It has become increasingly difficult to buy seeds abroad as both the USA and the EU have tightened rules and control is more intensive. Without a phytosanitary certificate customs can seize your seeds and destroy them. Many seed companies do not want the hassle of acquiring a phytosanitary certificate and do not send seeds outside the USA or the EU. I do not trust the sellers on Ebay because many sell seeds not true to name or sell old seeds that won 't germinate in a million years. Some seeds need cold AND moist storage otherwise these loose viability really quick (magnolia seeds for example). Many companies do not store these seeds the right way and the consequence is that the germination percentage is very low (or zero). My 20 year experience is that many seed sellers have a limited knowledge of the seeds they sell. Take for example Acer griseum. If seeds are harvested from a stand alone specimen the chance is very great that the majority of the seeds are empty. Seeds of Acer griseum should be harvested from a number of trees that are in close proximity to each other. A 'cut test' to determine viability percentage is not always useful. Some species have seeds with embryo defects (Lindera, Sassafras) and although looking alright won't germinate. My best germination results I always get with seeds that I harvested myself and sow within a week after harvesting.

As far as I can tell, hairy vetch and alfalfa are not the same plant. If you want alfalfa (Medicago sativa), it is quite widely available as seeds for sprouting, and as green manure. T&M do stock it, as do Suffolk Herbs. It's probably better value to buy it as green manure though. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) seems to be more difficult to track down

I’ve purchased from JHudson, Floret, and Seedman, with good results. Lately, I’ve noticed that only some of Florets seeds actually come from Florets themselves. I know she purchases some from the big seed company, Johnny’s Seeds. I usually check Johnny’s to see what they have for sale. You tend to get more seeds per package. The seeds from all of the above have worked well for me. Lisa

I’m not lying! I typed in primula sieboldii seeds for sale and all it shows was some European sites which won’t work for me, one American one that we’re sold out and another from eBay with 35$ shipping and arrives in late August. I even check Dave’s garden but only had one that sells plants not seeds. But ok I’ll check barnhaven