Buying unusual seeds

Youpi! Just ordered my kalette seeds from promessedefleurs.com Tried other sites but either seeds v expensive, or wanted 5€ for delivery of one packet of seeds or a minimum order…

Seeds ok price and 1.90€ delivery. Solved.

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Not tried that one,Jane. Just bookmarked it - thank you!

Angela have you tried contacting Franchi seeds direct? I’m pretty sure they’ll supply to France or already have an outlet there, it’s worth asking as their seeds are great quality.

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Your correct as well, Mesembryanthemum bellidiforme was it’s original name, then Gustuv Schwanthes named the main variety after his sister or mother I can’t remember which, then renamed to its common name Livingston daisy.

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Hello @Debby_Wade I couldn’t agree more about the quality of their seeds and have been in contact with their MD, who explained exactly why they couldn’t ship! (He wasn’t very keen on Brexit…)

Glad to know I’m not entirely losing the plot! I do wonder sometimes… Thanks for the confirmation, Colin :smiley:

That’s really sad news, funnily enough I’ve had trouble getting supplies in the UK but have found a fantastic independent seed company in Wales. Their seed range is great, they grow & collect the seeds themselves, it’s my first year using them so watching germination carefully. Nothing better than gardening!

What the MD told me was that there was a list of approved varieties agreed with the big seed companies and that if the little ones wanted to send out their varieties they would have to get each one registered, at quite a cost, every year :frowning:
I think Franchi may have a particular problem because they import a lot of their seeds from Italy, as you know, and similar restrictions apply to imports.

Is your independent company the Real Seed Company? I’ve used them in the past but don’t know where they are based…

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You can buy Franchi seeds here I think…

https://www.labellecaille.com/fr/61-semences-potageres-aromatiques

If not via Italy, as they are an Italien brand.

Thank you Jane! Looks like the delightful Franchi MD found a way round things… I shall have a hunt through. I agree they are sourced from Italy but I was told their only outlet was in the UK. Perhaps that isn’t correct - or not now at any rate!
They have the best germination rate of any seeds I have bought anywhere :smiley:

It is the Real Seed Co, really happy with results so far. When we were living in France, we got Franchi seeds from our local Gamme Vert, not a huge range but if you have one nearby it might be worth a try.

Thought it must be the Real Seed Company from the description! When I was looking for seeds last year, they put me onto Kokopelli, which has a similar ethos. I found that germination rates for the the Real Seed Co were somewhat erratic but usually managed a decent crop :smiley:

I’ve never seen a Gamm Vert locally but just had a look and there is one I could get to once the confinement is over, so thanks for the tip. Always interested in trying somewhere new…

They are pretty upfront about that which I appreciate, unlike some of the huge manufacturers that just pretend you’ve not sown them correctly grrrrrr.

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Yes indeed - don’t start me on Thompson and Morgan :rofl:

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Errmmm…someone has been telling you porky pies! Franchi are the oldest Italien seed merchants, and have been going for hundreds of years! They are still owned and operated by the Franchi family. Go to any tiny shop in Italy and they’ll be a dusty row of Franchi seed packets somewhere in a corner.

You do see them in French shops, and online distributers sell them too, but can’t remember which ones.

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That is very interesting, thank you Jane! I know they are a long established Italian family business but because of what I was told, I assumed they had migrated to the UK. Ah well, gullible me…

Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding, meaning they couldn’t supply to the EU any longer. Would have been helpful if they’d pointed you in the direction of the Italian site!

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Wouldn’t it just! :roll_eyes:

I bought from The Real Seed Co when we lived in the UK, also Franchi.
The Organic Gardening Catalogue has a range of quite unusual tools