We are losing vegetable seed varieties at an alarming rate as a small number of new, often single-generation hybrid alternatives replace them in commercial sales. This leads us closer to vulnerable monocultures & represents a loss in valuable cultivated biodiversity. Fewer varieties also means less choice when gardening in our unpredictable climate. Traditional crops can no longer be relied upon so our ability to grow our own food is at risk, putting increased pressure on our food supply chain.

The Heritage Seed Library saves 800 varieties of lost vegetables. We store them for safekeeping, regrow to replenish stock, and share 30,000+ packets of seed annually to UK growers. We have 98 new varieties awaiting trial, including the Ivanhoe bean. This bean was removed from commercial sale in 2000 but with the help of the Ivins family, who saved it for over a century, we have seed to trial in 2025. We hope to add it, along with others, into the collection to save & share even more varieties.