Leading US seed company to show at Chelsea for the first time in its 141 year history

The European division of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., an American seed company that first traded with the UK in the1890s, is launching an innovative range of seeds for home gardeners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.

Partnering with Chelsea Gold award-winning nurserymen, Chris and Mike Smith from Pennard Plants, Yorkshire based Burpee Europe will be showcasing its new varieties of tomato, pepper and cucumber seeds for the first time at the five day show.

Simon Crawford, Burpee's Sales and Marketing Director, explains the rationale for the Chelsea initiative: "Burpee is known as the name behind the seeds for many companies including Pennard Plants, Thompson and Morgan and Suttons. We are proud that we are one of only a handful of active seed houses in the UK and wanted to showcase our specially developed seeds to Britain's home gardeners. Chelsea is a fabulous opportunity to reach the nation's amateur growers."

Burpee specialises in developing and breeding disease resistant varieties of vegetables and flowers that can be grown sustainably by home gardeners.

The new varieties that will be at Chelsea have all been grown under revolutionary LED lights at leading horticultural research station, Stockbridge Technology Centre and include;

Tomato Crimson Crush    A proven blight resistant variety with exceptional flavour

Tomato Cherry Baby        The ultimate home garden cherry tomato

Tomato Summer Frolic    Earliness and flavour combined in a classic sized fruit

Tomato Patio Plum           A windowsill tomato that produces fruit from May to December

Pepper Tangerine Dream    A compact growing snacking pepper with a hint of spice

Pepper Popti                          A very prolific sweet pepper for small spaces

Pepper Cardinal                   A sweet pepper that turns purple to red on compact plants

Pepper Red King                    A super large pepper with juicy, thick fruit

Cucumber                        A fabulous mid-sized cucumber with an astonishing yield (this variety is so new that it has yet to be named!)

The seed for both Cherry Baby and Crimson Crush were bred by Simon Crawford in East Yorkshire and Patio Plum was bred by Jim Reeve in Chesterfield.

Pennard Plants' Chris Smith is looking forward to working with Simon Crawford and Burpee at Chelsea: "Burpee has an excellent reputation and Simon is a very well respected seed breeder who has initiated a successful European tomato breeding programme at his base in Yorkshire.

"We're excited about the opportunities that Chelsea affords both businesses."

Privately owned Burpee was founded by W. Atlee Burpee in 1876 and is the leading company in America's home gardening industry. It breeds, produces and distributes seeds and plants of vegetables and flowers worldwide.

Pennard Plants was awarded Gold in 2016 for an exhibit of 3 different allotment gardens, Modern, Edwardian and a re-creation of an allotment garden from the Pensioners at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Pennard Plants also won Gold at Chelsea in 2013 and 2015.

Plants and seeds of Burpee's new lines will be available to buy at Chelsea.

Ends

Photos:

1. Simon Crawford, Plant Breeder and Sales and Marketing Director, Burpee Seeds and Plants Europe
 

2. Cherry Baby - tomato bred in East Yorkshire by Simon Crawford
 

3. Tomato Patio Plum
 

4. Pepper Cardinal
 
 

For more information or to arrange an interview with Simon Crawford, please contact Tracey Baty at three60 marketing on;

Direct line: 01430 871360

Mobile: 07971 961574

E mail:traceybaty@three60marketing.co.uk

Web:www.three60marketing.co.uk

Notes for editors

1. For more information about Burpee Seeds and Plants, please visithttp://www.burpee.com

2. Pennard Plants is based in a Victorian Walled Garden in Somerset and grows and sells one of the largest selections of edible plants, heritage and heirloom seeds, fruit and herb plants in the UK. Chris Smithis an award winning nurseryman and accomplished speaker.For more information, please visithttp://pennardplants.com/

3. Simon Crawford was appointed to the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee in 2006. Other involvements with the RHS include appointment to the Trials Advisory Committee in 2009 and invitations to judge at major RHS Shows, including Chelsea Flower Show.

4. In Oct 2016, Burpee and The Burpee Foundation gifted $2.5 Million to ensure the operation and maintenance of the White House Kitchen Garden initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama.