Seeds to start indoors

Zinnia elegans ' Queeny Limes Party Mix' transforms flowerbeds into colorful scenes where every bloom makes a statement. Its unexpected hues—lime, soft pink, soft orange, and tangy yellow—create a unique palette in the garden, a blend of vibrancy and refinement. The flowers, often double and dense, reveal velvety textures that attract butterflies and curious onlookers.

The plants reach approximately 75 cm in height and thrive in well-drained soil in full sun. Hardy, undemanding, and vigorous, this zinnia offers a long flowering period that lasts until the first chill of autumn, creating a luminous link between the seasons. Its upright habit makes it ideal for lively borders, cheerful flowerbeds, or sunny containers.

Naturally found in several regions of North America, American arnica is a discreet companion in meadows and open clearings. This herbaceous perennial forms small clumps of simple foliage from which, in season, emerge bright yellow flower heads reminiscent of modest sun-kissed daisies. In a harmonious garden, it finds its place in naturalized flowerbeds or quieter spaces, where the aim is to combine native plants with respectful practices.

Without being showy, this plant stands out for its remarkable consistency: a bloom that brightens the beginning of summer and a habit that blends easily into a quiet corner of the garden. Its presence evokes an ancient connection to traditional North American medicinal uses, even if the specific uses may vary depending on the region and related species. Given well-drained soil and gentle cultivation, it contributes to the garden's plant diversity, offering a welcome source of nectar for passing insects.

Originating in Italy , the Costata Romanesco zucchini is an heirloom variety with an elegantly ribbed shape that evokes rustic markets and the bountiful gardens of the Mediterranean basin. Highly prized for its tender flesh with a mild and fragrant flavor , it holds a place of honor in Italian cuisine, whether roasted, stuffed, sautéed, or eaten raw in salads .

In the garden, it stands out for its compact, bushy habit , vigorous foliage , and ease of cultivation , even in more temperate climates. Its light green skin, marbled with dark streaks, gives it not only a distinctive appearance but also makes it suitable for cooking . It produces abundantly throughout the summer , and its young fruits can be harvested early for delicate and easily digestible dishes.

Rustic, productive, and rooted in a living tradition, Costata Romanesco is a valuable ally for organic vegetable gardens . It inspires simple, fresh, and colorful cooking, while nourishing the garden and the family with elegance and generosity .

Originating from Italian market gardening traditions, the Aunt Mary's Paste tomato has carved out a prime spot in vegetable gardens seeking rich and fragrant sauces. Its elongated fruits, typical of "paste" type tomatoes, evoke the age-old rituals of slow cooking and preserving, lined up in the pantry.

In the garden, this variety proves to be a reliable companion during sunny summers. The indeterminate plants produce an abundance of elongated fruits suitable for processing. In a vibrant and bountiful garden, it contributes to the daily pleasure of summer harvests and the beautiful consistency of the seasonal cycle.

Old Acadian Savory is a heritage variety deeply rooted in the cultural and human history of Atlantic Canada. Towards the end of the 19th century, its seeds were passed on to Jean Prudent Robichaud , a resident of Robichaud Township in New Brunswick, by an Indigenous woman from Burnt Church . Since then, the plant has been passed down through generations within this extended family, eventually reaching Norbert Robichaud in Bathurst, who contributed to its modern-day dissemination.

In 2012, a joint investigation by Ms. Gauvin and Mr. Robichaud documented the origin and unique characteristics of this savory, which is noticeably sturdier and more flavorful than the common variety. Following this research, seeds were entrusted to the Atlantic Seed Bank and the Canadian Seed Library , ensuring the preservation of this treasure of plant heritage.

In the garden, this savory stands out for its vigor, compact habit, and rich aroma. Hardy to zone 4, it flowers profusely throughout the summer, attracting a wide variety of pollinating insects. Its abundant flowering and fragrant foliage make it as beautiful as it is useful.

In the local community, Old Acadian Savory is seen as a plant of transmission and recognition. It embodies the circulation of knowledge between Indigenous cultures and gardening families, as well as the importance of the living conservation of heritage seeds.

The China aster , also known as the queen aster, is an upright, bushy, fast-growing annual prized for its abundant blooms and high ornamental value. Native to China, it thrives in both cultivated fields and wastelands, which explains its hardiness and adaptability.

This mixed variety offers a harmonious palette of colors, ranging from white to pink, including shades of apricot. The flowers recall the classic shape of daisies, with a yellow center surrounded by radiating florets, while also displaying a richness of texture characteristic of modern horticultural selections.

In the garden, the China aster stands out for its late flowering, which extends from mid-August until October. It thus becomes a key plant for maintaining the visual interest of the vegetable garden and flowerbeds when many summer flowers are fading. Its flowering continues until the first frosts, offering valuable continuity at the end of the season.

Native to East Asia, purple shiso ( Perilla frutescens var. crispa ) has long graced the gardens and kitchens of Japan, China, and Korea. In a vibrant garden, its deeply serrated, dark purple foliage, sometimes tinged with green, immediately catches the eye. It establishes itself as a light and airy aromatic annual, discreetly accompanying the cycle of the seasons.

In the vegetable garden, purple shiso thrives in borders or among leafy greens. It appreciates welcoming soil rich in organic matter and the gentle warmth of summer. Its fragrance, somewhere between basil, mint, and anise, makes it a valuable companion for a diverse and productive garden. In an environmentally conscious approach, it is often allowed to flower for pollinators before harvesting a few seeds, in an age-old practice of seed stewardship.

Italian rocket Sylvetta is a small leafy vegetable, known for its high cold resistance and remarkable stability in cultivation. Unlike common rocket, it has very little tendency to bolt, making it a particularly interesting variety to grow in Quebec.

Its finely cut leaves develop a pronounced nutty flavor, more intense and deliciously peppery than that of annual rocket. This aromatic richness is fully expressed when the leaves are harvested young, between 10 and 15 cm tall.

In the garden, Sylvetta stands out for its rapid growth and great versatility. It allows for successive sowings every two weeks, ensuring a continuous harvest over a long period. Very hardy, it adapts well to outdoor cultivation in spring and autumn, as well as to container gardening. It can even be grown indoors during the winter, providing fresh greenery out of season.

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce, native to Europe and highly prized in organic vegetable gardens, is admired for its finely cut leaves in deep purple hues. A symbol of freshness and elegance, it displays a light silhouette in the garden that sways in the summer breeze.

In the vegetable garden, it is generous and quick-growing, offering an early harvest of tender leaves, perfect for adding a burst of color and sweetness to the plate. Its discreet yet assertive nature makes it a faithful ally for gardeners attentive to the diversity and beauty of their crops.

Originating in the South of France, the Round Courgette of Nice has naturally found its place in kitchen gardens, where its round, light green fruit has long been a staple in stuffed vegetable recipes. An old variety of courgette, it forms bushy plants that thrive in warm, fertile soil, helping to create a bountiful garden.

In the vegetable garden, this zucchini quickly produces a succession of round fruits, generally harvested young when their tender skin and delicate flesh are at their best. In a harmonious garden, it thrives alongside other summer vegetables and, with its foliage, helps to cover the soil and retain moisture. It is a reliable plant, productive throughout the growing season when harvested regularly.

The Rossa di Milano onion is an open-pollinated variety known for its balance of flavor, productivity, and storage potential. It produces medium-sized, well-formed bulbs characterized by a thin neck and a dark red, glossy, and very tight skin that effectively protects the bulb at maturity.

Its flesh is mild and pleasant, making it a versatile onion that is equally enjoyed raw or cooked. The plants are uniform and productive, offering an abundant harvest when growing conditions are well maintained. The bulbs reach an average diameter of approximately 10 cm.

In the garden, Rossa di Milano behaves like a long-day onion, tolerating cooler climates well. It requires a full season to reach its full potential, but rewards patience with excellent storage qualities. Steady growth, without water stress, promotes the formation of tight, long-lasting bulbs.

In the local culture, this onion is seen as a plant of consistency and mastery. It illustrates the importance of taking the long time in the vegetable garden, where rigorous techniques and attention to detail allow for reliable and flavorful harvests, designed as much for the table as for storage.

Garden marjoram, Origanum vulgare , is that unassuming little clump that, once established, becomes a permanent fixture in the garden. Native to Eurasia, it has naturalized in many open landscapes, where its aromatic foliage and delicate flowers accompany the changing seasons. In a supportive vegetable garden, it easily finds its place along the edge, in a quiet, well-drained corner.

Its upright, branching stems bear green to greyish-green foliage that, when crushed, releases a warm, herbaceous fragrance. In summer, its small, pinkish-purple or whitish flowers form panicles that attract a wide variety of pollinators. A welcome presence, it integrates naturally into an approach to respectful cultivation: a reliable, robust plant that returns year after year and accompanies the gardener in the daily pleasure of fresh harvests.

Under the evocative name Food Not Lawns – Remix , this poppy mix finds its natural place in a bountiful, productive garden. The delicate, silky poppy flowers sway in the breeze, marking the rhythm of the seasons with their colorful blooms. Their presence brings a touch of lightness to both vegetable gardens and flowerbeds, in a living garden approach that embraces diversity.

In welcoming, well-drained soil, poppies quietly make their way to the top, creating vibrant little scenes day by day. Once established, they require little but offer much: consistent flowering, a graceful silhouette, and a unique way of evoking the simplicity of traditional direct sowing in the garden. They integrate naturally into any harmonious space, whether it be a vegetable patch, a border, or a more natural corner, and contribute to the creation of a rich and diverse ecosystem.

Native to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Thai basil is a variety of basil renowned for its powerful and distinctive aroma, blending notes of anise, licorice, and spices. Highly prized in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, it complements stir-fries, soups, and salads, adding a unique aromatic freshness.

In the garden, this variety stands out for its compact, bushy habit and its light to dark green leaves with slightly wavy edges. A generous plant, it charms with its delicate flowers and attracts numerous pollinators. It is a valuable addition to a vegetable garden with exotic aromas, blending harmoniously with other small companion plants.

Originating in Eastern Europe, the Gogosar pepper is a living legacy of Romanian peasant gardens, where it has been cultivated for decades for its bounty and hardiness. Its compact plant bears large, flattened, deeply ribbed fruits that ripen slowly, changing from green to deep red to signal their full maturity.

In a harmonious garden, it establishes itself as a reassuring presence. It thrives in warm spaces, rich and well-drained soil, and flourishes in simple conditions, requiring no special pruning. Its compact habit makes it easy to grow even in smaller vegetable gardens, while its discreet flowering heralds an abundant harvest. It is a faithful and reliable variety, embodying the connection between living soil and home cooking.

The result of a rigorous and deeply human scientific approach, this exceptional red onion was born in the research fields of the University of Wisconsin. For several years, Dr. Michael Havey, a renowned horticultural geneticist, and his team pursued a simple yet ambitious idea: to develop an onion variety with a round, dense bulb and a single center, perfect for producing uniform slices. This project, carefully conducted within the USDA Onion Lab breeding program, embodies an approach rooted in knowledge, patience, and attention to detail.

When the program ended, this remarkable lineage was entrusted to the Gardens of the Ecumene so that it could continue to thrive in the hands of gardeners. Since then, this variety has been cultivated with passion, passed on to a community that has given it a name, a place, and a future in living vegetable gardens.

In the garden, it stands out for its vigorous, upright growth habit, good tolerance to climatic variations, and impressive production capacity. The bulbs that form are firm, glossy, and a deep red, and their finely detailed internal structure makes them easy to cut. In well-prepared soil, it offers excellent consistency and adapts readily to garden plots, whether for individual or community use. It thus embodies the balance between horticultural innovation and the age-old practice of sowing seeds, between high quality and ease of cultivation.

Native to Asia, the Snake Cucumber fascinates with its sinuous and slender silhouette , evoking the discreet gliding of a reptile through the greenery. Botanically, it belongs to the same family as the melon ( Cucumis melo var. flexuosus ), although it is eaten young, like a cucumber. Its mottled skin of light and dark green , its crisp and delicately fragrant flesh , as well as its astonishing length—sometimes more than 60 cm—make it a unique fruit-vegetable.

In the garden, it thrives on trellises or fences , where its long stems climb gracefully, adding verticality and elegance to summer crops. Hardy and vigorous, it offers a generous harvest throughout the summer, particularly in warm, sunny climates .

Native to the mountains of Europe , the alpine strawberry 'Yellow Wonder' is a small botanical marvel that delights with its creamy-yellow fruit , boasting very sweet and fragrant flesh . This alpine variety, which does not produce runners , is prized for its compact, bushy habit , making it perfect for borders, planters , or as a perennial ground cover in eco-friendly gardens.

In the garden, 'Yellow Wonder' proves to be a discreet and generous companion , offering abundant and continuous harvests throughout the season, right up until the first frosts . Its natural hardiness and ability to thrive in light, well-drained, and undemanding soils make it an ideal plant for vibrant and resilient vegetable gardens .

Its nectar-rich white flowers attract numerous pollinating insects , enhancing local biodiversity. When ripe, the fruits fall to the ground on their own, signaling their peak flavor — but they must be eaten or processed quickly , as their fragility is also part of their refinement.

'Yellow Wonder' embodies a form of wild and rare indulgence , inviting contemplation, careful gathering, and wonder at simple gardens.

The Sea Shells cosmos is a unique ornamental variety, immediately recognizable by the tubular shape of its petals, reminiscent of delicate seashells. This singularity gives it a graphic and poetic character, while retaining the airy grace typical of cosmos.

The plant develops finely cut, light and airy foliage, which perfectly showcases the flowers borne on long, slender stems. The flowers appear abundantly throughout the summer, in a palette of tones ranging from pure white to soft pink, sometimes slightly more intense.

In the garden, Sea Shells is easy to grow. Undemanding, it adapts well to ordinary soils and prefers sunny locations. Its steady growth and long flowering period make it an excellent plant for borders, wildflower meadows, or naturalistic gardens. It sometimes self-seeds when conditions are right.

In the ecumene, the Sea Shells cosmos is perceived as a plant of lightness and expression. It reminds us that the garden can also be a space of surprise and fantasy, where form matters as much as color.

Drawn from a diverse selection of several types of head lettuce, this colorful composition celebrates the natural diversity of textures and hues. From tender green to deep red, each plant becomes a visual accent in the garden space, enriching neighboring crops with its calming presence.

In the garden, the Colorful Mix is ​​a reliable choice. Its compact habit and well-formed heads make it an ideal variety for sunny spots, dense flowerbeds, or container gardening. Thanks to its varying maturity dates, it offers a staggered harvest, combining daily enjoyment with a respectful rhythm. If you love ultra-crisp lettuces, this mix will become your go-to. With their compact, protected hearts, head lettuces keep longer than leafy varieties, allowing you to enjoy their freshness for several days while reducing waste. Resilient and generous, this lettuce thrives in welcoming, slightly moist soil, revealing its full potential in a garden that is rooted and in harmony with a living garden.