Rare varieties of vegetables discovered in the Midlands region are set to be showcased at one of the UK’s biggest gardening shows in Birmingham.
The Heritage Seed Library, part of sustainable gardening charity Garden Organic, has issued a call to gardeners from Central England to bring their veg seeds to a ‘Big Seed Search Live’ event, every day of the show between 18 and 21 June – to help conserve them.
The Heritage Seed Library is looking for the stories behind the seeds and the people growing them – whether they’re a locally grown family favourite, a little-known prizewinner or an old commercial variety no longer available for sale. For some, the Heritage Seed Library may be the last line of defense against potential extinction.
The #SeedSearch project, launched earlier this year – and funded by National Lottery players – focuses on finding unusual, under-represented and heritage vegetable varieties being grown across the Midlands.
More than 30 different varieties of local veg have been identified so far in the Heritage Seed Library’s Sowing Your Seeds project. This includes interesting varieties such as red orach – a spinach alternative, a 16th century salad leaf called golden purslane and wonderful family heirlooms: ‘The Grandfather Bean’ and ‘Uncle Maurice’s’ broad bean.
Big Seed Search Live!
The charity is calling on more growers and gardeners to bring seeds saved from their Midlands-grown vegetable heirlooms to the show, to help preserve them for future generations.
As part of a Big Seed Search Live, visitors will also be able to see some of the newly discovered vegetable varieties, which are being preserved in the living library. The Library holds the National Collection of Heritage Vegetables, conserving more than 800 rare and heritage seeds that are facing extinction.
Lucy Shepherd, project coordinator for the Sowing Your Seeds project, said: “We’ve had a brilliant response to the #SeedSearch project so far, with veg growers from across the Midlands helping us uncover incredible local varieties that might otherwise have been lost forever. Gardeners’ World Live provides the perfect platform to get more people sharing their seeds with us, learning more about the importance of heritage seeds and celebrating the stories behind them. We want to inspire more people to help protect the rich growing history of the Midlands for future generations.
“As climate change impacts what we can grow, and pressure on global supply chains makes food shortages increasingly likely, the Heritage Seed Library is an increasingly important national asset that will ensure we are able to grow and preserve a wide variety of food types that can be grown in different conditions.”
The Sowing Your Seeds project is a two-year initiative, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. While the project is currently based in the Midlands, the Library – which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – is hoping to expand its search for seeds all over the UK in the future.
Grow your Own stage
The Big Seed Search Live is part of Garden Organic’s Grow Your Own stage at Gardeners’ World Live– which will offer a fantastic line-up of gardeners, growers and foodies, helping gardeners get the most from their edible space.
Join Garden Organic every day for talks and workshops from familiar faces, including BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Rekha Mistry and garden presenter and educator August Beth, head of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School at Le Manoir.*
Topics already on the schedule include seed sowing workshops and talks on allotment gardening, seed saving, growing without pesticides, and community growing.
Members of the public who would like to bring their special seeds, unusual varieties and family heirlooms to the Big Seed Search Live, can visit us at the Grow Your Own stage on 18-21 June, near the floral marquee. Or fill in the short form at https://bit.ly/HSLseedsearch.#
*subject to change
