Frequently Asked Questions

A little more about our seeds, how we grow them, and how to get the best from them.

Our Seeds

Do you grow all your own seeds?

We grow and save around 70% of the seed varieties we sell ourselves, here on our flower farm in West Sussex. This is quite unusual. Most seed companies source their seeds from commercial growers, rather than growing them themselves. We're a small team, but growing our own seed is at the heart of what we do.

Each year we sow, tend, observe, select, harvest, dry, clean and pack thousands upon thousands of seeds, following their journey from one generation of plants to the next. It's a long process, sometimes a rather unpredictable one, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

The remaining varieties are carefully sourced from small specialist seed growers, predominantly family-run businesses in Germany, Italy & The Netherlands. This allows us to offer a wider and more interesting collection while concentrating our growing space on the varieties we're particularly passionate about.

Why don't you grow everything yourselves?

We would love to! But there are some very good reasons why growing every variety ourselves isn't always possible, or necessarily sensible.

One of the greatest challenges is cross-pollination. Some (not all) plants will readily cross with other varieties of the same species, so maintaining the characteristics of a particular variety requires careful planning, isolation and sometimes quite considerable distances between crops.

There is only so much space on our farm, and we'd rather grow fewer crops well than risk compromising their quality.

The weather has a say in things too. Growing for seed is rather different from growing for flowers. Instead of cutting blooms at their most beautiful, we leave them on the plants to be pollinated, develop seed and ripen. This often means leaving crops standing through whatever weather the season brings. Some years a crop is wonderfully generous, and others it may fail entirely.

We also work with specialist growers who have spent years developing or maintaining particular varieties. Supporting their work helps preserve a much wider diversity of flowers than we could possibly manage on our own.

How do you choose which varieties to sell?

With a great deal of curiosity, quite a lot of trialling and, occasionally, a little obsession.

We grow hundreds of varieties each year, looking closely at their colour, form, scent, vigour and garden and vase performance. We're particularly interested in flowers with unusual or beautiful colours, interesting shapes, generous flowering habits and those qualities that make us want to grow them again and again. Some varieties are old favourites we've been growing for years. Others are new discoveries that have impressed us in our trials.

Our sweet pea trials, for example, involved more than 100 varieties in 2025 and another 100 in 2026. We grew them side by side, observing their flowering habits, stem lengths, colours, scent and performance, before deciding which deserved a place in our collection. We want every variety we offer to be one we'd be genuinely excited to grow in our own gardens.

Are your seeds open-pollinated?

All of the varieties we grow are open-pollinated, which means they can be pollinated naturally by insects, wind or other means (some self pollinate), and their seed can be saved and grown again. Where varieties are maintained carefully and protected from unwanted crossing, their offspring should closely resemble their parents. However, not all the seeds we sell behave in quite the same way. Some varieties are hybrids, and others are particularly enthusiastic cross-pollinators. Seed saved from these plants may produce something quite different from the original flower. We think this is one of the most fascinating parts of growing from seed. Sometimes preserving a variety is the aim, and sometimes the possibility of something unexpected is part of the joy.

Can I save seed from the flowers I grow?

Absolutely, and we wholeheartedly encourage you to give it a go. Seed saving is one of the most rewarding things you can do in a garden. There's something very brilliant and heartening about gathering the promise of another growing season into the palm of your hand. Some plants are wonderfully straightforward to save seed from, while others need a little more care if you want their offspring to remain true to type.

Allow the seedheads or pods to mature fully, collect them in dry weather where possible, and make sure the seed is thoroughly dry before storing it somewhere cool and dry.

If you're hoping to preserve a particular variety, it's worth finding out whether it can cross-pollinate with other plants nearby.

And if you're simply curious to see what happens, there is an enormous amount of pleasure to be had in growing the next generation and seeing what appears.

Are your seeds organic?

We grow our crops without any chemicals, using methods intended to support healthy soil, wildlife and the wider ecology of our farm. We make a lot of compost, favour no-dig growing, adding organic matter to the soil, encouraging biodiversity and working with the conditions of our land rather than against them.

We're not certified organic, so we don't describe our seeds as organic-certified. But caring for the land that produces them is fundamental to how we work.

Why do you sometimes sell mixed varieties rather than individual colours?

Some flowers cross-pollinate so readily that keeping individual colours or varieties true to type can be particularly challenging but we still want to offer the seed we’ve grown.

Cosmos are a good example. We love growing them in all their different forms and colours, but when several varieties flower close together, their offspring can be wonderfully unpredictable. Rather than promise a named variety that may not grow true, we sometimes offer seed as a mix, and turn to the people who bred them and grow them still to isolate more special varieties for us.

For us, being clear about what you can expect from a packet is important, even if that means embracing a little uncertainty.

Why do some varieties sell out so quickly?

Because we grow much of our seed ourselves, our quantities are governed by the harvest.

Some plants produce an astonishing amount of seed and we just need a couple of plants to share with all of you, while others are far less generous and we have to grow thousands of plants (sweet peas we’re looking at you). Weather, pollination, growing conditions and the amount of space we can dedicate to each crop all influence how much we have available.

We harvest, clean and pack in small batches, and once a particular harvest is sold, we may not have more until the next growing season. We know it's disappointing when something you've had your eye on sells out, but we hope there's something rather lovely about a collection that changes with the seasons.

Growing & Seed Saving

When is the best time to sow my seeds?

That depends on the plant, and one of the great pleasures of growing from seed is learning the different rhythms of different species. Some hardy annuals, including sweet peas, cornflowers, nigella and larkspur, can be sown in autumn for earlier flowers the following year, or in spring. Half-hardy annuals, such as cosmos and zinnias, are generally best sown in spring, with protection from frost. Perennials and biennials often have their own preferred timings.

We've included growing guidance with our varieties to help you get started. And remember, sowing dates are guides rather than absolute rules. Your own growing conditions and local climate will always have something to say. If you want more resources on seed sowing, check out Milli’s book Seeds, and From Seed To Bloom.

How should I store my seeds?

Somewhere cool, dry and dark is best.

Heat, humidity and fluctuating temperatures can all shorten the life of a seed. We recommend keeping your packets in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight and damp. It's tempting to keep seeds in the greenhouse or garden shed, but these places can become surprisingly hot or humid. Stored well, many seeds will remain viable for several years, although some species are naturally much shorter-lived than others like members the carota family typically lose germination rate quickly over the course of the year.

Will my seeds grow true to type?

We take great care with the varieties we grow and save, selecting plants for the characteristics we want to preserve and taking steps to reduce unwanted cross-pollination. For stable, open-pollinated varieties, you should be able to expect plants that closely resemble their parents.

However, plants are living things, and variation is a natural part of growing from seed. Occasionally, a plant may appear with an unexpected colour, shape or characteristic. We find these surprises fascinating, although we understand that when you've chosen a particular variety, you'll want it to be recognisably that variety too.

My seeds haven't germinated. What should I do?

Firstly, don't give up on them just yet. Different species have very different germination requirements, and some take considerably longer than others. Temperature, moisture, light, sowing depth and the age of the seed can all influence whether and when germination happens. One of the most common problems we see is compost being kept too wet, particularly when seeds are sown under cover without sufficient airflow. We generally recommend using a good-quality, free-draining seed compost, keeping it evenly moist rather than saturated, and checking the particular germination requirements of the species you're growing.

If you're struggling, do get in touch. We're growers ourselves, and we know how frustrating an empty seed tray can be.

Orders & Delivery

Do you ship internationally?

At the moment, we can only send our seeds to addresses within the UK. We're a very small team, and the paperwork, inspections and phytosanitary requirements involved in exporting seeds are currently more than we can manage alongside growing, harvesting and running the seed shop.

We would love to make our seeds available more widely one day, but for now we're concentrating on doing what we can well.

When will my order be dispatched?

We pack orders throughout the working week, with Royal Mail collecting from us each weekday afternoon. We do our best to get your seeds on their way as quickly as possible, particularly during our busy seasonal releases where it can take up to three weeks for us to get through all the orders. We will usually but the expected dispatch time at the top of the shop. Once your order has been dispatched, you'll receive a confirmation email with the relevant delivery information. In less busy periods we aim to pack and dispatch within 4 working days or less.

Does adding something to my basket reserve it?

Unfortunately not. Adding a seed packet to your basket doesn't reserve the stock, and your order is only secured once checkout is complete. This is particularly worth remembering during our seasonal restocks, when some varieties are available in very limited quantities.

We know this can be frustrating, especially if you've spent time choosing your favourites, and we're grateful for your understanding.

Will you restock sold-out varieties?

Sometimes, yes!

Our seed shop follows the rhythm of the growing year, so new harvests are cleaned, packed and released as they're ready. Some varieties may return later in the season, while others won't be available again until the following year. We share news of restocks, new varieties and seed-sowing reminders through our newsletter, so that's the best place to keep up with what's happening on the farm.

Thank you for growing with us. We hope our seeds bring you as much pleasure in your garden as they've brought us growing and gathering them here in ours.

With love,

Milli & Paris xx