The 2021 growing season is an opportune time to take a chance on something new. Seeds are selling like never before, which means that gardeners may not be able to find the exact varieties they’re looking for. But choices abound. And growing a vegetable and flower for the first time always adds to the joy. Here are some varieties of interest from Home Garden Seed Association members. Some are new this year; others may have escaped your notice. So try something unfamiliar—you may discover a new favorite.

Flowers: So many to choose from! Here are a few guaranteed to attract interest and pollinators.

Left to right: If you’re looking to plant a large swath of color, Americanmeadows.com sells flower seeds, such as Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) in ¼ pound and larger quantities. This North American native is deer resistant and long blooming.

Sol Gekko Green Celosia is an exciting newcomer from Burpee.com. Emerald green foliage blended with ruby red delivers reliable rich color to your sunny garden or container displays.

White Yarrow (Achillea millifolium), offered by Rohrerseeds.com, sports clusters of flat-topped flowers that attract beneficial insects of all sorts. It thrives in full sun and is great in arrangements. 

Pink Panther Nepeta (Nepeta subsessilis) from Westcoastseeds.com is a zone 4 perennial but blooms so early that it can be grown as an annual as well. It is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. 

West Coast Seeds also offers Dr. Bonnie Henry Pollinator Cosmos Blend as a way to help those in need during these trying times. Dr. Bonnie Henry is British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer, and 100% of proceeds from the sale of the seed packs will be donated to Food Banks Canada, her charity of choice.

Hestia Dwarf Runner Bean plants from Reneesgarden.com grow 12-14 inches tall with rich foliage and prolific flowers. Hummingbirds love them and flock to feed from the pretty blossoms.

Dwarf Fiesta Gitana Calendula, offered by Bestcoolseeds.com, will flower profusely even in inclement weather. The double blooms in a range of warm colors are borne on bushy 12-16 inch plants. 

Skyscraper Sunflower from Hosstools.com is a garden giant that makes a great border plant. It attracts pollinators and even provides a little shade. 14′ tall stalks produce abundant leaves and blooms from top to bottom.

Lilliput Zinnias from Wildseedfarms.com stay at a tidy 18 inches tall and produce lovely little button blooms in a multitude of colors. This heirloom is a fun alternative to large-flowered zinnias. 

Santa Fe Sunflowers, also from Wildseed Farms, is a fuzzy alternative to a traditional flower form. Santa Fe grows to 6 feet and has strong-branching stems, low pollen and long-lasting flowers.

Tomatoes: Our 2021 Picks

Amana Orange Tomato from Trueleafmarket.com is a huge (up to 2 lbs) bright orange tomato. Delicious, sweet, and not too acidic, this old favorite heirloom originates from Iowa.   

Dwarf Noah’s Stripes is a container friendly choice from Victoryseeds.com. The 4 to 10 oz slicers are purple with attractive green stripes. Check out the rest of Victory Seeds’ Craig LeHoullier’s Dwarf Tomato Project choices also. 

Polar Beauty Tomato, offered by Bestcoolseeds.com, is an open pollinated, determinate variety that produces large slicers in record time, even where nights stay cool. At 24 to 36 inches it’s an excellent container plant. 

Invincible Tomato from Hosstools.com is a hybrid determinate paste tomato with remarkable yields of deep red fruits. It has excellent disease-resistance including late blight, and sets fruit well in heat.

Fourth of July Hybrid Tomato from Burpee.com produces luscious vine-ripened fruit as early as the Fourth of July. The indeterminate plants produce a plentiful harvest of red 4 oz. tomatoes all season long.

Gum Drop Black Cherry tomato, offered by Rohrerseeds.com, produces beautiful 1-inch green-striped fruits that are as tasty as they are beautiful. This indeterminate variety could be your next new favorite!

Jersey Breeze from Hudsonvalleyseed.com harkens back to the juicy, tasty vine-ripened tomatoes New Jersey farmers were known for. Hudson Valley Seed describes it as “the perfect red tomato of a gardener’s dream.”

Principe Borghese, also offered by Hudsonvalleyseed.com, is an Italian heirloom that is famous for sun drying and for rich sauces. The small grape-shaped fruits are dryer than most tomatoes and have few seeds.

Eggplants: Three to Try

Tucci F1 Hybrid Eggplant from NEseed.com is a vigorous plant that produces beautiful, slightly elongated 10-12 ounce fruits. The brilliant black eggplants mature earlier than most. 

Midnight Moon from Burpee.com is one of the earliest maturing eggplants yet, producing 3-6 inch fruits with creamy white flesh about 60 days after planting out. The 3-foot plants are heavy yielders.  

Long Ping Tung Eggplant, sold by Trueleafmarket.com, are productive and heat loving, and suitable for containers. The beautiful 12-18 inch fruits are sweet and tender—no peeling required—and various shades of purple.

Peppers: Pick Your Shape, Pick Your Color

Mama Mia Gallo Hybrid Pepper from Rohrer.com is a very early maturing yellow sweet Italian pepper. The long tapered fruits have a nice sweet flavor that is excellent fresh, grilled or roasted. 

Right on Red Hybrid from Hosstools.com is a sweet pepper with flattened, round fruits. Early-maturing, compact plants produce heavy yields of sweet, citrusy peppers. Great for containers!  

Early Summer Hybrid Sweet Pepper from Highmowingseeds.com is a heavy producer of dark green fruits that ripen to golden yellow. The strong plants are resilient in many growing conditions.

Nocera Rosso sel. Giapponese Italian Pepper, offered by NEseed.com, is a delicious Italian pepper variety that is long and narrow with three lobes. It has thick sweet flesh and ripens from green to red.

Abay Hybrid Pepper from Harrisseeds.com produces reliable yields of thick-walled 4-inch sweet bell peppers that ripen to a striking yellow.

Eat (and Grow) Your Green Vegetables!

Gabriella Leaf Lettuce is a triple red leaf lettuce offered by NEseed.com. Delicious and sweet from mesclun size to maturity, it is slow bolting and heat tolerant.

Webb’s Wonderful Heirloom Crisphead Lettuce from Reneesgarden.com adds juicy crunch to mixed and chopped salads. The wavy leaves are perfect for tacos, and don’t get limp in sandwiches. 

Pak Choi Bopak F1 from Harrisseeds.com matures earlier than other varieties and offers a compact upright habit. A strong performer in all seasons, the tender leaves and crisp stalks are excellent for cooking or eating raw. 

Eliance Escarole, also from Harris Seeds, is an exceptional escarole type, with an upright habit, and strong resistance to bolting. This gourmet green is suited for summer and fall growing.

Sunset Chard, offered by Highmowingseeds.com, features bright yellow stems that vein beautifully into glossy, broad, green leaves. Harvest as baby leaves for salads, or grow to full size.

Beans, Squash, and Pickles

Celine Bush Beans from Highmowingseeds.com are the first purple wax beans on the market. These tasty and juicy beans are a striking shade of purple outside with a contrasting yellow interior.

French Mascotte Container Bush Beans from Reneesgarden.com are the first true container beans. Perfect for small space gardens, these fast growing compact plants produce heavy yields.

Cue Ball Zucchini, offered by Westcoastseeds.com, has a vigorous, open habit for easy picking. Young 3-5 inch diameter fruits are tender and sweet, but Cue Ball can be picked at a larger size as well.

Rhinish Pickle Cucumbers from Trueleafmarket.com grow covered in small bumps with black spines and a medium green exterior. When used for pickles, as they typically are, they are best harvested at 4 inches.