used fresh, being harvested when the plant is coming into flower. The root is analgesic, anodyne, antirheumatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, irritant and sedative. Due to its poisonous nature, it is not normally used internally though it has been used in the treatment of fevers. Externally, it is applied to unbroken skin in the treatment of rheumatism, painful bruises, and neuralgia. 

The seed can be stratified and sown in spring, but can be slow to germinate.

Harvest:  August 2014 

Approx. 35+ seeds £1.50

Aconitum napellus NDD003

Aesulus hippocastanum
'Horse-chestnut'

Currently Unavailable

Agrimonia eupatoria ‘AGRIMONY’
[Ex. Sunderland]

Rosaceae: upright perennial of grassy places to 50cm, found growing in hedgerows and roadside verges. The flowers are yellow in upright spikes, appearing from June-August, followed by bur-like seeds that are coved in spines and catch on animal fur. Widespread and generally common throughout.

A refreshing tea can be made from the fresh or dried leaves, flowers and stems, this can be drunk hot or cold, and was formerly very popular either on its own or added to China tea, having a peculiar delicacy and aroma.

Medical part: the flowering plant cut an inch or 2 above the ground and dried. Agrimony has long been used as a popular domestic herbal remedy, an astringent and mildly bitter herb, it is a helpful remedy for diarrhoea and a gentle tonic for the digestion as a whole. The whole plant is antiaphonic, astringent, blood purifier, cholagogue, diuretic, tonic and vulnerary. It contains up to 5% tannin, which has a strongly astringent effect, and when taken internally, an infusion of the plant has a great reputation in the treatment of jaundice and other complaints of the liver.

Seed can be sown in spring or autumn, either in pots in a cold frame or in situ. It usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 13°c, though germination rates can be low, a period of cold stratification helps but is not essential.

Seeds collected from wild plants from Sunderland, August 2014.

Approx. 30+ seeds £1.50

Agrimonia eupatoria

Agrimonia eupatoria v. alba

Currently Unavailable


Agrostemma githago 'Corncockle'
[Ex. Oxfordshire]

Caryophyllaceae: pretty annual growing to 0.9 m (3ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in), long, narrow and softly hairy leaves, large pinky purple flowers are borne singly on a long stems, Corncockle was introduced into Britain as a contaminant of grain at least as far back as the Iron Age. In Britain its stronghold appeared to be within rye on the light, sandy soils of the south and east of the country. Although never common it suffered a dramatic decline at the beginning of the twentieth century with the development of improved seed cleaning techniques. It is now virtually extinct in the wild.

The seed is said to have diuretic, expectorant and vermifuge properties, only minute amounts are used medicinally due to the toxic saponin content. It has a folk history of use in the treatment of cancer, warts etc., the plant is not used in allopathic medicine, but it has been found efficacious in the treatment of dropsy and jaundice if used for long enough, alsp a homeopathic remedy has been made from the seeds, this has been found useful in the treatment of paralysis and gastritis.

Seed can be sown onto a bare earth site in the autumn or spring, the seed is short lived once in the soil, so it may be best to avoid sowing in winter or early summer.

Approx. 100+ seeds £1.25

Agrostemma githago 'Corncockle' 

Ajuga reptans ’BUGLE’

Currently Unavailable

Alchemilla xanthochlora
'Lady's Mantle'

Currently Unavailable

Alliaria petiolata
‘GARLIC MUSTARD’
[Ex. Co. Durham]

Brassicaceae: biennial to about 1m in height, white flowers 6mm across, with 4 petals, blooming from April-June, the seed pods or cylindrical, ribbed, 4-5cm long, heart-shaped, toothed, garlic smelling when crushed. Found growing in waysides, often in hedgerows and roadside verges, widespread and common, but least so in the north and west of the UK.

The young leaves are used raw or cooked as a potherb or as a flavouring in cooked foods, the leaves have a mild garlic and mustard flavour, and are believed to strengthen the digestive system, they can be finely chopped and added to salads. The leaves are available very early in the year and provide a very acceptable flavouring for salads in the winter. Garlic mustard has been little used in herbal medicine, the leaves and stems have antiasthmatic, antiscorbutic, antiseptic, deobstruent, diaphoretic, vermifuge and vulnerary properties. The leaves have been taken internally to promote sweating and to treat bronchitis, asthma and eczema, externally as an antiseptic poultice on ulcers, it is also said that to be effective in relieving the itching caused by bites and stings.

Succeeds in damp shady places where few other herbs will grow, a good woodland edge plant, it also grows well in the bottom of hedgerows. Grows readily from seed sown at any time of the year, it does however require a long period of chilling to break dormancy. If sowing in situ on sites that might be colonized by weeds, it is therefore best to sow in autumn.

Approx. 300+ seeds £1.50

Allium ursinum ‘RAMSONS'
[Ex. Pembrokeshire]

Liliaceae: Bulbous perennial to 35cm, strongly smelling of garlic. Grows in damp woodland, manly on calcareous soils, where conditions suit its needs it often spreads, forming extensive carpets. Flowers 15-20mm across, white, bell-shaped, in spherical, terminal clusters on slender, 3-sided, leafless stalks, blooming from April-May. Widespread and locally abundant, especially in mature woodlands.

The leaves are used raw or cooked, and are usually available from late January, the leaves make a very nice addition to salads, and are especially welcome as a vital and fresh green leaf in the middle of winter. The flowers can be used raw or cooked, these are somewhat stronger than the leaves, in small quantities they make a decorative and very tasty addition to salads. The flowering heads can still be eaten as the seed pods are forming, though the flavour gets even stronger as the seeds ripen. The bulb can also be eaten, but they have a very strong garlic flavour, and can be quite small and fiddly to harvest. The bulbs can be harvested at any time the plant is dormant from early summer to early winter, if harvested in early summer, they will store for at least 6 months. 

Ramsons has most of the health benefits of the cultivated garlic, A. sativum, though it is weaker in action. It is therefore a very beneficial addition to the diet, promoting the general health of the body when used regularly. It is particularly effective in reducing high blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.

Sow in a shady site under deciduous foliage (preferably dark enough to inhibit grass growth in high summer) in late summer or autumn. Plants usually take three years to flower and can become dominant on ideal sites.

Seeds sent to be from Pembrokeshire, as I missed to harvesting time locally.

100+ SEEDS £1.50

Allium ursinum

Alnus glutinosa ’COMMON ALDER’
[Prov. UK]

Betulaceae: A small, deciduous, broadly conical tree to 20m in height, the leaves are alternate, simple, and serrated. The flowers are catkins with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly wind-pollinated, but also visited by bees to a small extent. These trees differ from the birches (Betula, the other genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many conifer cones. Common throughout most of Europe, especially in wet places and beside water.

The Alder was a mythical to both to the Welsh (Bran) and the Greek (Phoroneus). Alder wood was used on many under constructions, being very durable when constantly wet, being useful for river and lakeside building and bridges have foundations made from alder poles. Traditionally, this wood was also used for water pipes, pumps and sluices, and charcoal.

Medically the alder bark was used to treat inflammations, rheumatism and diarrhoea. Bags filled with heated alder leaves were known to help with chronic skin diseases, while the leaves and bark were used to make a gargle to cure mouth ulcers.

Seeds requires pre chill, early spring sown seed should also germinate successfully so long as it is not covered, and the seed normally germinates in the spring as the weather warms up.


Fresh seed collected 2014.

Approx. 100+ seeds £1.25

Alnus incana 'Grey Alder'
[Prov. UK]

Betulaceae: small to medium size tree to 15–20 m (49–66 ft), smooth grey bark even in old age, its life span being a maximum of 60 to 100 years. The leaves are matt green, ovoid, the flowers are catkins, appearing early in spring before the leaves emerge, the male catkins pendulous and mature in late autumn. The seeds are small and light brown with a narrow encircling wing. The Grey Alder has a shallow root system, and is marked not only by vigorous production of stump suckers, but also by root suckers, especially in the northern parts of its range. Native to Europe, introduced to Britain but not often planted, used on reclamation schemes. 
Water infusion and spirit tincture an alder grey use as an astringent and styptic. Broths and infusions are effective at enteritises, dyspepsia, enterocolitis, dysentery and chronic colitis. There are clinical observations of positive results in the treatment of buds of Alder ulcers stomach and duodenal ulcers. Alder cones are usually in combination with other herbs, impact on different stages of pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases.
Broths using Alder cones can be used in rheumatoid polyarthritis and colds. Alder leaves baths relieve fatigue in the legs during prolonged walking.

Seed requires pre chill. Spring sown seed should also germinate successfully so long as it is not covered, the seed should germinate in the spring as the weather warms up. 

Seeds collected from tree across the North East of England, 2014.


Approx. 50+ seeds £1.25

Althaea officinalis 'Marshmallow'

 Malvaceae: an attractive, downy perennial to 2m, soft starry hairs, very soft to touch. Found in coastal wetlands and often on the upper reaches of saltmarshes. The flowers are 35-40mm across, pale pink, blooming from August-September. The seeds are arranged in flat rounded capsules. The leaves are triangular with shallow lobes. Locally common on the South coasts of Britain and Ireland. Native to Central and southern Europe, including Britain, to North Africa and Western Asia.

The leaves can be used raw or cooked, they are used as a potherb or to thicken soups. When used as a small proportion with other leaves, the taste and texture is acceptable, but if a lot of the leaves are cooked together their mucilaginous texture makes them unpalatable. The leaves can be eaten raw but are rather fibrous and somewhat hairy, though the taste is mild and pleasant. We have found them to be quite acceptable in salads when chopped up finely. The root can be used raw or cooked, boiled and then fried with onions it is said to make a palatable dish that is often used in times of shortage. The root can be dried then ground into a powder, made into a paste and roasted to make the sweet 'marshmallow’.

Marshmallow is a very useful household medicinal herb, its soothing demulcent properties make it very effective in treating inflammations and irritations of the mucous membranes such as the alimentary canal, the urinary and the respiratory organs. The root counters excess stomach acid, peptic ulceration and gastritis. It is also applied externally to bruises, sprains, aching muscles, insect bites, skin inflammations, splinters. The whole plant, but especially the root, is antitussive, demulcent, diuretic, highly emollient, slightly laxative and odontalgic. An infusion of the leaves is used to treat cystitis and frequent urination. The leaves are harvested in August when the plant is just coming into flower and can be dried for later use. The root can be used in an ointment for treating boils and abscesses. The root is best harvested in the autumn, preferably from 2 year old plants, and is dried for later use.

Sow seeds in spring or autumn in a cold frame or greenhouse. Germination is often erratic, a short cold stratification can improve germination rates and time. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.

Harvested: September 2014.

Approx. 200+ seeds £1.50

Anacamptis pyramidalis
'Pyramidal Orchid'
[Ex. Somerset]

Currently Unavailable

Angelica sylvestris
‘WILD ANGELICA’
[Ex. Co. Durham]

Apiaceae: robust, almost hairless perennial to 2m, with hollow, purplish stems. Found in damp meadows and woodlands. The white flowers (sometimes tinged pink), in robust, domed umbels to 15cm across, flowering from June-July. The leaves are 2 or 3 times pinnate, lower leaves up to 60cm long, upper leaves smaller, with bases forming inflated sheaths. Widespread and common throughout the UK. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, to Western Asia and Siberia.

The leaves, young shoots and stems can be used as an aromatic addition to salads, or cooked and used as a vegetable, the taste can be somewhat bitter. The chopped leaves are a good addition to cooked acid fruits, especially rhubarb. The stem and leafstalks are used in candies and sweetmeats. Seed can used as an aromatic flavouring in confections and pastries.

The root and the seeds are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, and tonic. This plant is less rich in active principles than A. archangelica and so is much less used medicinally than that species, but a decoction is sometimes used in the treatment of bronchial catarrh, coughs and dyspepsia. Large doses have the effect of depressing the central nervous system.

Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe since the seed only has a short viability. Seed can also be sown in the spring, though germination rates will be lower. It requires light for germination. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in the spring.

Harvested: September 2014.


Approx. 200+ seeds £0.99.

Angelica sylvestris

Anthoxanthum odoratum
'Sweet Vernal-grass'
[Ex. Co. Wiltshire]

Gramineae: perennial grass to between 30-45cm high with short, broad leaves and a flower head 4 -6 centimetres long consisting of oblong shaped spikelets all crowded round the stem. When young the flower head can be quite dark but as flower gives way to seed it turns yellowish. Anthoxanthum odoratum is an early flowering meadow grass, starting around April, it has the scent of freshly cut hay with a hint of vanilla, and this gives the plant its common name of sweet vernal-grass. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, south and east to North Africa and Western Asia.

The seed can be eaten, but they are very small and fiddly, a tea can also be made from the fresh or dried leaves, and has a sweet pleasant fragrance.

The whole plant, and especially the flowering stems, has anticoagulant, antispasmodic and stimulant properties. It is normally only applied externally, where it is used in the treatment of rheumatic pain, chilblains, nervous insomnia. It is said that a tincture made from this grass with spirit of wine is an effective and immediate cure for hay fever. 

The aromatic leaves and dried flowers are used as a strewing herb, they are also woven into baskets, and used in pot-pourri. The plant contains coumarin which is used medicinally, and also in rat poisons where it prevents the blood from co-aggulating and thus means that the slightest cut can kill the rat.

Sow seeds in April in situ, only just covering the seed as they need light to germinate. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks. Succeeds in most soils but dislikes shade. Very easy.

Harvested 2014.


Approx. 500+ seeds £1.35

Anthriscus sylvestris
‘COW PARSLEY’
[Ex. Co. Durham]

Apiaceae: biennial growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in), a common and familiar plant of road verges with a distinctive odour, tall umbellifer with hollow stems which often become purple with age and fresh green, sharply-cut pinnate leaves, the flowers are white and form open, lacy umbels from April to June, followed by smooth dark seeds. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, south and east to North Africa and Siberia.

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb, or used as a flavouring, but they are not the best tasting of the wild flowers. Medicinally used as a tonic for general weakness. Recent studies have shown that the plant contains chemical compounds which have been reported to have anti-proliferative, anti-tumor, and anti- viral activities against human cancer cells. The root has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries to treat fractures, contusions, strains, cough, bronchitis and asthma due to lung weakness.

Seed dormancy is broken by a period of chilling and therefore sowing must occur in late summer or autumn.

Seeds Available: £1.50

Anthriscus sylvestris

Anthyllis vulneraria
'Kidney Vetch'

Currently Unavailable

Apium graveolens 'Wild Celery'

Apiaceae: an upright, hairless biennial with a characteristic strong smell of celery, to 1m. Stems are solid and grooved. The leaves are shiny, pinnate, basal leaves once or twice pinnate with toothed and lobed, diamond-shaped lobes. White flowers, in short-stalked or unstalked umbels 3-6cm across, from June-August. Favours rough, often saline, grassland and its distribution is mainly coastal. Absent from Scotland and commonest in coastal Southern England. Native to Central and southern Europe, including Britain, to temperate areas of Africa and Asia.

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and are mainly used as a flavouring in soups and the like. They can be eaten raw but have a very strong flavour. They are said to be slightly toxic if consumed in large amounts. The seed can be used as flavouring, and used in small quantities to flavour soups and stews. An essential oil from the seed is also used as a flavouring. The root is also said to cooked and eaten.

Wild celery has a long history of medicinal and food use, it is an aromatic bitter tonic herb that reduces blood pressure, relieves indigestion, stimulates the uterus and is anti-inflammatory. The ripe seeds, herb and root are aperient, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, nervine, stimulant and tonic. Wild celery is said to be useful in cases of hysteria, promoting restfulness and sleep and diffusing through the system a mild sustaining influence. The herb should not be prescribed for pregnant women. Seeds purchased for cultivation purposes are often dressed with a fungicide, they should not be used for medicinal purposes. The whole plant is harvested when fruiting and is usually liquidized to extract the juice. The seeds are harvested as they ripen and are dried for later use. An essential oil obtained from the plant has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Some of its constituents have antispasmodic, sedative and anticonvulsant actions. It has been shown to be of value in treating high blood pressure. A homeopathic remedy is made from the herb, and has been used for treating rheumatism and kidney complaints.

Harvested: August 2014 [Untreated]

Approx. 300+ seeds £1.50

Aquilegia vulgaris ‘COLUMBINE’
[Ex. Somerset]

Ranunculaceae: familiar garden perennial but also a native plant. The native form has nodding, purple flowers with hook-tipped spurs, blooming from May-July. The leaves are grey-green and comprising 3-lobbed leaflets. Found in moist shady positions, especially on calcareous soils. Widespread but extremely local as a wild flower. Central and southern Europe, including Britain, south and east to North Africa and Temperate China.

The flowers can be eaten raw, they are rich in nectar, sweet and tasty, and they make an attractive addition to mixed salads and can also be used as a thirst-quenching munch in the garden. The flowers are also used as a tea substitute.

Columbine was formerly employed in herbal medicine mainly for its antiscorbutic effect, but it has fallen out of favour and is little used nowadays. The leaves root and seed have astringent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, parasiticide properties. Because of its toxic properties, this plant should not be taken internally without expert advice, though the root is sometimes used externally in poultices to treat ulcers and the commoner skin diseases. The plant can be harvested at any time from June to October. Columbine has produced very unsatisfactory results and is not normally used medicinally. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of affections of the nervous system.

Seed can be sown in late winter or spring in a cold frame or greenhouse, the seed can be slow to germinate, but I have found a soak in a GA3 solution can aid germination. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter.

Harvested. 2014.

Approx. 300+ seeds £1.25.

Aquilegia vulgaris

Arabis alpina 'Alpine Rock Cress'

[native only to the Isle of Skye]

Currently Unavailable

Arctium lappa 'Great Burdock'

Asteraceae: biennial growing to 2 m (6ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). The flowers are purple and grouped in globular capitula, united in clusters. They appear in mid-summer, from July to September. The seed heads have hooks, allowing them to be carried long distances on the fur of animals. Large, alternating, cordiform leaves that have a long petiole and are pubescent on the underside. The leaf stems of A. lappa are solid and the steams of A. minus are hollow. Found waste ground, preferring calcareous soils, it is sometimes also found in meadows and woods. Native to Most of Europe, including Britain, east to northern Asia.

The roots can be eaten raw or cooked, the very young roots can be eaten raw, but older roots are normally cooked. They are but are best harvested when no more than 60cm long. Old and very long roots are apt to become woody at the core. Although it does not have much flavour the root can absorb other flavours. Young roots have a mild flavour, but this becomes stronger as the root gets older. Roots can be dried for later use. The root contains about 45% inulin, the Inulin can be converted into a sweetener that is suitable for diabetics to eat. Young leaves can be used raw or cooked, they have a mucilaginous texture. Young stalks and branches can be used raw or cooked, used like asparagus or spinach, they taste best if the rind is removed. The leaf stalks can be parboiled and used as a substitute for cardoons. The pith of the flowering stem can be eaten raw in salads, boiled or made into confections. A delicate vegetable, somewhat like asparagus in flavour. The seeds can be sprouted and used like bean-sprouts.

Burdock is one of the foremost detoxifying herbs in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be used. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body. The plant is also part of a North American formula called essiac which is a popular treatment for cancer. Its effectiveness has never been reliably proven or disproven since controlled studies have not been carried out. The other herbs included in the formula are Rumex acetosella, Ulmus rubra and Rheum palmatum. The plant has antibacterial, antifungal, carminative properties. It has soothing, mucilaginous properties and is said to be one of the most certain cures for many types of skin diseases, burns, bruises. It is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema, acne, impetigo, ringworm, boils, and bites. The plant can be taken internally as an infusion, or used externally as a wash. The roots of one-year old plants are harvested in mid-summer and dried.

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 They are alterative, aperient, blood purifier, cholagogue, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and stomachic. The seed has alterative, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic and diuretic properties. Recent research has shown that seed extracts lower blood sugar levels. The seed is harvested in the summer and dried for later use. The crushed seed is poulticed onto bruises. The leaves are poulticed onto burns, ulcers and sores.

The juice of the plant, when used as a friction, is said to have a stimulating action against baldness.

The seed best sown in situ in the autumn, but can also be sown in spring. Germination can be erratic, but I find them very quick and easy to germinate. Succeeds in most soils when grown in partial shade. Prefers a moist neutral to alkaline soil and a sunny position. Plants are best grown in a light well-drained soil if the roots are required for culinary use.

Harvested 2014.

Approx 30+ seeds £1.25

Arctium minus 'LESSER BURDOCK'
[Ex. Somerset]

Asteraceae: robust, downy biennial of waste ground, verges and hedgerows, growing to 1m or more. Similar to the Greater Burdock differs in its flowers and hollow stalks. The flowers are egg-shaped, 15-20mm across, with purplish florets projecting beyond the greenish-yellow, hooked, spiny bracts, on open spikes from July-September. The fruits are burs, with hooked spines, that cling onto animal fur and aid dispersal. Heart shaped leaves, with hollow stalks. Widespread and common throughout the country. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, south and east to N. Africa and the Caucasus.

The root can be eaten raw or cooked, the best roots are obtained from young plants. These are usually peeled and sliced. The roasted root can also be used as a coffee substitute. 

Burdock is one of the foremost detoxifying herbs in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be use. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body. The plant is antibacterial, antifungal and carminative.

Sow at any time of the year. Germination can take a long time so a light scarification might be useful.

Harvested: September 2014.

Approx. 25+ seeds £1.50

Arctium minus

Aristolochia clematitis 'Birthwort'

Currently Unavailable

Armoracia rusticana 'Horseradish'

Currently Unavailable

Artemisia absinthium 'Wormwood'

Asteraceae: Perennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft), hardy to zone 4 and flowering from July to August, found growing waste land, rocks and screes, native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia, including Britain, north to Lapland and Siberia. Leaves are occasionally used as a flavouring, and is used as an ingredient in the spirit absinthe as well as some other alcoholic drinks, a very bitter plant with a long history of use as a medicinal herb. It is valued especially for its tonic effect on the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, and for its vermicidal activity, it is an extremely useful medicine for those with weak and under-active digestion, it increases stomach acid and bile production caution is advised, prolonged use is known to have a detrimental effect, the plant contains thujone, in small quantities this acts as a brain stimulant but is toxic in excess, avoid if prone to seizures, avoid during pregnancy & breast feeding, Wormwoods adverse effects include hallucinations, insomnia, and loss of intellect, psychosis, tremor & seizures.

Surface sow seeds from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots. If growth is sufficient, they can be planted out into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and then plant them out in the spring. Division in spring or autumn. Basal cuttings in late spring. Harvest the young shoots when about 10 - 15cm long, pot up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse or cold frame and plant them out when well rooted. Very easy, and can take over if left unchecked.

Seeds were collected from plants grown at the Kykeon Plants nursery, Co. Durham, summer 2013


WARNING: THUJONE IS TOXIC IN EXCESS, COULD BE INVASIVE, SPREADS BY SEEDS.


Seeds Available: £1.50

Artemisia absinthium

Artemisia campestris'Field Wormwood'

Currently Unavailable

Artemisia vulgaris 'MUGWORT'
[Ex. Co. Durham]

Asteraceae: aromatic perennial growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.7 m (2ft 4in), hardy to zone 3, tiny yellow flowers from July to September, red-purple stems and pinnate, dark green leaves, with white undersides. Common on hedge-banks and waysides, uncultivated and waste land, native to most temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, including Britain.

Aromatic and somewhat bitter, their addition to the diet aids the digestion and so they are often used in small quantities as a flavouring, especially with fatty foods, also used to give colour and flavour to glutinous-rice dumplings, young shoots are used in spring. The dried leaves and flowering tops are steeped into tea, and also as a flavouring in beer, though fell into virtual disuse once hops came into favour. Mugwort has a long history of use in herbal medicine especially in matters connected to the digestive system, menstrual complaints and the treatment of worms, it is slightly toxic, however, and should never be used by pregnant women, especially in their first trimester, since it can cause a miscarriage, large, prolonged dosage can damage the nervous system.

The fresh or the dried plant repels insects, it can be used as a spray but caution is advised since it can also inhibit plant growth, a weak tea made from the infused plant is a good all-purpose insecticide, the essential oil from the plant kills insect larvae, the down on the leaves is said to make a good tinder for starting fires.

Surface sow seeds from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out, when large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots, if growth is sufficient, they can be planted out into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and then plant them out in the spring. Division in spring or autumn. Basal cuttings in late spring. Harvest the young shoots when about 10 - 15cm long, pot up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse or cold frame and plant them out when well rooted. Very easy.

Seeds were collected from wild plants, from the old railway line 300 yards from my home, Leamside, Co. Durham, summer 2013.


WARNING: THUJONE IS TOXIC IN EXCESS, COULD BE INVASIVE, SPREADS BY SEEDS.

Seeds Available: £1.50

Artemisia vulgaris

Arum maculatum 'LORDS-AND-LADIES'
[Ex. Co. Durham]

Araceae: also known as 'Lords-and-ladies', this is a bulbus perennial of woods and hedges, reaching 50cm, the flowers comprises of a pale green, purple-margined spathe, cowl-shaped and part-shrounding the club-shaped, purplish-brown spadix, on slender stalks, appearing between April to May, these are followed by red berries, in a spike, the leaves are arrow shaped, and sometimes dark-spotted, commonest in the south of the UK, but widespread, very common in Co. Durham.

The tuber can be cooked and used as a vegetable, they have a bland flavour. At one time, the tubers of this plant were commonly harvested and used for food, but they are very rarely used nowadays. The root must be thoroughly dried or cooked before being eaten. Caution is advised, see the WARNING notes on toxicity. Cuckoo pint has been little used in herbal medicine and is generally not recommended for internal use, the shape of the flowering spadix has a distinct sexual symbolism and the plant did have a reputation as an aphrodisiac, though there is no evidence to support this.

The  seeds need a cold stratification, and can be slow to germinate, sometimes taking a year or more. seed usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c. the slow growth rate is in part due to the seedlings' heavy dependence upon a mycorrhizal association (fungi found in the soil that help the plant take up nutrients through its roots).

WARNING: The plant contains calcium oxylate crystals. These cause an extremely unpleasant sensation similar to needles being stuck into the mouth and tongue if they are eaten, but they are easily neutralized by thoroughly drying or cooking the plant or by steeping it in water.

Approx. 10 SEEDS £1.50

Arum maculatum

Atropa Belladonna
'Deadly Nightshade'

Solanaceae: Hardy perennial to 3 feet in height, hardy to zone 7, flowering from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to October, found growing in woods, thickets and hedges, mainly on calcareous soils, native to Central and southern Europe, including Britain, southeast to North Africa and Iran. Although it is poisonous, deadly nightshade has a long history of medicinal use and has a wide range of applications; in particular it is used to dilate the pupils in eye operations, Its name, belladonna, comes from its use by Venetian women to make themselves 'beautiful ladies' by causing their pupils to dilate. 

A star of the poison plants and its strong links with witches’ brews, most people will have heard of deadly nightshade plant even if they have never seen it, has a long history of use as a medicine, cosmetic, and poison. Before the middle Ages, it was used as an anaesthetic for surgery; the ancient Romans used it as a poison (the wife of Emperor Augustus and the wife of Claudius both were rumoured to have used it for murder); and, predating this, it was used to make poison-tipped arrows. The genus name Atropa comes from Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology.

The foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing tropane alkaloids. These toxins include scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which cause a bizarre delirium and hallucinations, and are also used as pharmaceutical anticholinergics. The drug atropine is derived from the plant.


Easy to grow and very popular

Seeds Available: 100+ seeds £1.50

Atropa Belladonna