Best seeds

Plant seeds to grow beautiful blooms, healthy vegetables, and flavorful herbs in your garden. We’ve rounded up the top options.

Open Seed Vault survival garden
(Image credit: Open Seed Vault)

Growing seeds is a satisfying process. From tiny beginnings, you can bring color and fragrance to your garden, or provide fresh ingredients for your recipes. All you need to do is follow some simple planting instructions and provide the right conditions, plus give them a little time, and your seeds will reward you richly. Discover the best around in our selection.

Best overall

Open Seed Vault survival garden

(Image credit: Open Seed Vault)

Open Seed Vault survival garden

Guide included

Grow all the vegetables you need to from these seeds. There are enough to plant over an acre of food in the 32 packets. They promise a high germination rate and have been selected to provide a well-balanced diet. Packed in air-tight, moisture-proof resealable bags they can be stored before use.

Best for a display

Seed Needs sunflower crazy mixture

(Image credit: Seed Needs)

Seed Needs sunflower crazy mixture

Favorite varieties

If you want to create a spectacular summer show, this collection of sunflower seeds is a top candidate. It will produce plants from 1 to over 7 feet in height in red, yellow, and orange hues. Sow them in a border or, if you have the space, massed in a field.

Best for keen cooks

Organo Republic Sweet & Hot Peppers Seeds

(Image credit: Organo Republic)

Organo Republic sweet and hot pepper seeds

Taste sensation

Go for these seeds and you’ll have 14 different varieties of sweet and hot peppers to choose from to boost the flavors of your meals. The plants will look attractive and colorful as well as providing fresh ingredients. Fast sprouting is promised so you won’t be left waiting long for results.

Best for attracting wildlife

Sweet Yards wildflower seeds

(Image credit: Sweet Yards)

Sweet Yards wildflower seeds

Bright blooms

Get a big bang for your buck with these seeds. There are over 7,500 included to cover 100 square feet of your garden. The 23 annuals and perennials in the mix will bring hummingbirds, butterflies, honey bees, ladybugs, and more to your yard. Enjoy popular flowers such as snapdragon, foxglove, poppy, and zinnia as part of the display.

Best herbs

HOME GROWN culinary herb seed vault

(Image credit: HOME GROWN)

HOME GROWN culinary herb seed vault

Freshen up

Swap from the dried variety to herbs picked from your garden with these seeds. The most popular culinary herbs are among the 15 different packets in the kit. They can be grown indoors or out, and are easy to care for. Plant markers are included along with a guide. 

Best for brewing

Sow Right Seeds herbal tea collection

(Image credit: Sow Right Seeds)

Sow Right Seeds herbal tea collection

Tasty results

If you’re a fan of herbal tea, these seeds will be right up your alley with chamomile, lemon balm, mint, echinacea, and lavender all included. Whether you start them inside the house or in the garden, they’re easy to grow. They’d make a fabulous gift for a tea-drinker, too.

Our verdict

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There’s so much to grow from seed whether you want food for your table, or flowers to fill beds, borders, and pots. The Open Seed Vault survival garden provides all you need to embark on growing a complete and sizeable vegetable garden with sufficient seeds to plant over one acre of food. 

If you prefer to fill your garden with blooms, opt for Sweet Yards wildflower seeds. The colorful flowers should bring a whole host of wildlife to your outdoor space. Alternatively, create an amazing display with the Seed Needs sunflower crazy mixture. These tall flowers in a wonderful range of hot shades will make a striking garden feature.

Sarah Warwick
Freelance writer

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes and gardens and loves investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper.