Discovering new varieties of flowers and vegetables that you can grow easily from seed is always a joy.  Here are a few of the many offerings from Home Garden Seed Association members. Be sure to visit their  websites for many more!

Colorful Flowers Attract Pollinators!

Left to right:  

‘Tequila Lime’ Zinnia from Edenbrothers.com is fresh and citrusy and, at 30” (76cm) tall, just the right height to  make a strong impact. The crisp, cheerful color mixes beautifully with other garden flowers.  ‘Soulmate’ Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) from Harrisseeds.com grows easily from seed and is one of the  top perennials for attracting butterflies. It grows to 4’ (1.2m), performs well in full sun, and tolerates moist soils. Orange Wildflower Seed Mix is one of several color-themed meadow mixes offered by Americanmeadows.com  that can be purchased in bulk. This mix features 10 wildflower varieties, including cosmos, sunflowers, and more.  'Desire Red’ Hybrid Sunflower from Burpee.com is truly sophisticated, with striking red stems and veins. Dwarf  24-38” (60-90cm) plants, equally suited to tight borders and containers, bloom profusely on multiple branches. 

Mission Giant Orange Marigold from Burpee.com features an outsize mum-like radiant orange-yellow bloom. This is  not a shy plant: Mission Giant’s 3’ (1m) plants create a tall, fluffy bed of all-season vibrant color! Low Grow Pollinator Lawn Mix from NEseed.com is a mix of low growing flowers, ground covers, clovers and  herbs with just a touch of fine fescue. Use this no-mow mix as a lawn alternative or ground cover around shrubs. ‘Dark Night’ Scabiosa from Reneesgarden.com is a graceful 3’ (1m) cottage garden favorite. Dark Night’s blooms  resemble jeweled Victorian brooches that unfurl into densely petaled, frilled, pincushion-shaped flowers. 'Sparky’ French Marigolds from Hosstools.com is a highly rated mix of gold, yellow, red, and orange blooms. The  12” (30cm) plants grow easily from seed and create a dependable expanse of color from mid-summer until frost.  

Tomatoes to Try

Gondwana Rose from Victoryseeds.com, a new OP tomato, grows to about 3’ (1m), ideal for a small garden or large  container. The 2-5 oz. fruits turn deep purple-black ripening to pink, and have excellent well-balanced flavor. Speckled Roman from NEseed.com features deep red 6-8 oz. Roma-type tomatoes flecked with golden yellow stripes.  The flesh is dense and flavorful with few seeds.  

Red Deuce F1 from Holmesseed.com produces 10 oz. tomatoes that mature relatively early to a deep red. The plants are  determinate, growing to 4-5’ (to 1.5m) in height, and have excellent disease resistance. 

Brandywine Black from Threshseed.com is an heirloom tomato developed in the 1920s and released in 2008. Tall,  vigorous plants produce 1 lb. purplish black tomatoes that are perfect for slicing, with an earthy, sweet flavor. 

Peppers: Hot and Sweet

Hossinator Bell Peppers from Hosstools.com have shown top-notch disease resistance and reliable production.  Available as yellow, green, and orange, the large bells are smooth and elongated, and ripen quickly.  Red Impact Lamuyo-type Pepper from Victoryseeds.com, a 2024 All-America Selections winner, produces thick walled peppers, much sweeter than other varieties. The 2-3’ (60-90cm) plants are high yielding, upright and tidy. Early Flame Container Jalapeño from Reneesgarden.com sets 3½ inch (9cm) chiles on the tops of compact plants,  so they are extra easy to harvest. Shiny and thick-walled, Jalapeños add delicious mild to medium heat to any dish. Cornito Arancia F1 Sweet Peppers from Highmowingseeds.com are a half sized version of Corno di Toro. The 5”  (12cm) fruits have excellent flavor; plants are tall and benefit from staking or trellising.

Greens and Sprouts for your Salad

‘Sonora’ Lettuce from Harrisseeds.com is a large, dark green romaine. The tidy upright plants grow to 12” (30cm)  and the sweet, crisp heads weigh and average of 1.4 lbs., perfect for Caesar salad. 

Sweet Protein Mix Sprouting Seeds from Trueleafmarket.com is a mix of the quickest and healthiest sprouting  seeds available: fava bean, mung bean, and yellow pea. These legumes are ready to eat in just 36-72 hours. ‘Michelle’ Lettuce from Holmesseed.com is a Batavian type French heirloom. Very dark green during summer heat,  with more color in cooler temps, it’s a great summer lettuce, as it resists tip burn and bolting.

Get to Know these Herbs

‘Laica’ Parsley, offered by Highmowingseeds.com, is a smooth, dark-green Italian parsley that’s high yielding and  quick to grow. The trials team was struck by its “uniquely delicious flavor.”  

‘Ella’ Organic Dill from Westcoastseeds.com is perfect for the patio herb garden. Bred for container growing, Ella  has short leaf internodes, so stays compact and bushy at 10-14” (25-36cm), but with all the flavor of a full size dill.  ‘Emerald Tower’ Basil from Edenbrothers.com, named for its unique growth habit and it’s glossy, slightly ruffled  leaves, has a sweet, slightly spicy taste that is similar to traditional Genovese basil. It grows to 2-3’ (60-90cm). 

Angelica from Trueleafmarket.com is popular as a striking ornamental plant, and also for the medicinal uses of the  root. Biennial in habit, the flower stalk can be as tall as 6’ (1.8m). 

Zucchinis and Pumpkins and Crazy Gourds

‘Noche’ F1 Zucchini, offered by Westcoastseeds.com bears attractive 7-8” (18-20cm) fruits with glossy, dark green  skins. The plants are almost spineless and have an open habit, making harvest an easy task.  North Georgia Candy Roaster Squash from Threshseed.com, an heirloom from Appalachia, is a pink, banana-type  winter squash, exceptionally sweet, with a candy-like crust when roasted. Fruits weigh in at about 10 pounds! Caveman’s Club Gourd, offered by Edenbrothers.com is a truly unique gourd, great for crafting. The curved handle of  the 18” (46cm) gourds will straighten out if the plants are trellised.  

Sanchez hybrid Pumpkins from Burpee.com are squat and lavishly warty. Add them to your Halloween front porch  display, and afterwards, roast the 4-6lb fruits for a luscious autumn side dish. 

Kai Kai F1 Winter Squash from Rohrerseeds.com produces deeply ribbed 3-5lb fruits, beautifully tan in color with  patches and streaks. The fruit have a thick, dark orange flesh with a sweet smooth flavor similar to butternut squash.  Phantominita F1 Pumpkin from Harrisseeds.com is a semi-bush, tri-color mini pumpkin, The disk-shaped fruit  weighs 1-1.5lb, and tastes similar to acorn squash. Vines are a compact 2’ (61cm), making them perfect for containers.