Celebrate the Heritage Seed Library's 50th anniversary

Our Heritage Seed Library is 50 years old! Join us in celebrating half a century of seed saving, sharing and sowing so we can secure this important Collection for the next 50 years.

In our lifetime we’ve lost many hundreds of rare vegetables varieties. The Heritage Seed Library - the brainchild of Garden Organic’s founder Lawrence D Hills - was created to combat this loss.

Why is our Heritage Seed Library so important? 🔗

Our living library is cultivated by people for people. Based at Garden Organic in Ryton, near Coventry, it holds the UK’s National Collection of Heritage Vegetables with 800-plus varieties of rare seed.

For five decades, the Heritage Seed Library has squirrelled away parcels of precious heritage and heirloom seeds to safeguard them for future generations. Unlike a traditional seed bank, they’re not kept on ice - but shared with growers and gardeners to grow again.

This is heritage that can fit in your hand. We’re inspired by the notion that someone, somewhere in the past, once decided to save a particular variety. Each seed conserves our past but also preserves important generic resources and biodiversity for future resilience.

The impact of the Heritage Seed Library’s conservation work cannot be underestimated. What started as a race against time to save at-risk seeds has become an even more urgent need to safeguard food security and genetic diversity, and buffer climate change.

The Heritage Seed Library Turns 50

Each year we distribute more than 30,000 packets of Heritage Seed Library seed to ‘everyday’ growers, who grow them in their own back gardens, allotment and community spaces.
This approach directly connects growers with the biodiversity they’re conserving but also plays a serious scientific role in their conservation. By putting the seeds in the hands of growers, they’re given the chance to adapt to the changing climate.
Like to go further in supporting our work? Head to gardenorganic.org.uk/join to become a member.
We must secure our Heritage Seed Library collection for the next 50 years and beyond. Future generations need to have access to these seeds, which may be resilient to future pest, disease and climate challenges.
From autumn 2025 to autumn 2026, we’re running a campaign of engagement activities – including a Seed Relay - to highlight the importance of the Heritage Seed Library, and of seed saving and sharing.
We would love it if you could mark the occasion in your growing space or garden. Here's some things to try:
1. Share your #SeedStories via our social media feeds @gardenorganicuk. We'd love to hear about your favourite heritage seeds, seeds that mean a lot to you or your family, and why you love sowing or sharing seeds.
2. Create a seed swap. Perhaps you'd like to create your own seed sharing activity at home or in your community? We'd love to hear about these, and we can plot your event on our HSL 50th map. Contact [email protected] if you'd like a donation box and leaflets for your seed swap.
3. Join us and support the work of our living library in its 50th year. The Heritage Seed Library only exists because of membership and donations. Our annual HSL Seed List 2026 is packed with special 50th varieties, so it's a great time to become a member. Head to gardenorganic.org.uk/join.
4. Make a donation so we can secure the library's future. Learn more at gardenorganic.org.uk/donate.
5. Support our #SeedSearch. If you live in the Midlands, consider taking part in our Sowing Your Seeds project, funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund. Find our more at gardenorganic.org.uk/seed-search.
Please take a photo of the parcel with your group/location – and shout about the relay and the work of the Heritage Seed Library on: Facebook at Garden Organic and HSL; Instagram at Garden Organic and HSL; X at Garden Organic and HSL; BlueSky; LinkedIn.
Please tag us @gardenorganicuk and @heritageseedlibrary and use the hashtag #HSL50 and #SeedStories.
We would love it if you were able to write a blog for your website, newsletter or magazine – sharing the journey of your seed and the work of the HSL. If you’d like to photos or logos of the Heritage Seed Library to go with your social posts or blogs, please email our marketing team.
We’d love to know when and where you will be planting your seeds. If you're able to save the seeds and share some of them with your community even better!
Please continue to tell us about any growing/harvesting or seed stories connected to your Heritage Seed Library seeds until autumn 2026.