Your deepest darkest seed sources!

19 years ago

Come clean...I and everybody else wants to know your most treasured seed sources. You know, the places with that list species instead of just the latest hybrids, and those places that are obviously a labor of love to support some demented gardener's life's obsession. I'll start the list and will try to keep adding as long as you guys put in your two cents worth.

OK, here goes my first one:

brazilplants (didn't let me post that domain- email me if you are interested)

Lots of photos and some really descriptive journal entries to go along with some incredible seeds and plants. Haven't ordered yet but I will be happy to post my results when I do. I found this through the Aristolochia group but he collects many other species as well- begonias, gesneriads etc....

BTW- my latest obsessions are Ipomoeas, Hardy Impatiens, Bananas, Salvias, Asclepias and Monardas. Well, there are others but I gotta maintain some focus. Which will last until one of you posts a great link!

Sharing Sheila

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Comments (12)

skatayama
Original Author
19 years ago
Since that last link wouldn't post, I will give you guys this one instead for Asclepias with the added note that they take paypal. I think they have between 20 to 25 varieties available.

Sharing Sheila

Here is a link that might be useful: Asclepias
davissue_zone9
19 years ago
Try these guys, the selection is unsurpassed Use your credit card and there are no hassles with the exchange rates.

Here is a link that might be useful: chilterns
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My aunt, living in Ukraine, is a crazy gardener. Every country she visits, she always brings back cuttings, bulbs and even whole plants in pots and she manages to smuggle them across the borders with no problem at all! She had been visiting me in summer 2006 - and guess what? I drove her to every big nursery around Toronto and in 2 botanical gardens and in different parks (of course, we were equipped with scissors and cameras to take cuttings and pictures! LOL). When she was going back to Ukraine, her suitcases were loaded with all kinds of plant cuttings, she even hid in her luggage a whole tree!!!!! Well, it was just a small potted ginkgo biloba, but the fact is: when it comes to plants, she is just unstoppable ! I paid her a visit in Ukraine this summer in June - she grows some weird exotics from every country she has ever been: Egypt, Turkey, Italy, even from Paris she brought back not foie gras or French vine - she brought some begonias and petunias! LOL. Well, of course, when I was returning back to Canada, I had some "gifts" from aunt. Some of her bulbs I hid in my videocamera case. Now, imagine my horror, when in the Odessa airport, after my luggage was screened in x-ray machine, a security guy demanded me to open my luggage and show him my camera. Mentally, I was already saying goodbye to $500 fine and to my flight. I turned the suitcase such a way that the lid was blocking his view of what I was doing (thank God, he was not a curious guy :-) ) and promptly fetched a bag of bulbs from the case and re-hid it under the clothes, then handed out my camera case to him. He just checked the case, asked me to turn my camera on and off and let me go. Feeeew, I was relieved. And I learned one important lesson too: never hide the plants in your electronic equipment when travelling abroad, they are subject to screening in the airports! :-)
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mysteryrose
19 years ago
Skatayama: Your post brigns this site to mind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Secret Seeds
flowersandthings
19 years ago
I don't know if its "secret" but hardy plants / specialty perennials has had almost every seed (and a few plants) I have ever (even rare) wanted..... :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Hardy plants / specialty perennials
hazelnut_nut
19 years ago
If this one's a Secret... I'll be glad to let it out...LOL
The only problem is you get soooooo many seeds...
You would have to find someone to share with.... not hard here.. hehehe

Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds from ITALY
skatayama
Original Author
18 years ago
I had given up hope that anyone was going to post. I love Chiltern's and Secret Seeds - if anyone loves codonopsis check them out.
Flowersandthings link was a new one to me! Definitely got a spend some time there.
I had checked out Hazel Nut's link before but keep forgetting to bookmark when browsing. Not only that, for some reason my bookmarks delete themselves. Truly annoying. I had saved some really unique sites like the place that sells the hardwood laced with truffle spores.
I'll post another link this weekend when I get a chance to browse GW and see what plant I'm obsessing about this week.

Sheila
ljrmiller
18 years ago
I like Chiltern Seeds, JJA Seeds, Rocky Mountain Rare Plants, Alplains, Plants of the Southwest, Theodore Payne Foundation, Stokes Seeds, Select Seeds, Seed Savers' Exchange, Seeds of Change, Lonnie's Bulk Seeds and the RHS annual seed distribution scheme. I plan to try Silverhill Seeds this year, and I have lots of wonderful seed to fool with from Phedar Nursery (peonies and hellebores). You can find links to all except Phedar Nursery (phedar.com) through gardenwatchdog.com, and ratings for all but Phedar there.
greenelbows1
18 years ago
An excellent source for species seed especially is the plant society for whatever plant you feel most passionate about. Fern societies have spore stores. (love that!) The Gesneriad Society (AGGS) has an amazing list, including some hybried seeds donated by hybridizers. Lots of others--
skatayama
Original Author
18 years ago
ljrmiller, I love Phedar's. For those of you who are into peonies and hellebores, that site is run by a passionate plant explorer so don't expect kid glove treatment. On the other hand, if you are likewise a gung-ho love the plant fanatic you will fit right in with the Phedar philosophy and won't care about instant gratification. Which in this case, is a good thing.

ljrmiller just took my next site to post as well as several others so now I will have to go back and think about which plants have me excited about gardening and where to get them.

Sheila
flowersandthings
18 years ago
Hazelnut I know what you mean about seeds of Italy! I've got enough veggies from them (including mountains of lettuce.... which I could probably use and mountains of anans melon.... which I'll have to find something to do with!) to last for a long time! Definitely will have to share! :)
GawdinFever
18 years ago
One of my favorites is Sunrise Seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sunrise Seeds
mysteryrose
18 years ago
And don't forget this source. Just google "Derry Watkins Special Plants"---she has seed to sell.

Your deepest darkest seed sources!

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skatayama
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Your deepest darkest seed sources!

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