Spring at Heligan: The Seeds We Start First

Spring is a moment of quiet urgency at Heligan. As the days begin to stretch and the soil shakes off winter's chill, the Productive Garden comes alive with sowing, sorting, and tending. For centuries, this season has marked the real beginning of the gardening year-when promise is planted just below the surface.

At Heligan, we begin with hardy crops that are ready to face cool nights and bright mornings. Broad beans, peas, leeks, and early lettuces are among the first sown-either under cover in cold frames or directly into well-prepared soil. These reliable favourites offer strength and sustenance early in the year.

One of our most cherished spring starters is the Onion Ailsa Craig. It's a heritage variety with excellent storage potential and a lovely golden skin. Sown in modules indoors or under glass in March, it gets a strong head start before being planted out in rows that march like soldiers across the beds.

We also sow chard and spinach early-colourful, cold-hardy crops that brighten both the garden and the kitchen. Parsley, dill, and coriander are among the first herbs to join the fray, thriving in pots or alongside vegetables.

The rhythm of sowing is matched by the hum of preparation: beds are forked over and dressed with well-rotted compost, tools are sharpened, and planting plans are revised. It's a time of action, but also of observation-watching the angle of the sun, the dampness of the earth, the return of birdsong.

If you're starting your heritage garden at home, begin with just a few of these reliable spring sowings. Use cold frames, cloches, or a sunny windowsill to give seedlings the best start. And trust that the season will carry you forward-one seed at a time.