This spring, visitors to all Hillier Garden Centres can discover an exciting range of produce varieties for their vegetable patch or allotment as we introduce Franchi Seeds.
Franchi Seeds is the world’s oldest family-run seed company — first established in 1783, they have an even longer history than Hillier and remain family owned, now onto the 7th generation. Franchi produces some 80% of their own seeds and specialises in endangered, heritage and ethical vegetable varieties. Around 94% of heritage vegetables have been lost in just one century, but Franchi distributes about 200 varieties from that remaining 6%. They are also the only Vegetarian Society approved seed brand in the UK. Franchi is approved by Slow Foods UK and Paolo Arrigo, founder of UK distributor ‘Seed of Italy’ was named UK Slow Food Person of the Year 2019.
Two new stands within the seed areas in all centres feature a number of Franchi Seeds best-selling vegetable and salad varieties. Fill your garden with herbs with their basil and parsley varieties; get set for summer with lettuce, rocket, beans and tomatoes and try a new vegetable variety from artichoke to okra.
Franchi Seeds Example Varieties
Borlotto Bean di Vigevano – A dwarf French bean. Cream shelling with red mottling, fantastic in minestrone, stews and risotto.
Broad bean Aguadulce Supersimonia – A garden quality variety that is ideal for spring or autumn sowing.
Cucumber Round of Manduria – A vigorous, indoor, melon cucumber variety. Self-pollinating.
Lettuce Quatro Stagioni – ‘Four seasons’ lettuce. Green with attractive dark red / mauve edges
Parsley Giganti di Napoli – Giant flat-leafed parsley with superb flavour.
Radicchio Rossa of Treviso – A crunchy variety with a red-white striped heart.
Tomato Costoluto Fiorentino Tuscany – heirloom, ‘ugly’, mid-sized ribbed tomatoes with a traditional tomato flavour. Has the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Tomato Rio Grande Perini – ‘little pears’. A productive and meaty variety, ideal for cooking and use in passata.
Find Franchi Seeds in the seed section of your nearest Hillier Garden Centre
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