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103 Items
(Ocimum gratisimum) Wonderful flavor, the best for pesto! A gigantic and sumptuous basil that is popular in African and Asian cuisines. This amazing plant has incredible flavor, a rich basil taste, with oregano flavor, and a small kick of delicious spiciness! It is wonderful in salads, soups, pastas, vinegars, jellies and killer pestos! We adore this wonderful variety also for its health properties! Popular in traditional medicine, it was clinically evaluated for its antibacterial properties and was found to possess impressive antibiotic qualities. Our strain of this flavorsome plant comes from Ghana, an epicenter of basil genetics. We thank our grower Solomon Amuzu of Ghana.
85-100 days. Capsicum chinese. This is the beloved pepper also known as aji dulce that is so popular in the Caribbean and part of Latin America. Pods are reminiscent of scotch bonnet, but only in shape -- the heat level is super mild, just about 500-1,000 Scoville units, which is much more mild than a habanero. This sweet-fleshed pepper is essential for so many dishes, from sofrito to bean dishes, soups and even just as a raw snack. It is exceptionally versatile and appreciated for its incredible flavor.
Signature pepper of Panama, comparable to Scotch Bonnet in heat but with more fruity flavor and forward heat. Heat ranges from 100K-350K Scovilles or 18-140 times hotter than jalapeno. Perfect for Panamanian cuisine or any habanero recipes. These have a wonderful flavor and aroma.
(Ocimum basilicum) One of our favorite new arrivals in the Baker Creek trial gardens! This plant is a native herb that originated in Ghana West Africa, where it’s been used in many dishes and medicinal preparations for hundreds of years. This is one of the most common plants seen in every home of the Ghanaian people because of its numerous uses. This variety from Ghana is named Akoko Mesa because it is used for preparing poultry. The name Akoko Mesa means “chicken dance”.
A fabulous jewel tone mix of sweetly scented blooms makes Anytime Mix a favorite! Gardeners will appreciate this more hardy variety. It is a long-season bloomer that can tolerate both cold and heat better than other varieties we have grown. Stalks reach about 24 inches high. An incredible cut flower or landscaping specimen.
Pole. This famous Japanese beauty is perfect for soups and stews. A vibrant and colorful heirloom that is nicknamed “seaweed bean” in its native Japan thanks to its umami flavor. A silky soft, thin skinned dry bean with super savory and unmistakable taste of kombu seaweed. These colorful beans have a superior flavor and texture. You can also harvest the pods young for green beans.
Growing Tips: Vigorous, long vines need support. Soak seeds overnight and direct seed after last frost. Harvest frequently to keep plants productive.
Annual. Plant a bed of luxuriant and lavish crushed velvet blooms! These flowers are edible and really add a touch of regal beauty to your culinary creations. A cool weather flower that flourishes in light shade. Try them in planters, pots, beds, and borders.
Growing Tips: Start seeds indoors in very early spring for summer blooms, or late summer for fall blooms. Likes cool, moist, woodsy soil, cool to cold temps. Occasionally self-sows.
80 days. A tiny yellow Brazilian pepper, tangy and sweet with a nice kick of heat. One plant will produce an average of 100 little peppers and will grow around 24 inches tall. It can be eaten fresh as snacks, cooked in soups, and is really amazing pickled in vinegar. You will love this unique looking little pepper!
(Hordeum vulgare nudum) An heirloom grain from antiquity, Black Hulless barley is versatile, delicious and easy to grow! Whether you like experimenting with heirloom grains in creative baking endeavors, clever cover cropping rotation or for ornamental use in arrangement and landscaping, you will find Black Hulless barley a delight! This completely hulless variety stands about 2.5-3 feet tall with onyx black seed heads and awns, making for a unique, cat whiskers look that adds fun to floral arrangements. This hulless heirloom is easier to process and makes amazing baked treats!
Annual. A deeply dramatic poppy, with intricately ruffled blooms in shades of obsidian to dark burgundy. The flowers are fully double and so large, from 3-5" across! This show-stopping variety stuns in the landscape or in arrangements. Even the seedpods wonderful additions to dried flower designs. Plants stand 3-4' tall and will readily self sow in the garden.
Growing Tips: Direct sow in late fall, or in spring as soon as soil can be worked. Surface sow, just barely covering. Grows best in cool, early spring conditions in rich soil, with moderate moisture.
Half-hardy Annual. These bewitching blooms range from burgundy to deep obsidian with striking golden centers. A great contrast to lighter color schemes, or the perfect addition to a gothic garden. Sturdy stems make this one an excellent cut flower to add drama to arrangements.
Growing Tips: Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, gently firming soil over the tiny seeds. Set transplants out after frost. Plant in full sun/filtered shade. Thrives in late spring or cool-summer conditions. Deadhead regularly.
75 days to maturity. Superior breeding efforts have resulted in one of the most delectable and color- saturated tomatoes we have seen! Plants produce bunches of 2-inch globes, round and brilliant blue, maturing to a golden yellow with blue shoulders. This newer variety was introduced by J and L Gardens and is a cross between the famously sugary Amy’s Sugar Gem and the antioxidant-rich OSU Blue tomato. It is perfect to snack on or for salads and should be a centerpiece for market displays!
Annual. A stunning re-selection of the striped pansies and violas of yesteryear, these vibrant beauties have disappeared, so we are excited to bring back this color scheme to the garden. So appropriately named, the petals have the look of a painting, each bloom with its own unique markings. This pansy loves cool weather, and the flowers are edible and delicious, perfect for salads, desserts, garnishes, and more! The blooms are striking and will make a statement in pots, borders, and beds. Please note this variety is highly variable with solid blooms among the ones splashed with brushtrokes.
Annual. A darling little cottage flower that is hard to find! Reaching just 8" high and wide, this might just be the most adorable flower we've ever seen! Fragrant blooms are sweetheart pink with two prominent petals, giving this ears like a bunny. Your fairy gardens, containers, beds, and borders will sing with cheer wherever Bunny Ears viola grows! A cool weather-loving, shade-tolerant bloom ideal for all your landscapes.
Annual. If you like your cosmos big and bold, this one is for you! Magenta blooms with vibrant yellow eyes. Compact, 2' plants are smothered in extra large 4" blooms. An exemplary choice for containers, landscape design, and the cutting garden.
Growing Tips: Sow in place in mid-spring. Plants require full sun, fairly warm temps, moderate moisture. Removing spent blooms prolongs the blooming season.
A stunning ornamental, this is also one of the best-tasting kales we have tried! The incredible beauty of this variety belies its sweet flavor and tender texture. White midribs and splashed ivory and green foliage make a show in the landscape and on the plate. This cool weather-loving kale is ideal for edible landscaping and container gardening; the plants stand 2-2.5 feet tall with stunning bi-colored foliage. Young leaves will be all green, and as they mature, they will become splashed with white. A real crowd pleaser! This nutritious vegetable contains loads of vitamin C, almost as much as orange citrus fruit!
Annual. A sky blue pansy representing one of the rarest and most sought-after colors in the plant kingdom! These cool blue blooms are just the trick for pots, borders, and beds. They’re glorious in blocks of color or as an accent to other hues! Add this tranquil edible flower to your dishes for a gorgeous culinary presentation. Delicious in salads and spring rolls!
(Rudbeckia hirta) Loads of big blooms all season long! A gorgeous medley of rustic sunset colors are the epitome of country chic. This stunning landscape or cutting flower comes in a range of colors and forms, from single to fully double and saturated in high-intensity tones! A feast for pollinators, easy-to-grow, and so quick to bloom!
(Rudbeckia hirta) Amazing color! A completely unique annual type rudbeckia with cherry rosecolored petals! Large (3-4 inch) blooms make the perfect landing pad for pollinators! The tidy plants reach about 20 inches tall. Fantastic long-blooming plants that make lovely bouquets.
Average 55 days to maturity. A runaway winner of the Baker Creek tasting and growing trials, this stunning new superfood contains four times as much vitamin A as carrots! It is also a great source of minerals and protein. A cross between two of the most delicious and hardy greens -- tatsoi and komatsuna -- the lightly savoyed leaves of Chijimisai have a velvety texture and lightly umami flavor that make it a remarkable spinach substitute. This innovative “new” heirloom Asian green is both heat and cold tolerant, making it suitable to grow year round in most growing zones, save for the extreme seasons of some climates. This quick and easy-to-grow green is phenomenally tasty and more versatile than other greens. It is equally happy in stir fries and soups as it is in salads, lasagna or atop pizzas. Sure to be the next culinary craze and must-have market gardeners’ green, no patch of greens should be without Chijimisai!
Chinese Narrow Leaf Romaine Lettuce is a bolt resistant, fast-growing romaine that is very popular in China, especially in cooked recipes! Use the young leaves raw in salad, like a classic romaine, or allow the leaves to grow larger and add to cooked dishes, traditionally stir fried with garlic.
Our favorite eggplant is so long and skinny that the Chinese named it after a piece of string! This is the most slender, tender and best-tasting variety we have grown! This marvelous eggplant is so sweet it is even delicious raw in salads, and this buttery, tender East China variety is our top choice for doing just that! Very high-yielding plants produce profusions of 10-15-inch long fruit with lavender-violet skin and snowy white flesh. A superior choice for sautéing, grilling, and more! Fire up the wok and make the best pan of Chinese eggplant you will ever taste! Eggplant has an ancient history in China, where it is used for food and medicine. This is a masterpiece of thousands of years of eggplant selection from this amazing land. We grow these almost year-round in our greenhouses and outdoors in the warmer months They are super quick to mature. We cook the new baby fruit whole like green beans, only these are better!
Growing Tips: Start indoors in bright light 8-12 weeks before last frost date. Heat mat helps to warm soil and speed germination. Setting out larger transplants helps to fight pest pressure.
Baker Creek is delighted to reintroduce an all-but-forgotten edible ornamental! This 2-3' tall variety was a major standout in our trial gardens, and it's the most delicious flowering vegetable we've tried! Founder Jere Gettle was intrigued by Chinese Wool Flower advertisements in seed catalogs dating back to 1915, and further research revealed these plants were no longer available anywhere in the U.S. We took the search abroad, finally tracking down a single seed packet in Japan!
The fluffy heads of this amaranth family member resemble tufts of yarn, and they make a bold everlasting flower for fresh or dried arrangements. Recipe possibilites are endless for this remarkable edible ornamental. Our trial kitchen has tried them tempura style, stir fried, in soups, lasagna, and pizza. Their delicate, gourmet flavor truly sets them apart!
We are thrilled to finally be able to offer Chinese Wool Flower to the public!
Growing Tips: Start indoors 3-4 weeks before transplanting out after last frost, or sow seeds in place after frost. Cover lightly in fine, moist soil, and keep warm until germination. Grow plants in full sun.
(Berlandiera Lyrata) An easy-to -grow native wild flower with darling yellow blooms that smell of hot cocoa, especially strong in the early morning hours. The stamens of the flower are edible and taste faintly of chocolate! Various medicinal uses of this plant have been documented among Native American communities. This clumping perennial will reach 1-1.5 feet tall, and the plant will slowly grow year after year. A popular border plant best planted en masse. Hardy from USDA zones 2-10. Highly attractive to beneficial insects.
Perennial. A salvia in regal gem tones fit for a queen! Bright, compact, and tidy in reds, oranges, pinks, and purples! Plants reach 1-2' tall in gorgeous spikes of color!
Growing Tips: Sow seeds 1/16" below the surface of the soil, keep moist until germination. Start indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Prefers full sun, thrives in mild humidity and well-drained soil.
Annual. A true golden girl, this gilded beauty was an All America Selection winner way back in 1938, and she's still shining bright in gardens today! Medium to large pure gold blooms are solid gold in color. They look stunning planted en masse, especially in borders and beds, but they also make a splendid potted flower. Plants are cold loving and will tolerate shade. The edible flowers add a touch of regal elegance to baked goods and other culinary creations!
A wonderful and easy-to-grow,substitute for true saffron in cooking! Safflower is a wonderful plant with several uses and one of humanity’s oldest crops. Long before true saffron was cultivated, safflower was already a major crop in ancient Egypt. It later spread to ancient Greece where it was called Karthamos, and all the way to China. The Arabs brought it to southern Spain where in the 12th century they selected a spineless strain (safflower is from the “thistle” family). The village of Corrales was founded on the banks of the Rio Grande, and the Spanish colonists had brought safflower seeds possibly collected from their stop in the Island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands, where a famous strain was then cultivated. This Corrales Azafran strain has stayed close to this original seed brought to New Mexico. It is widely adapted; flowers can be used as a coloring spice, dried to brew tea and also, a dye with a deep orange, almost red, pigment. The young plants make a delicious leafy green. The seeds can be pressed into oil. The deep taproots are a very efficient soil breaker.
A blazing blend of rich red and purple varieties, this lettuce blend is likely the most colorful, flavorful and nutritious selection on the market. We have selected our favorite anthocyanin-rich varieties to make the most colorful salad blend possible. With increasing awareness of the importance of eating a rainbow of colors for nutrition, we have assembled a home or market gardener’s best choices for nutrient density, gourmet flavor and beauty. Many rare strains are included in this blend. Grow this for extra flavor, vitamins and beauty!
(P. somniferum) Invite the Cream Peony poppy into your garden and you will be rewarded with massive, alabaster orbs! Opulent, opalescent blooms reach 4 inches across and are fully double. We love to see it romanticize a garden design and fill out floral arrangements, as it is also a great cutting type! Plants stand 3-4 feet tall, painting the landscape with large dollops of cream that sway in the breeze.
(C. maxima) This legendary and delicious pumpkin from Peru and Bolivia has superior and gourmet flavor and texture. This ancient warted squash is believed to be the parent of historic varieties such as Buen Gusto de Horno and Marina di Chioggia squash. It is likely that this Native variety was brought to Spain and contributed to many other varietals. A big, delicious pumpkin with indigenous roots in South America.
(P. somniferum) Three cheers for this brilliant crimson red pompom style annual poppy! The highly doubled, frilled heads make a wild statement in the landscape with their unusual form and stunning color. Plants stand 3-4 feet tall with misty blue-green ruffled foliage and massive blooms that reach 4-5 inches across! A loud and eye-catching variety to use as a focal point in containers, beds and borders. Annual that readily reseeds.
85 Days. This stout, reliable celery hails from France. We love this variety for its relative ease of growing and nutritious green stalks with gourmet flavor. It performed very well in our trials and taste tests. These upright, tidy plants average 18 inches tall and have crisp, sweet flavor. Growing gorgeous celery can be easy when you choose an easy variety like this and provide rich soil, even moisture, and relatively mild weather.
Growing Tips: Start seeds indoors 8-12 weeks ahead of last frost date. Surface-sow, gently pressing into soil. Transplant outdoors after last spring frost, into rich moist soil in full sun.
85-95 days. Wow, finally an open-pollinated, super sweet corn that is perfect for the home gardener. These are not only sugar sweet, but also have that old-fashioned corn flavor! This sweet corn comes from a traditional seed breeder in Germany as a very sweet, fairly early variety bearing large yellow kernels. It is a sugar-enhanced corn that will grow well in many different places. Our sweetest variety, perfect for fresh eating, canning, freezing and adding to a myriad of delicious dishes, and best of all you can save your own seeds for future gardens and gardeners!
Growing Tips: Direct sow into the richest soil available 1-2 weeks before last spring frost. Succession planting prolongs harvest. Planting in blocks improves pollination.
(Hypericum punctatum) A famous plant in natural medicine and a native wildflower of the Midwest, Atlantic coast and into eastern Canada. This pollinator magnet is super easy to grow and is a beautiful perennial addition to the medicinal garden, as its flowers produce the highest amount of hypericin, the purple/red tinted juice that has holistic vitality and medicinal qualities. Be sure to take precautions and consult with a physician before growing and using your own medicinal plants.
Annual. We love these incredible rose-like flowers on this stunning cosmos variety from Holland. The ballerina pink, semi and fully double blooms are a cheerful addition to the cottage garden, floral designs, and the landscape. It’s no wonder this variety is a favorite for cutting! Blooms are sturdy and stunning with long stems. Plants average 4' tall. A real standout in our trial gardens this last year, and a new favorite!
Annual. A super cheerful, fully double sunflower that is top choice for arrangements! It reaches 6' tall with fluffy golden heads that are plush and soft. Extra long vase life and lower pollen count makes this a superb choice for cutting gardens and floral design.
Growing Tips: Direct sow in spring, or start indoors 2-3 weeks before last frost. Set out after last frost, transplant carefully. Plants require full sun, rich soil and moderate soil moisture.
Averages 75 or more days to maturity. A trifecta of marbled colors makes this one of the most gorgeous of all tomatoes. This unusual variety ripens slowly, starting out an olive green and lighten - ing up with red streaks when ripe. Evil Olive is insanely productive, easily one of the most productive tomatoes we’ve ever grown. It is also one of the longest keepers. If you’d like a variety to grow as a winter keeper, Evil Olive is your pick! We love this extremely crunchy plum-sized tomato as a tomatillo type green tomato. It’s amazing in salsas and salsa verde. Super long trusses with over a dozen fruit per cluster, each weighing about 2-3 ounces!
(Papaver rhoeas) Our new favorite, as it was the first to flower, with loads of blushing blooms all spring! Just try not to fall in love with this poppy with petals like vibrant silk! Its gleaming jewel tones of coral, salmon, rose and cerise make it a must have for any garden design. The dazzling blooms are semi double to fully double with picotee edging. The nodding blooms will gently blow in the breeze, beckoning pollinators and enthralling onlookers. This annual type poppy self sows, producing 18-30 inch tall plants with blooms that reach 3 inches across.
Annual. The most alluring cosmos, with pale pink petals and dazzling magenta picotee. The flowers have a smaller row of second petals, making them a semi-double. This 3.5' variety is perfect for cutting, landscaping or container growing. Lovely choice for floral design and cut flower sales. We love these!
Annual. This pleasing blend of orange and yellow colors is a cheerful addition to beds, borders, and containers. An easy-to-grow compact variety, it stands just 15" tall with blooms about 3" across. We love it planted en masse for a stunning design effect. This South African favorite is great planted in sunny, well-drained areas.
Growing Tips: Thrives in poor, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established. For mild climates, sow in fall, or in spring where winters are severe. Grow in full sun.
The colors are what makes these flowers such a charming attraction! The stunning hues of peach, apricot, orange, vanilla and yellow, sometimes bicolored or tricolored, captivate the eye. At sunset, the petals fold up for the night to reveal flashy red or maroon backsides. As with most calendulas, they will do better in a sunny spot. This is a wonderful choice to start with -- and remember that calendulas have many medicinal and culinary uses. Another wonderful selection from plant breeder Frank Morton.
An amazing blue-green beauty! Our most heat-resistant lettuce, this giant variety keeps producing massive, crisp leaves right through our Missouri summer! This famous south China lettuce variety reaches 4 feet tall and allows multiple harvests. The young tender leaves are excellent for salad, while the larger leaves are supreme for cooking and stir fry! Thrives in warm weather and has beautiful thick blue leaves, which are delicious cooked. Good year-round lettuce and super heat tolerant!
Massive, blue-green poppy pods are the size of a golf ball and make an exotic floral design element. When dried, they are full of delicious bread seeds! The 3' plants have sturdy stems and produce large, single lavender-to-pink blooms. Petals fall back, revealing pods among the largest we've grown! Highly sought after by flower farmers, high-end floral designers, and home gardeners alike. Loads of seeds are stuffed into these big pods, making it a popular choice among bakers and heirloom chefs!
Okra lovers rejoice! This is the most productive okra we have ever seen, with plants producing as much as 250 pods per plant in a season and 44 young, tender pods in a single day. This unbelievable heirloom was selected and perfected over decades by one dedicated farmer in Oklahoma. Dry Creek Farm owner Ron Cook received seeds of Clemson Spineless okra in 1972 from a local gardening friend who had saved her own seeds for decades. Once in his hands, Ron began to select for heavy productivity. After many years of improvement and selection, the Heavy Hitter stands to be one of the most productive okras of all time and with no compromise to flavor and texture. For those who love to grow a mess of okra, this is your variety. You can expect heavy crops of uniform pods, perfect for pickling and then savoring all season long!
Annual. Extraterrestrial and out of this world! The Hen and Chicks poppy is highly coveted by fine florists who use the unusual seed heads in arrangements. Named for its unusual habit of forming small clusters of smaller seed pods in a halo shape around the main seed pod, like a momma hen and her chicks. The fresh flowers are gorgeous in their own right, with silky pink petals splashed with purple. As the petals fall, the strikingly unusual form of the seed pods is fully revealed! Plants stand 2.5-3' tall on long slender stems that make them excellent for cutting and drying. Easily self sows!
A gorgeous cottage garden flower with burgundy, lavender, and cream edible blooms. Gorgeous puffs of subtle colors are super attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies. A reliable cut flower and charming addition to the landscape. High-end chefs love to use this variety for garnishing and edible flower use.
Growing Tips: Perennial in zones 7-10, annual elswhere. Sow seed indoors in early spring and keep moist. Room temperature is best. Can sow seeds outside from spring to fall for bloom the next year.
A dainty and delightful dwarf variety with gorgeous array of sunset colors. Compact and tidy plants reach about 16 inches tall and about as wide. A cottage garden accent or border plant, it also performs well in pots, raised beds and meadows. Versatile and irresistible to pollinators, and provides loads of color that will make your garden really glow this summer!
Annual. Jere Gettle received seeds of this amazing, mammoth variety from an Amish family while traveling in Indiana around 2004. The deep crimson, tightly curled heads can reach to 14" across! A perfect choice for cutting gardens, landscaping, and county fair displays.
Growing Tips: Sow seeds in place after frost. Cover lightly in fine, moist soil, and keep warm until germination. Grow plants in full sun.
(Allium fistulosum) Average 40-50 days to maturity. A uniform and flavorful bunching onion, it is a popular and traditional Japanese variety for sukiyaki, soup and salads. Ishikura reaches enormous proportions (to two feet tall, one inch across) while remaining tender and scallion-like, never forming a bulb. A perfect heat- and cold-tolerant green that is a go-to choice to grow alongside Asian greens in the cool season! No garden should be without this easy-to-grow culinary staple!
Bush. 55 days. Productive, reliable and disease resistant, this delicious stringless, jade-green bean is a market gardener’s dream with home garden flavor! Bushy plants set tons of long straight pods, poised high on the plant for easier picking. Pods are dark green and average about 6-7 inches long.
Growing Tips: Bush habit requires no staking. Direct seed after last frost, soaking seeds overnight. Pick frequently to keep plants productive. Succession plant for prolonged harvest.
A more flavorful, gourmet jalapeño, this ancient heirloom sings with smoky sweet flavor and heat! Ancient variety from Oaxaca, Mexico. 2-3-foot tall plants covered in 1-2-inch deep green pods that ripen to a carnival red color with tan crack lines. Considered hot for a jalapeño.
A long, slender golden-skinned radish from Poland. Its spicy, pungent flavor and quick maturity make this a favorite variety. Compact, perfect for companion and succession planting.
Annual. A subtle cosmos from Japan. Elegant petals are the lightest shades of yellow, cream, rose, and peach. The 4' tall plants create soft clouds of soothing color perfect for the back of the border and lovely in arrangements. A totally unique color in cosmos beloved by gardeners and pollinators alike!
A beautiful and delicious pepper from eastern North Macedonia. This Jalapeno-level hot pepper was brought to us by Steve Neumann, who also introduced the phenomenal and uniquely etched Rheza pepper and the Ajvarksi pepper. Steve collected the seeds for this variety while visiting the village of Kalugeritsa. This super rare pepper is not known outside of the region, and he was unable to find a variety name; therefore the pepper bears the name of the little town in which it is grown. We love this pretty little pointed pepper. The flavor is full bodied and is one of the best peppers for roasting!
This gourmet eggplant is highly regarded by top chefs in Japan! Plants are exceptionally tolerant of heat and humidity. A Kyo Yasai, or traditional vegetable of Kyoto, this variety is grown in the Kamigamo Kita-ku region of Kyoto where two famous shrines, Kamigamo and Shimogamo, are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Kamo Eggplant is considered a regional delicacy of the area thanks to its creamy, dense flesh, and sweet flavor. Eggplant were cultivated in Japan as early as the 8th century, during the Tang dynasty, and much effort in breeding and refining has been made since its introduction!
Annual. A delightful domesticated version of a wildflower from the Caucasus, Turkey, and Iran. Lipstick red with black spots, these colorful blooms are reminiscent of ladybird beetle wings. This poppy is a popular choice for maintained wildflower fields and recipient of the prestigious R.H.S. Award of Garden merit. Gardeners have included the dainty Ladybird Poppy in their garden designs for hundreds of years. Plants stand just 1-2' tall with 3" blooms. Often self-seeds.
Annual. Also known as Ullswater, the deep blue of this pansy is named for the sparkling Alpine waters of Lake Thun in Switzerland. This heirloom is perfect for bouquets, and is delicious in syrups and jellies! Plant a bed of pure blue beauty this year!
Growing Tips: Start seeds indoors in very early spring for summer blooms, or late summer for fall blooms. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Likes cool, moist, woodsy soil and cooler temps. Occasionally self-sows.
(Phlox drummondii). The soft and most romantic shades of dusky lavender, periwinkle and violet blooms. This annual/biennial is 12-18 inches tall. These more compact phlox are supreme for cottage gardens, beds and borders, and cut flower design.
80 days. Amazing deep, tangerine-orange fleshed fruit are sugar sweet! Perhaps the most perfectly flavored watermelon we have tried! In 2008, Mike Kiessel, watermelon expert of Leelanau County, Michigan, decided to cross the Orangeglo watermelon with a Crimson Sweet. After years of selecting and perfecting, the Leelanau Sweetglo has completely won our hearts and triumphed at our annual tasting trials! A new favorite orange-fleshed variety that matures early and is excellent for northern growing.
One of the best-tasting peas we have ever tried. This superior variety was saved by Mennonite farmer Lillian. It is not an old, storied heirloom of antiquity, but rather a discontinued commercial variety that this family did not want to see disappear. Lillian explained that she grew Caseload peas from Johnny’s Seeds and loved the variety. When the company discontinued the caseload pea, Lillian tracked down some seeds to save. After almost two decades of seed saving, the variety has developed unique characteristics making it different from the original Caseload pea. Vines reach 2-3 feet in length with peas about 2.5-3 inches long, containing 5-7 large, sweet peas.
(T. linneaus) A smoldering and memorable marigold with gracefully wavy stems, and smoky orange and red blooms that resemble embers in a crackling fire. This old variety has long been tended at the Linneas Botantical Gardens in Uppsala, Sweden.
A resilient, multi-colored, old French heirloom variety still popular among home gardeners. It is an early and very adaptable carrot that can be planted outside from March until July. Do not be fooled by its name “longue” as it is in fact a half-long conical carrot and with a very firm texture that helps with conservation. Amazingly, it will keep its colors after cooking. Its flavor is consistently sweet with a good carrot flavor.
Growing Tips: Carrots require light and fluffy soil in full sun, adequate moisture but only average fertilizing. Surface sow; press in gently and provide consistent irrigation. Best in cooler weather.
Annual. An outstanding everlasting flower bursting with tangerine tones! Gomphrena is reliably tolerant to both heat and drought. Ignite your landscape and floral designs with this electrifying citrusy, ornamental gem in the amaranth family. A long-season bloomer that holds color in dried arrangements, it gives the perfect touch to flower crowns and other craft projects.
Growing Tips: Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep, indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, or direct sow after. Presoak seeds for 24-48 hours. Plants prefer well-drained soil.
(Cryptotaenia japonica) This delicate and refreshing Japanese herb is easy to grow. It loves shade; it can be grown in full to part shade and is perfect for low-light spaces in the garden. This savory little parsley family member is also popular in Chinese cuisine and is reminiscent of its cousins, parsley and cilantro. It is typically used raw, sprinkled atop a meal to give it the perfect final touch. The leaves, stems, roots and seeds are all edible and excellent in stir fries, soups, salads and other Asian-inspired dishes. The plants are similar to parsley in their growth habit. Prefers cooler spring and fall weather.
Amazing black corn that even grows in the north! A deep purple and super anthocyanin-rich flour corn from Montana! This variety is a northern adapted homage to the legendary Maiz Morado/Kulli corn from Peru. Ed Shultz, the accomplished and passionate open pollinated corn breeder who spent 30 years selecting this dark purple variety, explains that Mountain Morado is was actually selected from Painted Mountain corn. Perfect for those northern gardeners who have always dreamed of growing dark purple corn to brew into the popular healthful corn drink, chicha morada. This slightly variable, Montana landrace is well adapted to super long summer days and cool nights, however it will also perform well (and mature even earlier) in shorter day length areas. Short, stocky plants produce an average of 2 ears per plant, with 8 row, long slender cobs. Can also be milled into a supremely soft, delicious flour.
Held in high esteem in its native range, this cousin of bok choy and tatsoi is beloved as a nutritious and tasty vegetable with deep cultural roots as a culinary emblem of Nagasaki, Japan. Growers of Nagasaki Late cabbage will attest that it has been a culinary staple in the Nagasaki region for many generations, and indeed records show the variety, which is locally called Tojinna, has been grown in Nagasaki since at least the Edo period. Evidence suggests that the introduction of this variety actually dates back to the Tang dynasty (618-907). This crispy and flavorful Asian green is locally popular in hotpot, stir fry and soup. The green is particularly popular as a star ingredient in Ozoni, the traditional soup enjoyed at Japanese New Year’s. It’s a favorite cold-hardy green and deeply nutritious.
60 days. A rare and beautiful treasure from Okinawa, Japan, and the most exciting vegetable introduction of 2021! The stunning bubblegum pink pods are packed with antioxidants and phenomenal flavor, making this variety both highly nutritious and gourmet. One of our favorite new edible ornamentals from the famous “blue zone” of Japan, where more people live to 100 than nearly any other place in the world. The sturdy plants produce lovely large flowers and uniquely non ribbed, round pods in a stunning pink color.
Orange Accordion Tomato- Indeterminate, regular leaf. Averages 80 days to maturity. Indescribable beauty meets stellar flavor with the orange accordion tomato. This highly ruffled, massive tomato in high voltage orange color is packed with nutrition and sweet, fruity flavor. This head-turning tomato is a must have for market gardeners and home growers alike. Its deeply lobed fruit has few seeds and juicy, meaty flesh, making it suitable for sauces and slicing. Its monstrous fruit can easily reach 20 ounces each and makes a perfect stuffing tomato, too!
75 days to maturity. This is a true garden oddity; the fruit is perfectly peachy in color, with even a lightly fuzzy skin to match! A delicious reminder of the whimsy and fun of heirloom gardening, this imitation peach is nutritious and has splendid sweet flavor! The original peach tomato is an old French variety called Yellow Peach. It was used to make a marmalade that was a convincing substitute for the real thing! The Orange Peach, which we find even more peach-y was a chance cross found growing in the tomato patch of Pennsylvania farmer and heirloom expert James Weaver. We are sure glad that he saved and shared this variety. Its fantastic flavor and gorgeous looks make it a favorite here at Baker Creek! The fruit ranges in size from golf ball to tennis ball, with peach color, and fuzzy skin!
65 Days. A supremely early maturing sweet corn with delicious flavor. This compact variety was bred in Canada and offered by the North Dakota seed company Oscar H. Will and Company in the 1940s. A perfect choice for limited garden space or growing in containers, the stalks stand just 3-5 feet tall bearing 2 ears each. Kernels are sweet and yellow with classic sweet corn flavor.
(Lavandula multifida) Perennial in USDA zones 8-10 and annual in cooler zones. Silvery, oregano-scented foliage as delicate as fine French lace, makes this is a truly unique member of the lavender family! This first-season blooming perennial is native to the southern Mediterranean and is not cold hardy like other lavenders; it will need to be brought indoors or protected in zones 7 and cooler. Many northern gardeners treat the plants as annuals because they are easy to start from seed and will bloom in 15 weeks from sowing, then hold blooms all season long from there. Plants stand 1.5-2 feet tall and about as wide. It is beloved as a container and bedding ornamental for its frosty-filagreed foliage and its brilliant purple flower spikes. A better lavender for the south, where English lavender typically struggles in the heat and humidity.
Lovely orange little flowers are quite charming! The Peruvian zinnia is a native wildflower of South America. This simple yet stunning annual flower reaches 2' and will attract tons of pollinators to your beds, borders, containers, and wildflower meadows!
Growing Tips: Direct sow soon after last spring frost. Requires full sun, rich soil, and moderate moisture to attain perfection. Cut frequently or remove spent flowers for highest production.
Annual. One of the most colorful coleus blends we've ever seen! Super low-maintenance ornamental that can be grown in shade or sun and treated as a landscape plant or a house plant. The colors in this mix include bold magentas, hot pinks, and lime greens. Foliage has softly scalloped edges with some having picotee colors. Coleus were a poplar favorite in Victorian times, and they still bring vibrant beauty to almost any garden of any size, adding color for spring, summer, and fall.
Growing Tips: Start seeds indoors in early spring, covering lightly and keeping very warm. Prefers filtered shade in hot-summer area, full sun elswhere. Pinch to encourage branching.
A multicolored sweet pepper and a beloved heirloom of the Philadelphia African American community of the early1900s. A delightfully ornamental sweet pepper that features purple flowers and fruit that transforms from dark purple, to mustard yellow and finally to a vibrant orange as it ripens. We can thank Philadelphia folk artist Horrace Pippin for this extraordinary pepper, as he shared his seeds with William Woys Weaver’s grandfather in the early 1940’s. History remembers Pippin as the first African American painter to be known for expressing his concern about war and social injustices in the themes of his art. His right arm was badly injured in battle during his service in WWI, and as the story goes, Pippin sought out bee sting therapy to alleviate his suffering. H. Ralf Weaver exchanged stings from his hive of bees with Pippin for the seeds of this pepper and other heirlooms that Pippin had collected. These heirlooms are considered heritage varieties of an African American community of the mid-Atlantic during Pippin’s time. A very rare and unique variety.
Perennial. A wonderful attraction as delicious as it is beautiful! The bright, shimmering blooms and succulent foliage of this fast-growing perennial form a beautiful flowering ground cover that is also edible and nutritious. Leaves and stems can be enjoyed raw or cooked, offering slightly salty, delicious flavor. An excellent spinach substitute in salads! Prefers slightly dry soil once the plants are started. Enjoy this crispy treat in your garden this summer! Pelleted Seed.
Growing Tips: Sow in place, or start transplants indoors, setting out after last frost, transplanting carefully. Keep soil moist and warm until sprouts appear. Requires sharp drainage, prefers dry locations.
Stunning, spidery blooms in a soft pastel rainbow of pinks, purples, and whites. Compact, short-lived perennial that will bloom in the first year and can be treated as an annual. This heavenly scented dianthus has been beloved for everything from cutting gardens to cottage gardens since the 1920s.
Annual. A gorgeous jewel-toned mix for landscape and cut flower design! Plants stand about 3' tall and are topped with feathery flames of color, creating an amazing display in the garden and in arrangements. The blooms in this mix add pops of high-contrast color to fresh or dried arrangements. A gorgeous cut flower that is reliable and easy to grow.
A habanero with more backbone! The Red Savina was bred to be larger, hotter, and heavier than a traditional habanero. This beautiful crimson pepper ranks about 250K Scoville Heat Units. This pepper adds that lovely habanero flavor to sauces, salsas, soups and more! Bred by Frank Garcia of GNS Spices in Walnut, California.
(P. somniferum) A sweetheart pink pompom bloom that is 4 inches across. One of the earliest to bloom and produces loads of flowers and lots of lovely seed pods! The highly doubled, frilled heads make a wild statement in the landscape with their unusual form and stunning color. Plants stand 3-4 feet tall with misty blue-green ruffled foliage! A loud and eye-catching variety to use as a focal point in containers, beds and borders. Annual that readily reseeds. A favorite in our trials.
These gorgeous globes have the lustre and stunning color of a stained glass masterpiece. Its beauty is only outmatched by its flavor! The Sart Roloise tomato is bursting with sweet, fruity and complex flavor with just the right acidity, owing its tropical flavor profile to its parentage. It is a cross of the White Wonder tomato, which lends pineapple sweet notes, and the Baby Blue tomato, which explains the deep indigo blue brushstrokes on the shoulders! This variety was bred by Roland Boulanger, Sart Eustache, Belgium. This is a large beefsteak type. The big, beautiful fruit averages 10-20 ounces each, with the most captivating color and sheen, making it a must have for market gardeners, chefs and anyone who loves a gourmet flavored tomato with pizazz.
A super long Japanese eggplant with minty green skin with a matte texture. The white flesh is tender and has a superb buttery flavor that is lacking in most eggplants. The impressively long fruit grows to 16 inches. This heirloom is divine in tempura, curries, pizza, soups, and salads! The perfect variety for roasting, grilling, pickling, frying, or steaming. A healthy garden treat that is so easy to grow. Long been cherished by gardeners and chefs in beautiful Japan.
These massive scarlet blooms are positively majestic as they sway in the breeze atop wiry stems. The regal, highly-ruffled heads reach an impressive 5" across and sit proudly atop 2-3' stems. We adore this variety for landscape and floral design. Plant en masse, or use sparingly as a focal point.
This variety was not only our earliest in the field but also among the best eating varieties we have ever tried. The tender white flesh stays firm in cooking. Rich flavor is edged with delicious floral notes that make it a unique addition to a myriad of dishes. Green eggplants are famous in Japan for superior flavor and beauty. Fruit remain perfect for eating even when allowed to grow quite large.
(Asclepias speciosa) A gorgeous pollinator attractor plant that is host to the monarch butterfly and others. A native milkweed of the Western half of the U.S., this herbaceous perennial will bloom from May to September. The ornamental blooms are like fireworks bursting in lavender to rose colors. This beneficial insect magnet provides food and habitat to the monarch butterfly, and is a larval host to dogbane tiger moth and queen butterfly; the apple clearwing moth is attracted to this plant as well. Plants reach can grow up to 5 feet tall, and spread through rhizomes, coming back each year. It is a native wildflower for any central west and western gardener looking to put out a buffet for loads of beneficial insects.
A stunning gem plucked from one of the most beloved gardens in England. The pillowy soft, snow white petals of Sissinghurst White poppy originated in the famous “white garden” at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, England. All plants in this particular garden fall within the range of white, from cream colors to crisp snow white like this poppy. The color blocked planting makes for a breathtaking effect. Two-to-three-foot-tall plants have dust-blue foliage and pods and large blooms that dance in the breeze like clouds across the sky. The plant collection at Sissinghurst Gardens is internationally respected. This is a treasure that we are delighted to see reaching gardens across the globe! Annual poppy that readily self sows.
This vining member of the bean family is one of the most intriguing plants we’ve ever grown! The uniquely shaped flowers actually resemble small snails! The fragrance of these distinct blooms is thought to be reminiscent of hyacinths, and Thomas Jefferson called this plant “the most beautiful bean in the world.” Perennial in its native region of Central and South America, snail vine is typically grown as an annual in areas that experience frost. We enjoyed an abundance of fragrant flowers all summer long, and are so excited to offer this incredible and wonderful vining plant! Rare and hard to find.
Growing Tips: Soak seeds in warm water overnight to aid germination. Sow indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost. Keep damp until germinated and increase humidity with a plastic dome. Sow seeds twice as deep as the seed is big. Set transplants out after frost. Plant in full sun/filtered shade. Snail vine thrives in late spring or cool-summer conditions. Deadhead regularly. Vines can reach over 10' long in a single summer, so be sure to grow up a trellis, arbor, arch, or fence.
Annual. A dazzling petunia with diminutive purple blooms like a cluster of stars! This unique petunia is semi-trailing, reaching about 14" wide and 12" high. When the British seed company Thompson and Morgan was sent a sample of a white petunia with unusually small sized flowers, they spent 10 years selecting and perfecting this variety from that original seed stock, finally releasing this eye-catching mix! The variety has received the prestigious Fleuroselect Novelty award and is a perfect fix for the flower bed, containers and any other spot needing a cheer up!
Growing Tips: Surface sow, keep uniformly moist and very warm. Grow the tiny seedlings indoors for 8-10 weeks, set out after last frost. Pinching young shoots makes for more compact habit.
Micro mini fruit, just the size of a tiny pea, and said to be the world’s tiniest tomato! A delightful edible ornamental, the tiny, fire engine-red fruit is arranged beautifully along super long trusses. What Spoon lacks in size, it makes up in flavor. This variety packs tons of bold classic red, tangy tomato flavor, which is another reason why it is a kid favorite! Spoon tomatoes pop in your mouth when you bite into them; they are a joy to eat and grow.
Annual. Glitzy and glamorous, this mix produces clusters of glistening astral blooms in pastel pinks, whites, and purples. Tidy, compact, long-season bloomer is popular with pollinators. Try these abundant blooms for incredibly elegant bouquets. A popular selection from Europe is among the finest asters we've tried.
Growing Tips: Sow in place in spring, or start plants indoors and grow for several weeks. Carefully set out after last frost. Requires full sun and rich soil. Removing spent blooms prolongs the blooming season.
This strawberry sherbet-colored California poppy is unbelievably gorgeous! The petals are like little bundles of silk in sunset colors! 1.5' tall plants are prefect in beds, borders, and containers. Hardy from zones 3-10, and average 60-75 days to bloom.
Growing Tips: Direct sow in place where plants will grow as early as soil can be worked. Plant in full sun or partial shade and in poor or somewhat dry soil.
The Sugar Bon pea is a delightful dwarf variety that matures early, is suitable for spring or fall planting and produces sublimely sweet 3-inch pods borne on 1-2 foot tall plants. Plants produce mega yields of the crispy, crunchy sweet and snackable peas that have have both edible pods and peas. This early, high yielder is tidy and prolific, making it a perfect choice for tucking into square-foot gardens, under row covers in cool weather, or for mingling in your cottage garden among the flowers or in tidy container gardens.
Superbly snackable and intensely tasty, this is a truly stringless edible-podded sugar snap pea with a brix (aka natural sugar) level that is just off the charts! The semi-dwarf vines reach just 24 inches tall and can be trellised or allowed to grow without support. Each bushy vine produces a bounty of 3-inch-long pods that can be eaten whole or shelled. They are amazing either way! A perfect choice for beginner gardeners as they’re easy to grow and so rewarding. Even the more ardent vegetable hater cannot resist the Sugar Daddy pea!
Fantastic blooms burst open with frizzled, frilly, green-tinged white petals, making a beautiful ruckus in the garden! A blizzard of 5" white blooms will blow in the breeze atop 3' plants. This opium type poppy variety is believed to date back to the 1760s.
Sugar-sweet, crunchy and so delicious! This cherry tomato is simply packed with sweetness and a rich, berry-like flavor. It is quite crisp, and the fruit can keep long on the vine, making it extra high in sugar! Sweetheart Berry is a wildly productive little snacking tomato great for greenhouse and outdoor production. This was an outstanding tomato in our trials for flavor and yield, and the strong vines produced heavy yields of tomatoes longer than any other variety we have tried! Extra long trusses are smothered in small red cherry-sized fruit that resists cracking. Allow the fruit to ripen on the vine to a deep red for the very sweetest flavor, or pick earlier if you like it a bit more tangy; either way it is superb! It proved productive and flavorful even in our cool winter greenhouses, with only 42 F degrees at night. These little strawberry-shaped jewels were a staff favorite last season.
A charming Japanese mix of large-headed, cactus, and dahlia-style zinnias in range of choice colors. A select mix from the historic Takii Seeds of Japan, this open-pollinated selection is reliable, prolific, and wildly colorful. It is super easy to grow and attractive to pollinators.
Growing Tips: Prefers full sun, can tolerate dry well-draining soils. Surface-sow seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before last frost. Keep moist, but not soggy. Set out after frost has passed.
80 Days to maturity. We are excited to offer this premium soybean from Japan after years of trialing and tasting we have finally found our favorite edamame variety. It has superior flavor and vigorous growth habit. This variety is highly regarded in Japan for its sweet flavor. It is perfect for edamame, or allow the beans to mature to a deep black and make into soymilk, tofu, and so much more. A perfect homesteader’s or home gardener’s beginner soybean with amazing flavor to boot.
75 days. Sweet, lemoncolored fruit are blushed in lovely salmon pink. There is something nourishing to the soul when growing an heirloom that was resurrected from near extinction! The Thorburn’s Lemon Blush tomato is a beefsteak from antiquity with such magnificent flavor it is a true wonder how it was lost for 107 years! It is thanks to Willliam Woys Weaver, legendary seed saver and heirloom expert, for saving and growing out this outstanding tomato. The variety was developed by Elbert Carman, a longtime editor of the Rural New Yorker Magazine, and first offered in the Thorburn’s catalog in 1893. It remained a favorite offering until 1912 when it was reselected and renamed Lemon Queen tomato. The variety fell into obscurity until Weaver received the seeds from a rare collection in New Jersey and decided to grow it out and offer it, exclusively through Baker Creek. This large, juicy tomato has tropical fruit notes and perfect acidity balance. It is nearly coreless, with firm juicy flesh and few seeds. A true testament to the resilience of heirlooms; be sure to add this incredible artifact to your personal seed bank and garden!
(Capsicum chinense) A traditional ingredient in jerk seasoning in the Caribbean. These gorgeous scarlet peppers reach 2-3 inches long and pack just the right amount of spice for medium to spicy preparations. It delivers the fruity overtones of a habanero, but with just 500 Scoville Heat Units, it is much milder than a traditional habanero.
Pronounced (cho-dee-share-dow) A sweet frying pepper that is a traditional variety of the Basque people. This super rare and delicious pepper can be found growing across Europe’s Basque country; it is a key ingredient in Biscaya sauce and other delicious regional recipes. The thin-skinned, totally sweet peppers are traditionally strung into garlands and hung for later rehydration and use and can also be ground into paprika. Also excellent for fresh use, we love them raw in salads or blistered on the grill. This particular strain was brought to Boise, Idaho, over 50 years ago by Ben Goihiadia, whose family owns Peaceful Belly Farms. In the early 1900s many Basques emigrated to Idaho for sheep herding jobs, and now Boise is a “little Basque country” of sorts.
A Japanese variety with great heat tolerance. We love the buttery, tender and glossy lime green leaves of this gourmet variety. The stems are green, very crunchy, refreshing and flavorful. Swiss chard has been a popular crop in Japan since at least the year 1800. This variety shows dedication to breeding, selection and perfection and we love eating it raw or cooked.
One of the most beautiful greens with delectable, sweet flavor. This lobed, purple colored mustard has a vibrant magenta violet on the petioles and the veins, creating a bold contrast. The result is a super beautiful market-quality green, and the flavor is tres gourmet! The leaves become a deeper shade of plum with cold weather. A cool-season variety, excellent for season extension and fall gardens. A wonderful Asian-style mustard from Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seeds.
(Diplotaxis erucoides) About 35 days to maturity. For those chasing the unmistakable tingle and mouth-watering flavor of true wasabi, look no further than the Wasabi arugula, a leafy crop that is becoming popular in Japan. The 4-8 inch tall plants with unassuming, softly serrated leaves are a delightfully spot-on replacement for that pungent horseradish-y condiment that is so loved with sushi. The Wasabi arugula is perfect for salads, for topping sandwiches and is so open to creative culinary interpretation! This short and stout plant is quick to mature, but also fairly quick to bolt; sowing multiple successions and eating the delicious flowers will help you enjoy this plant for a longer season! Wasabi arugula also provides much more vitamins A and C than other arugula varieties, which may be thanks to the fact that it is a different genus and species from traditional arugula.
(Borago Officinalis Bianca) Annual herb, 50-60 days to bloom. Meet blue borage’s rare white-flowered sister! The edible alabaster blooms of white borage impart a subtly sweet cucumber flavor and are irresistible to pollinators! This annual herb can be grown in USDA zones 3-9 and reach 2 to 3 feet tall. The young leaves and blooms are edible; leaves are perfect tossed into salads, and the blossoms make an incredible edible flower for garnish and in beverages like cold tea! Interplant throughout your garden to encourage beneficial insects and entice pollinators to work your other blooms!
