The scoop on 'Chiltern Seeds'

One of my favourite seed companies. They have many rare and unusual plants on offer and are always helpful and fast to ship. Sadly, I've noticed that the "personal touch" has fallen away from their communication in recent times, perhaps because the company has become so popular that they no longer have the time.

I have ordered for 3 years from Chiltern seeds. They have always been helpful, accurate and prompt. The germination rates of the seeds have also been excellent. I particularly liked their miscellaneous seed collections. These are very good value for money and I have populated large sections of my new garden with their tree and shrub, tall perennial, and short perennial mixes. There is also great fun in trying to identify the plants that sprout. I can not rate this company highly enough.

I have used Chiltern for years. I love their catalogue, full of witty, erudite little asides and explanations of the Latin names. If the seeds need special care they tell you, but they send very thorough general instructions. When I recently moved to USa, they sent comprehensive/exhaustive information about the legal side of buying seeds abroad. Ordinary plant seeds are cheaper elsewhere, but for fun or unusual plants, they're great. Lottery mixes are fun too.

Placed an order with Chiltern Seeds. Order accepted, money taken from credit card, email recieved, 'we very much regret to advise that this item did, in fact sell out....' Still waiting for the refund

They have terrific seeds, ordering is easy online, and the shipping is amazingly quick coming from England. Because they sell more single color selections, I've been able to get effects not achievable through American seed companys. People have asked me to add onto my orders because they love the colors. Germination rates have been excellent. I hope the new regulations don't end this.

I've ordered from Chiltern for several years now, and have always been impressed by the quality of their seeds, the wide selection, and the speed of service. Although I live in the U.S., my most recent order arrived within 10 days, which is better than some of the American companies do! Highly recommended.

I have dealt with this company for a long period of time and found the products and service excellent. I don't want too much information in the catalogue, I want them to concentrate on getting the rarities and can research growing conditions myself.
They are a small outfit and i find you do get personal service. They had run out of one item last year that I wanted which they identified from an E-mail I sent to them but they sent it as soon as they got it. Delivery always first class.

I have placed 3 separate seed orders with Chiltern's this year. I was a 1st time customer who was a little nervous ordering from them but it was a wonderful experience. My seeds were dispatched quickly and received safely. I was able to use my Debit Card on-line and was only charged a small amount each time for the currency conversion fee. What a selection they have. I give this business five Gold Stars.

i was ordering seeds from chiltern for years before i came to japan five years ago. no idea how i discovered them, friends probably.
always good. always loquacious and relevant advice given when asked, and i lerv the 'lottery mixtures'.
i just wanted to say for others that i realised that this was MY kind of company when, on perusing one of their catalogues, i found i was reading an obituary for a cat - mak?

I placed my first order this year and am very pleased with the entire experience. They were very helpful with answering any questions I had. Their response time was good and all my questions were answered. I was very happy with the seed count and the variety. I recieved everything in a relatively fast turnaround considering they are in England.
I found the web site easy to use and plan to purchase again in the future. Helpful representatives, great selection and good customer service...works every time!

This a wonderful company in all respects. Outstanding service, choice and quality. I grow many varieties of seed each year and have always been pleased with Chiltern Seed.

Great care, very friendly, swift despatching, great quality. Pitty the catalogue has no pictures. Beside that: thumbs up!

I've ordered from Chiltern Seeds several times and have enjoyed success with most of their seeds. I would maybe think twice about ordering stratified seeds (no fault of theirs...it simply takes too long to get through customs, and maybe more skill on my part). Also, with my limited budget, I try to only order seeds I simply can't get anywhere else. Although, I have been "forced" to give away plants I've grown that would have cost me much more from nurseries here in the States. The catalogue (no pics, no "how to's") reads like a Who's Who of seeds and mine gets well-thumbed long before planting time. What an amazing selection! Definitely a company I would recommend

I placed an order through Chiltern Seed's website. The order was confirmed promptly, and shipped equally promptly. I won't be able to provide any sensible information on germination unless everything sprouts, though. I don't have much experience with growing from seed, and I tend to just pitch everything out in the garden and hope for the best.

Amazing range of unusual seeds, reasonable prices and swift delivery :-)

I have dealt with this company many times over the years. This year I placed several orders with them and everything arrived quickly and as ordered. All the seed have had satisfactory to excellent germination. Great company, great catalog.

This is the only seed company that I like to use. Their range is extraordinary (over 4,000 species and cultivars); their service generally excellent. They respond well to complaints and are more reliable as to viability of seeds that most other companies.

You really can't go wrong with them!!!

Astounding selection of seeds. Incredibly prompt shipping. I received my seeds faster than many domestic suppliers. Great website with decent search function. Amazing catalog! My only quibbles would be very few pictures of plants on website or in catalog and use of some "out of date" Linnean classifications for some Genus/Species. All in all an amazing resource for any gardener interested in raising plants from seed.

WONDERFUL PEOPLE!!!! I'm a medievalist and these are the people to go to for hard to find seeds. Years ago they hunted up Skirret seeds for me, and the Secretary there even sent me a family recipe to cook them with. I love reading there catalogue and look forward to it yearly. Great service!! Great product!! They even have the wild forms of some plants listed along with the modern forms. I just simply love these people.

My favorite catalog, the one I look forward to more than Christmas, which is about when it arrives. A fantastic source and a great read, too. Surprisingly attentive customer service, considering how big their catalog is. No zone info. Northern US gardeners need to keep a reference book handy or keep in mind that "hardy perennial" in Great Britain doesn't always translate to a Midwestern or New England winter.

Very extensive selection (the best I've seen for any general-purpose seed company), good descriptions, prompt shipping, average to good germination.
Strengths include common and unusual shrub and tree seed, tropicals, annual and perennial ornamentals and exotic selections from around the world.

One of my most reliable seed sources. Shipping to Canada very fast. A few times some varieties were unavailable but were credited immediately and shipping etc. was adjusted. I highly recommend this company. Prices can be a bit high, but seed quantities are usually generous so it balances out.

Very quick to help if you have questions; very quick to ship. Seed packets are generous, although the white packets take a bit of getting used to if you're a gardening newbie (like me) - no specific sowing or germination instructions are given on the packets [what I do is go to another website, e.g. T&M, to get the instructions!]

The catalogue is a real mine of information. Those needing pictures can always check the website, where they are starting to add pictures to the descriptions.

Have ordered seeds from this company for many years.If you know the latin name of the plant you are seeking -things could not be easier! The only failure I have had was trying to grow "monkey puzzle tree" - araucaria araucana.But I have managed to grow sequoia trees.The book makes winter evenings a pleasure planning what to grow (or trying to)the coming year.

I have been buying seeds from Chiltern for a few years now, and other than the lack of info on the packages already mentioned, I have had good luck. Germination rates are in line with other seed sources. The only suggestion for them would be (on the more obscure plants - I am thinking of Polylepis australis as this year's example) to provide USDA zone ranges. They are very pleasant to speak with on the phone, deliveries are prompt, and shipping is free for orders in excess of L 35 on international orders.

I ordered some seeds, firstly via a relative in the UK, then directly from my Australian address. Both times the seeds were despatched promptly, and were good quality with sufficient packaging to survive airmail.

I've bought seeds from Chiltern's for years and have always been very pleased. Their general guidelines on germination have always worked well, with very few seeds requiring special treatment - as they say, many are fine on the windowsill! Hard to find and unusual plants are their speciality and I have some beauties thanks to Chilterns! Their website is easy to use and their "gift" option is brilliant - they'll send seeds giftwrapped, a catalogue included, for no extra cost, to your chosen recipient - I've used it twice this year already! All in all well worth a visit.

I agree with the comments previously posted. Great selection. A little more information on germination precedures would be helpful, but with the information available on the internet, an inexperienced grower should be able to get the info they need.

I believe if a catalogue is requested by a first time orderer, they might mail one for free. They DO want your business.

The catalogue has an incredible range of seeds, is suberbly written with a wry humour, describes the plants well and honestly. No pictures, I think they aim for an intermediate to experienced gardener market. The catalogue is worth having for the reading material. (catalogue price is different for the UK and is sent free as long as you order from the previous season)

Sometimes a germination hint will be included on the front of the packet but otherwise you're pretty much on your own. I've never had germination problems with this source.

The staff are very helpful and if you ask for something out of stock, they include the alternatives you ask for, which comes to a greater amount than the price you pay.

A very large selections of seeds. The catalog has over 300 pages. Good plant descriptions in catalog. I placed a large order last spring. On the whole, I was pleased with the seeds. A few things had poor germination. I believe this was my fault, I wasn't careful enough. The seed packets do not contain germination or growing instructions. The seed order somes with an information pamphlet with general germination information. I will order from them again.

I ordered seeds on the web from New Jersey. Since they were being shipped from Britain I expected a long wait, but they were as fast as the fastest companies in the US. Germination was good. Variety is possibly the best in the world. Shipping price is good, even to US. The only problem is the price of some of the seeds (OUCH! but often worth it) and deciding what to order.

This is an amazing seed source. We've ordered from them several times. Shipping out of the UK to us here in California was very quick, the orders have always been correct. I just wish they'd provide germination information particularly with seed that is uncommon. Even so, we'll always go back to Chiltern's for seed.

I love Chiltern's, and wait for their catalog as for no other. There are no illustrations, no zone information and rarely any culture instructions, but the selection is unbelievable and the descriptions are so detailed as to be much more valuable than the garish pictures some catalogs include. They don't have a U.S. subsidiary, so orders are placed with and shipped directly from their U.K. headquarters. Even so, their shipping turnaround is easily among the quickest in the industry. They're rarely out of stock on anything, but if they are, they compensate by shipping ALL your alternative selections.

I must say that this is the best seed company I have ever dealt with. The only problem that everything is so wonderfully exotic sounding that I never managed to plant everything I order. I also adore the droll English wit that is evidenced in the catalog descriptions.

I ordered from their catalog this year for the first time, in early summer, using a credit card, and had no problems with the purchase or shipment. I had great germination rates with balloon flower ('Sentimental Blue') and Anemone sylvestris seeds, decent germination of a coral bells cultivar, and no luck with a few others. Will probably order some perennial seeds again this winter, for spring planting. The catalog is a treat in itself.

I ordered from them via e-mail year before last. As I was going to be visiting relatives in England, I had the seeds sent there. They were sent shortly after I ordered, and the order was correct. I was very satisfied. I did hear from a garden forum that I participated in then that several folks successfully ordered for US delivery. Their catalogue is a wonder, and worth ordering even if you don't wish to deal with trans-Atlantic ordering, just for the plant information it contains.

The most comprehensive listing of seeds I've seen; you need to know the Latin names, but the catalog is huge and a joy to read. You'll definitely find something you've never heard of or planted before (this year it was Stylomecon for me). The seeds arrive quickly, within ten days, which I think is remarkable for a European catalog. Try it, it's great!

Looking for the unusual or looking for something you cannor get elsewhere? Try Chilterns