Grow Some American History with These New Seed Collections

Bring a dash of history to your yard by planting the same crops American figureheads used to have in their gardens. In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the American Horticultural Society is collaborating with seed and garden brand Burpee and horticultural institutions to bring commemorative seed collections straight to your garden. 

The Limited-Edition Anniversary Collection

Each collection offers more than just seed packets; you’ll find historic quotes, recipes, and inspired artwork tucked in every set. To make growing these colonial seeds extra simple, Burpee also included planting instructions so you can guarantee a healthy harvest. 

“Horticulture has always rooted us in family, community, and the rich history that defines our nation," said AHS President and CEO Suzanne Laporte in the official press release. "With America’s 250th Anniversary Seed Collection, we invite gardeners to bring history to life in their own communities. We are excited to partner with Burpee in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary."

About the Collections

There are four collections available to purchase from Burpee’s website, each centered on a different historical figure or moment. These seed collections will have you growing your own colonial garden in no time. 

Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden

In Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden, you’ll find tomato, sweet pepper, hot pepper, cucumber, yellow onion, tennis ball lettuce, pole beans, and trailing nasturtium. These are a selection of the plants Jefferson himself had in his Monticello garden. Plant labels and a beautiful Monticello keepsake card are included. This set was curated in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. 

Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden

Created in partnership with George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden collection offers Amish Deer Tongue lettuce, white onion, cucumber, kale, hot pepper, carrots, radishes, and watermelon—all crops grown at Mount Vernon. You’ll also find a keepsake recipe card inside of Martha Washington’s seed packet, as well as labels for each plant.  

A Colonial Dooryard Herb Garden

This collection features dill, parsley, chives, lemon balm, hyssop, fennel, chamomile, and nasturtium. These picks are perfect for flavoring your food or mixing up some homegrown tea; each of the eight herbs in this colonial collection was used in everything from cooking to medicine. The American Horticultural Society partnered with Burpee to bring this colonial herb garden to your own backyard. 

“Since the dawn of human creation, herbs have flavored our food,” said chairman of Burpee George Ball in the press release. “Our lives would be dull without their tasty oils. In turn, over many millennia, people worldwide have extended and deepened herbs’ genetic potential and complexity. It’s a fascinating biological relationship. Enjoy herb gardening and benefit from nature’s myriad, curious, and stimulating flavors.”

The colonial garden seed packets each retail for $50. Every collection includes eight full-size seed packets, ready for starting your own historic garden at home. 

The Declaration Bouquet

If you want to celebrate with flowers rather than food, the beautiful Declaration Bouquet is another set that Burpee is offering. It’s a mix of five seed packets that represent the Declaration of Independence, picked in partnership with the Museum of the American Revolution.

The bright orange cosmos flowers symbolize liberty, while the light blue morning glory symbolizes happiness. White marigolds represent the country's stars, and pink verbena symbolizes freedom. The spirit of independence is brought to your garden by vibrant yellow blanket flowers (Gaillardia spp.). 

Each of these blooms is easy to grow, and may even attract pollinators to your garden. Pluck them shortly after blooming for a bouquet that’s bursting with color, or leave each of these five flowers to show off their petals all season long in your garden. The Declaration Bouquet retails for $34.95. 

Where to Buy the Collections

All four sets can be purchased on Burpee’s official website. These limited-edition seed packets will remain available while supplies last, so don’t wait to plan out your own historic garden.