His Majesty the King became a valued patron of Garden Organic 45-years-ago - and as a keen organic gardener and well-known environmentalist, he has always championed practices closely aligned with those of the charity.

Each year, we’re also delighted that we’re able to send parcels of our Heritage Seed Library seeds to His Majesty’s private residence at Highgrove, where they are grown in the organically managed gardens on the estate.

In a recent Unearthed Podcast for the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew, the King expressed how important the work of the Heritage Seed Library is.

“Forty-five years ago I became patron of the Henry Doubleday Research Association, which became Garden Organic…it was rescuing heritage vegetables…because at the time all the old varieties were being thrown away and weren’t considered worthwhile," the King said during the interview. "I’ve always felt it was critical to keep the balance - because you may need them at a later stage. Don’t throw them away!”

Heritage at Highgrove

Over the past 40 years, a series of interlinked gardens have blossomed at Highgrove. Managed organically and with sustainability in mind, these havens have become vital habitats for diverse wildlife – and home to Heritage Seed Library vegetables.

We’re feel privileged that seeds from our Heritage Seed Library are planted and nurtured here each year. In a recent Sunday Telegraph article, writer Clare Hargreaves describes how some of the distinct varieties from our National Collection are grown. And she interviews the head of horticulture for The King's Foundation, Melissa Simpson.

Read the full article here and discover more about some of the varieties mentioned at the end of this blog.

A horticultural legacy

Our precious heirloom vegetable seeds and their stories are also set to be preserved for 100 years as part of The King’s Foundation’s 35th anniversary time capsule.

Heritage beans, peas and tomato seeds will be buried in a special oak capsule – and not opened until 2125 – as part of the anniversary celebrations of The King’s Foundation. It couldn’t have come at a better time as our living library celebrates its 50th birthday between October 2025 and 2026.

The five heritage vegetables seeds have been specially selected to be part of the time capsule project. They have previously been grown in the gardens at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, the headquarters of The King’s Foundation - founded by His Majesty King Charles in 1990.

His Majesty launched the time capsule project earlier this year by placing the first items - his secateurs and a personal letter.

If you’d like to find out more about the Heritage Seed Library and its work, click here. Become a member and you can also browse the Heritage Seed Library’s annual Seed List and choose six free packets from 150 delicious heritage varieties.

Heritage Seed Library seeds grown at Highgrove

‘Afghan Purple’ carrot (pictured)
Egyptian cave paintings dating back to around 2000BC show what are thought to be purple carrots; the orange varieties we are familiar with today were not developed until the 16th century. Donated by the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Virginia, USA, this purple carrot produces 20-25cm roots that, when sliced, reveal a bright yellow/orange core. They have a more pronounced 'carroty' flavour than orange varieties, and also show some resistance to carrot fly.
‘New England Sugar Pie’ squash (pictured)
The original small sugar pumpkin of New England, USA, first described by Fearing Burr in The Field and Garden Vegetables of America (1863). He described the squash as the smallest of the field varieties but an "abundant bearer" that rarely failed to mature its crops, making it "of first-rate quality". Its trailing plants produce orange, almost oval, lightly ribbed fruits weighing in at around 2kg with smooth skin and orange, creamy, sweet flavoured flesh.
Cantalun melon (pictured)
Originally from the Vilmorin Seed House near the Loire river in France, this Charentais-type melon produces round fruits, approximately 12-15cm in diameter and just under 1kg in weight. The orange flesh is sweet and juicy. We can grow melons in Britain!
‘Parfree’s Dragon Tongue’ dwarf French bean
Mr Parfree from St Albans in Hertfordshire obtained this variety from his neighbour, who had in turn been given them by a friend who travelled extensively in China, where they are thought to have originated. Compact, sturdy plants produce green pods with thin, deep violet stripes. An easy care, easy grow bean that would look pretty and decorative grown in pots.
Mummy's Pea (pictured)
This variety has been grown in Durweston, Dorset, for as long as local memory goes. They are known there as 'Mummy's' and local folklore suggested the seeds were originally found in a tomb. To add to the story, there is thought to be a link between a local landowning family (the Portmans) and the 1922 expedition that unveiled Tutankhamun's tomb.
Become a member and you can also browse the Heritage Seed Library’s annual Seed List and choose from 150 delicious varieties.