I, too, have exchanged seeds and even plants with GW members living in other countries. When it comes to purchasing seeds from firms in Canada, Great Britain, etc., they require that you either purchase the phytosanitary certificate which adds considerably to the cost, especially if you are talking about seeds,or obtain the Small Seed Lots permit which is free and satisfies the requirements. So far, no one has responded who tried to go this latter route. So, I repeat the question which I originally posted. Has anyone ordered and received seeds using this somewhat complicated but legitimate method.

Hi Brendan, I have received seeds from the USA. I have ordered from reputable seed companies. My understanding was as long as it is small amounts of garden seeds and they are well labelled they would pass through customs. I have never had a problem. Hope this helps! Wendy

Tova, seeds are generally not a problem. The only time they might be is if the plant was on the list of a banned seed/plant in Canada, such as some weeds or plants prone to certain diseases I suppose. In fact, usually seeds are just shipped in a single envelope and arrive direct in your mail box. Sometimes, however, customs ask you to pay duty/GST but most times they don't, especially if it's a low value item. (I think in theory they have a right to collect for every item, but usually a small item they'll let go by without paying). Another great source to buy seeds from (in general) is the UK. I found the shipping from the UK to Canada to be faster than the service from the USA. Not sure why. Though you may want to buy from the USA because of the favorable exchange rate. Unfortunately, it sounds like a hassle to actually order live plants. If you check the internet, you will see a lot of unique nurseries but most are located in the USA. I've been tempted many times, they have a lot of specialty nurseries. Some won't ship live plants to Canada. Others might, but charge a fee for a phytosanitary certificate which possibly makes it expensive cost-wise. I think another potential problem is that the plant might arrive dead by the time it clears customs. Even though they might not necessarily charge duty, they reserve the right to inspect each package and sometimes a package will spend a week or more at customs waiting to be searched. All during which time the poor plant is probably drying out. Glen

I've had no problems with UK customs or otherwise in receiving quantities of heirloom seeds in the UK from US friends. Indeed, there are no significant problems with posting garden seeds throughout the EC. Problems arise, as you know, when mailing seeds into the US (plus Australia and several other nations). The phytosanitation laws have been sharply enforced in the US since around 2006. This is not so much to keep out disease, which is rarely found on garden seeds properly prepared, but to block the importation of invasive weeds. Nor does it help to smuggle seeds into the US in hollowed out copies of Sherlock Holmes. US Customs have now become wise to this. It is more effective, I find, to slip them between the pages of Edgar Allen Poe's The Purloined Letter :)