I am really more of a vegetable gardener than a flower gardener, but flowers can renew the soul and lift the spirit.
The old fashioned flowers I offer at Amishland Heirloom Seeds are the few I absolutely can't live without. Their color and pure beauty make every day more lovely. Their fragrance alone is the best aromatherapy.
All seed packs are $2.50 each
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HEPLER FARM/ MAHANTONGO VALLEY HEIRLOOM SWEET PEA - VERY RARE~EXCLUSIVE~ONLY USA SEED SOURCE -(lathyrus ) I got my original seed stock (maybe 15 or less seeds) of this very rare heirloom sweet pea flower from two of the brothers of the Christiansbrunn Cloister. It is located deep in the countryside near Pitman in the historic Mahantongo Valley of central Pennsylvania. The Christiansbrunn cloister is located on much of the old Hepler farmstead, that was virtually untouched by time since the early 1820's. The brothers live as much as possible an 18th century lifestyle, without electricity, central heating, running water, etc. They farmed until only a few years ago with oxen, but finally broke down and got an ancient tractor, as they no longer had the manpower to do all the farming completely by hand. The trained oxen team was sold at auction, and without the brothers' knowledge, nearly became hamburger. Happily they were saved at the last moment by a man knowledgeable about early farming. The matched team of oxen now demonstrate old time farming techniques, and plowing, at living history museums throughout the East coast.
Now back to the loveliest old time sweetpeas I have ever seen or grown. The Hepler Sweetpea is very hardy and keeps green nearly all winter in my Zone 6A garden. It took me a few years to get them established enough to finally have seeds to sell. Once established they will happily self seed forever. They may date all the way back to the days of the farm's origins in the early 1820's, but I have no more history on them other than they have always been growing there as long as anyone can remember. Great sprays of pale cerise pink flowers bloom in late spring and then bloom again, for me, in the fall. They looked exceptional intertwined with my deep purple "Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory." Not hugely fragrant like some varieties, but sweet enough. I have found the best way to plant sweetpeas is just throw the seed on the ground near a fence or where you want them to climb, in the fall time. The winter will break down the hard seed coat and they will sprout and bloom nicely come spring. 10 of my own fresh organically seeds.
PAINTED LADY RUNNER BEAN - also called York or Lancaster Runner - - BACK IN STOCK!- LIMITED QUANTITY ORDER EARLY Organic- Species coccineus -The name "Painted Lady" refers to Queen Elizabeth I, who wore rouge and makeup in her day. This is the only runner bean with unique bi-colored blossoms . It is considered an ornamental climber in England because of its rapid growth and its many lovely flowers. It will climb counterclockwise, unlike most climbing beans. Very rare seed. The lovely whitish pink and coral red bi-colored blossoms are so decorative. They are edible as well with a rich "beany" taste if picked small. It has huge long pods which get up over foot long and are filled with very large mottled buff and brown seeds. They have a unique little "hook" on the end of the pod that I haven't ever seen before in any other beans.
These are so incredibly beautiful and extremely attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. I grow them all over my fences. This is a prime example of an ornamental edible. It was first introduced to England in 1633 by John Tradescant, gardener to Charles I. Described by Arrabida Flora of Rio Janeiro in 1827, and still very rare. It has a Pole Bean running habit. The locals here in Amishland in the early 1800's, used to serve these beans "whittled" into long shreds called in dialect "Schipple", and made them into a pickled form like sauerkraut called "Schipplebuhne". I have only a limited supply of these seeds as this past season was the first I had ever been able to obtain seeds and grow these lovely runner beans. I had searched for years for this rare variety. 5 of my own organically grown huge seeds.
SCARLET EMPEROR RUNNER BEAN (Phaseolus coccineus). SORRY SOLD OUT FOR SEASON A member of the Leguminosae, or legume family (70+ days). A traditional, and highly successful red flowered bean. Scarlet Emperor is a special variety of Red Runner Bean. It is a great climber and will cover your porch or bean teepee with red flowers and edible beans. A favorite of hummingbirds. Harvest runner beans at 4 to 6 inches long for best quality, but they can get over 12" long pods. This heirloom bean was first grown in the 1600's. Introduced to the United States in the 1800's. Used by native Americans, large vigorous vines over 12 feet long. The flowers are very ornamental, in clusters of the brightest scarlet, good to cook as snap, shell or dry beans. The huge seeds are very colorful, violet-purple mottled in black, sometimes called jewelry beans and strung into necklaces. I personally think they are the original "Jack-in-the-Beanstalk" beans! These beans like fairly cool weather. Even if you do not have a green thumb, these are for you! After planting, they seem to be at a standstill...then suddenly, they are shooting out everywhere! It's simply beautiful! In the photo, is my Scarlet Emperor Bean on the fence along with the wonderful deep purple "Granpa Ott's Morning Glory" for a superb color combination.
SORRY SOLD OUT FOR SEASON
SWEET AUTUMN CLEMATIS (Clematis Terniflora) - - BACK IN STOCK!- This is a spectacular fragrant vine that literally will cover anything you want to hide. Have an ugly building, fence, outhouse or such you don't want to see? Plant Sweet Autumn clematis and it will be smothered in honeysuckle-like sweet flowers in late summer through fall. The silvery green variegated foliage stays green all winter. And in late fall silvery, fluffy seed heads appear which are also quite ornamental. One old fashioned name for this plant was "Virgin's Bower". When in seed it was called "Old Man's Beard". I grow it by the corner post of my Victorian house where it grows up to 20 feet in one summer. I had a dead maple tree that this clematis covered until it looked just like a spring flowering tree in bloom. When all the other flowers in your garden are dying, this clematis blooms with a wonderful, sweet fragrance that literally perfumes the air. Very easy to grow, and it is a perennial. Self seeds easily.
One teaspoon -about 15-20 seeds, more than enough to cover your whole neighborhood!
MIRABILIS JALAPA FOUR O'CLOCKS - ***SOLD OUT FOR SEASON ***
1890'S HEIRLOOM! - "Yellow Twilight" -Night blooming!- My house dates to 1890 and these easy flowers have been self seeding right there all these years. The fragrant blossoms are reminiscent of apple blossoms in fragrance. Flowers are a brilliant canary yellow with an orange throat on bushy plants that grow 3-4 feet high. Since they bloom in the late afternoon, they are called "four o'clocks." They remain open all night till morning, sending their sweet fragrance all through the evening air. Mine send their sweet fragrance into my bedroom windows. These attract night feeding huge 8-12" luna moths! You have to see a luna moth to believe it.***SOLD OUT FOR SEASON ***
HARLEQUIN STRIPED HEIRLOOM MARIGOLD (Tagetes patula). In 1808 Anne Cary Randolph wrote her grandfather, Thomas Jefferson, "We have plenty of the two kinds of Marigolds that you gave us." This suggests the French Marigold, often grown in colonial gardens, was probably cultivated at Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello. The Monticello Striped French Marigold offered here represents the species, or wild, form of the plant as it appears naturally in South America. It has a sprawling, almost vine-like habit to four feet with single, showy, yellow and burgundy striped flowers.
These are real showstoppers, and my neighbors always comment upon them. They are very cold tolerant as well. I never really liked marigolds until I saw these. I wouldn't have a flower garden without these striking blooms! Please note: The blooms may look similar to the "Striped Marvel Marigold", but this is a totally different, non bush plant and a much older heirloom flower. My own 20 fresh organic seeds.
MORNING GLORY MADNESS MIXED SEEDS ! - ~ I grew a number of morning glories this past year and one section of my fence was full of Morning Glories that had "escaped " from their other divided growing areas and they all grew together. The effect was marvelous but there was no way I could separate the different varieties in this particular spot along the fence, so I am selling them as a super mixture of several rare heirloom types, at a super low price. Here is your chance to get some real rarities for your garden.
I can't guarantee that all the types will be in your particular seed pack, but it may include, among others, my own rare single heirloom types. I have in this mixture: "Grandpa Ott's Deep Purple Morning Glory", "Kniolas Deep Black Morning Glory", my own "Hot Pink with Red Star Morning Glory". Also there was a pale pink one as well as a white with a pink star, which I have never sold before. Please note*** there is also the remote possibility that you may even get the fabulous "sport" (a mistake of nature from crossing) that was a rich deep blue with a lovely purple star, which cropped up in a few places along that fence. You will LOVE this fabulous mixture! 25 of my own organically grown seeds.
I am really more of a vegetable gardener than a flower gardener, but flowers can renew the soul and lift the spirit.
