Of all the catalogues, I don't mine Chiltern as it has no, or very few, pictures.
i felt rather stupid, but in all these years of gardening I only just realised last year that the photos in the catalogues are computer generated, or rather 'titivated'. It was the pictures in the Sarah Raven catalogue that first made me realise! Such perfect blooms and strong colours smothering the plants in almost perfect symmetry! At least I don't feel so bad about mine not looking anything like the pictures!
The trickier they are the better it seems and I even find myself trying to germinate seeds which I know full well are unsuitable for growing at my location or I have no room for, just to see if I can! However, the excitement of seeing those first tiny green shoots is something that has never diminished.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Another one here! The absolute miracle of producing a plant from an almost invisible speck of dust - that's why I've now got many more streptocarpus than I have windowsills for. It never fails to give a thrill and the temptation to try something new, that you wouldn't get at the GC. I like Chiltern lottery packets too - the only kind of gambling where you can't lose!
They grew Cape gooseberries on the Allotment Challenge last year. Yellow things with the papery outside? I was going to have ago this year but didn't have the room. Apparently they need a lot of it! Looked lovely though. Good luck with them.
I have used chilterns seeds since I started gardening .there book is like a bible Id read it from front to back , where ever I went the book went also .I would spend £100s with my first order only realising Id got carried away when I'd be reaching for my next sheet of A4 paper!
Sadly I d then come down to reality , after all where would I put all these exotics I'd grown from seed . I'd not even a greenhouse in the early olden days of the seventies
Hmmmm.... I have used PlugPlants.net (http://www.plugplants.net/) and I am really happy with them. I purchased French tarragon and oriental poppy plug plants. They arrived in great condition, the terragon is doing well enough but the poppies have exploded!
I can buy plugs of baby veg and salads in local markets and garden centres and use those to get ahead in spring but they don't have the range of flower or veg seeds I'd like so I use Chilterns and Plant World and have always been pleased with the quality of the seeds and seeing new babies emerge form some damp compost and a few seeds. Never fails to excite.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Of all the catalogues, I don't mine Chiltern as it has no, or very few, pictures.
i felt rather stupid, but in all these years of gardening I only just realised last year that the photos in the catalogues are computer generated, or rather 'titivated'. It was the pictures in the Sarah Raven catalogue that first made me realise! Such perfect blooms and strong colours smothering the plants in almost perfect symmetry! At least I don't feel so bad about mine not looking anything like the pictures!
Hi, my name is Bob and I too am a seedaholic!
The trickier they are the better it seems and I even find myself trying to germinate seeds which I know full well are unsuitable for growing at my location or I have no room for, just to see if I can! However, the excitement of seeing those first tiny green shoots is something that has never diminished.
Another one here! The absolute miracle of producing a plant from an almost invisible speck of dust - that's why I've now got many more streptocarpus than I have windowsills for. It never fails to give a thrill and the temptation to try something new, that you wouldn't get at the GC. I like Chiltern lottery packets too - the only kind of gambling where you can't lose!
Bought a packet of Cape Gooseberrys seeds ready for next year
never grown them but somebody did a report on them on one of the furom sites and liked the idea , so we will have go
They grew Cape gooseberries on the Allotment Challenge last year. Yellow things with the papery outside? I was going to have ago this year but didn't have the room. Apparently they need a lot of it! Looked lovely though. Good luck with them.
2 years ago we grow chickpeas , turned out to be a really good crop but this year couldn't get any seed , will keep looking
would definitely recommend it
I have used chilterns seeds since I started gardening .there book is like a bible Id read it from front to back , where ever I went the book went also .I would spend £100s with my first order only realising Id got carried away when I'd be reaching for my next sheet of A4 paper!
Sadly I d then come down to reality , after all where would I
put all these exotics I'd grown from seed .
I'd not even a greenhouse in the early olden days of the seventies 
Hmmmm.... I have used PlugPlants.net (http://www.plugplants.net/) and I am really happy with them. I purchased French tarragon and oriental poppy plug plants. They arrived in great condition, the terragon is doing well enough but the poppies have exploded!
I can buy plugs of baby veg and salads in local markets and garden centres and use those to get ahead in spring but they don't have the range of flower or veg seeds I'd like so I use Chilterns and Plant World and have always been pleased with the quality of the seeds and seeing new babies emerge form some damp compost and a few seeds. Never fails to excite.