When William Beekman built The Beekman Mansion in 1802 he was almost certainly selling Landreth Seeds in his mercantile located across the road. Landreth was the largest seed producer of the time, and is currently celebrating its 225th anniversary. This collection of 15 different heirloom seed packets represents varieties that have been grown in the Beekman gardens over the centuries, and that we still grow today.

Each packet is illustrated with vintage seed illustrations from the Landreth Archives.

IN THIS COLLECTION:

LONG GREEN CUCUMBER – A direct descendent of the extinct “Green Turkey,” dating back to the 18th century.

YELLOW PEAR TOMATOES – Small, sweet, pear-shaped variety dating back to the 1600′s.

PURPLE TOPPED TURNIP – Purple above ground, and cream below. One of America’s first garden staples.

BLOOMSDALE SPINACH – A Landreth introduction in 1826, it’s still the most popular non-hybrid spinach sold today.

BULLNOSE or BELL PEPPER – Introduced to the US in 1759, peppers were originally used mostly for pickling.

NANTES SCARLET HALF-LONG CARROT – A French variety introduced to America in the second half of the 19C.

GOLDEN BANTAM CORN – Sweet flavor and longer ears made this a mainstay of late 19C American gardens.

DWARF GREY SUGAR SNAP PEAS – Very early producer, thought extinct until the late 1970′s.

FRENCH BREAKFAST RADISH – Introduced in 1879, rosy red with a bright white tip.

GREEN HUBBARD WINTER SQUASH – Originally from the West Indies or South America, distinctive Hubbard flavor.

BUSH BEAN BOUNTIFUL – Introduced by D. G. Burlingame, Genesee, New York at the turn of the 20th C.

EARLY JERSEY WAKEFIELD CABBAGE – While introduced in the 19th this cabbage has been popular right through modern times.

SMALL SUGAR PUMPKIN – Also known as ‘New England Pie’ this variety is still a favorite among heirloom growers and chefs.

BRANDYWINE TOMATO – The ‘original’ heirloom tomato that sparked the heirloom craze. From an original strain.

CRISPHEAD ICEBERG LETTUCE – What the supermarket lettuce wishes it could be. From the early 20th C.