Rare tomatoes from a Garden Organic collection of endangered vegetables and fruit will be made available for gardeners this spring thanks to a new venture.

Garden Organic, the UK's leading organic growing charity, has teamed up with Delfland Nurseries to make a selection of tomato plants available from the charity’s Heritage Seed Library – a collection of vegetables made up of varieties either dropped from seed catalogues or handed down as family heirlooms, at risk of otherwise being lost from gardens forever.

The Heritage Seed Library works to conserve varieties by growing its accessions for seed each year, building stock and distributing seed to its 10,000 strong membership. This is the first time that the varieties have been made available as plants, other than at the charity’s HQ, Ryton gardens.

Through the new venture, gardeners will be able to buy The Heritage Seed Library tomato collection consisting of 6 plants containing the varieties: Jubilee, Darby Pink-Yellow, Tomato Noir, Pink Cherry, Yellow Currant and Wladeck via mail order. All of the plants are organic, peat free, and grown by Delfland Nurseries with £2.23 from each pack supporting Garden Organic's work.

Head of the Heritage Seed Library, Neil Munro said, “The Heritage Seed Library is famous for its vast selection of tomato varieties. Hopefully this venture will see more gardeners growing and enjoying these varieties, which without the work of the Heritage Seed Library would no longer be available. We hope the more people that grow and enjoy this tomato collection, the more they will understand why it is important that we conserve them.”

Jill Vaughan of Delfland Nurseries said, “It’s a great opportunity to be able to access seed from this very important collection of vegetables and make them available to gardeners. There are some real gems in this tomato collection and we’re pleased to be able to give gardeners the chance to buy them as ready grown, peat-free plug plants to get their gardening off to a head start.”

Delfland Nurseries is taking orders for the tomato plants now and delivery dates for the collection are: March, April and early May.

To order your Heritage Seed Library tomato collection visit www.organicplants.co.uk or call 01354 740553 (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm).

Tomato "Jubilee"
Indeterminate. Cordon. Previously commercially available. Described as “the best flavoured yellow". Produces a heavy yield of slightly flattened globes of around 170-200gms; fruits have a mild but good flavour.

Tomato "Darby Pink-Yellow Striped"
Indeterminate. Cordon. Saved seed from striped tomato fruit from the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute, Littlehampton. Do equally well in polytunnels, a cold greenhouse in pots and outside in a pot against a south-facing wall. Flavour is best when fruit are really ripe.

Tomato "Noir"
Indeterminate. Cordon. This variety was donated to the Heritage Seed Library by John Yeoman of the Village Guild. Produces large, sweet flavoured, dark red fruit with green shoulders. John Yeoman describes them as "a rare and decorative novelty.

Tomato "Pink Cherry"
Semi-determinate. Pinch out side (axial) shoots regularly. Prolific and hardy doing well both outdoors and under glass. The small, plum-shaped fruits begin pink, becoming red once ripe, have a pleasant, mild flavour and look wonderful in a mixed salad.

Tomato "Yellow Currant"
Indeterminate. Cordon. Originally a South American wild tomato. Bushy plants produce an abundance of tiny (1/2") bright yellow tomatoes with a sweet taste.

Tomato "Wladeck's"
Indeterminate. Cordon. Brought over from Poland after World War II by Wladeck Neitzgoda. This prolific variety can be grown outdoors or under glass. "Heavy trusses, which require ingenuity to support. Fruits are large and vari-sized beefsteak-type…the taste is a revelation - unsurpassed flavour and aroma."

More information

Garden Organic - Heritage Seed Library

Delfland Nurseries - Leading organic propagator.

The Ellison's Orange apple  was raised by the Reverend. C.C. Ellison at Bracebridge and Mr. Wipf, gardener at Hartsholme Hall in Lincolnshire, England.

Ellison's Orange

First records of the Ellison's Orange date back to 1904, being introduced by Pennells Nurseries, Lincolnshire in 1911.

The RHS gave it an Award of Merit in 1911 and a First Class Certificate in 1917.

Fruits have soft juicy flesh with a striped red skin.  It is noted to have a rich, strong aniseed flavour when ripe.

Uses: Desert
Parents: Female - Cox's Orange Pippin x Male - Calville Blanc
Flowers: Mid to late May
Picking: Mid September
Natural Storage: September to October

The Ellison's orange apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.
Young trees available from Adams Apples

'Plant Heritage' is the new name for The National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG).

Plant Life stand at Gardener's World Live 2009

They provide standards and a support network for professionals and individuals who are keen to keep a wide variety of plants in cultivation under their correct names.

Plant Heritage strive to secure the future of garden plants which are at risk of vanishing from commercial outlets.  They may be unfashionable, difficult to grow or propagate and can become commercially unviable.

Members form a network of local groups around the UK, from Cornwall to Scotland and are encouraged to grow rare and unusual plants.

Members have access to talks, workshops and demonstrations and visit gardens, nurseries and National Plant Collections.

Plant Heritage are also looking for members to become holders of National collections for plants which are not currently on the national Collection scheme, such as Achillea, Peruvian Lilies and Lobelia, among others.

Plant Heritage is a much easier name to remember and sounds less formal than the original long winded title, so maybe the change will bring them into the 21st Century and the recognition they deserve.

Find out more about Plant Heritage.

A few woodland areas in the UK will soon be carpeted in blue from the end of April to Mid May.

Bluebell wood at Muncaster Castle

Our native British Bluebell is considered an endangered species and as such cannot be picked or uprooted from the wild.  Even the seed cannot be gathered without the consent of Natural England.

The Natural History Museum state:

"In recent years there has been growing concern that our native species is under threat by breeding with the cultivated bluebell. Hybridisation can alter a plant species’ genetic makeup and may result in a reduced ability to survive.

Until recently, this popular theory has been supported by little evidence, and the true status of bluebells in the UK and Ireland may be more complex.  Further study is needed to find out if the native bluebell is really under threat."

You can help take part in this study by logging onto to Natural History Museum Website and recording your bluebell findings.

An article in the April issue of Country Living magazine focuses on a couple who have become two of the first people in England to be granted permission to gather bluebell seeds from their farm woodland in Kent.  Barry and Karin of Farnell Farm carefully collect, preserve and sell their bluebell seed so that others can enjoy the beauty of this beautiful flower.

Thanks to their hard work and that of others, it is now easier to raise your own native bluebells from seed.

Places to see Bluebell woods:

• Muncaster Castle, Cumbria.
• High Hall Nurseries, Westward, nr Wigton, Cumbria.
• Arlington Bluebell walk and farm trail. East Sussex.
• Rode Hall. Cheshire
• Bluebell Woods in the Chilterns.

You may also be interested in:

BBC article and video
Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust. Feature and picture gallery.
Central Scotland Forest Trust. Atricle about bluebells under threat

To grow your own native British Bluebells, bulbs and seed can be obtained from the following suppliers;

Farnell Farm - Native Bluebell seeds for your garden or woodland. Ideal for cultivating large areas.
The Wild Flower Shop - Specialists in naive British plants.
Nicky's Nursery - Native British Bluebell wild flower seeds.