Underwood Gardens was founded by Maryann "Mayo" Underwood and her daughter Maren Oslac in 1993 as a family-owned and operated organic seed company specializing in rare and endangered, open-pollinated / heirloom seeds for vegetables, herbs, flowers and "curiosities." We've been growing and saving seed for a very long time!

In November, 2007, Mayo sold the business to another family, Pat & Jeff Kraft, neighbors of Mayo in Woodstock, Illinois. Pat and Jeff are committed to the same principles that guided Mayo and Maren - namely, the preservation of heirloom seed varieties by growing and saving them, and the value of educating others about the methods and rewards of seed-saving. Mayo will continue to guide and advise, and to trial new discoveries of valuable old seeds in her new garden.

As hybrid and genetically modified seeds take over the marketplace and our gardens, we may enjoy a few benefits such as a new color or improved, short-run disease resistance, supposedly improvements on the original plant. But to "improve" a plant in one way usually requires the subtraction of an original characteristic. Generally hybridizers sacrifice fragrance in flowers, flavor in vegetables, and potency in herbs.We don't agree with this trade-off! In many cases the original varieties were far superior in looks, flavor and long-term disease resistance.

We have grown seeds collected by Mayo and other seed-savers over the years. Also, many gardeners have sent us seeds and asked us to help preserve a heritage which may otherwise have died out in their family or neighborhood. Their ancestors probably knew how and why to save seeds. We are delighted to have helped save some magnificent varieties - now acclaimed by chefs in many cities! We preserve the seed and also relate its colorful history to its new growers.

We are a resource for backyard gardeners as well as market growers and those who supply fresh produce to chefs and fragrant flowers to florists. Our seeds represent a rich heritage of plants which have produced tried and true results, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, for generations.

To encourage others to preserve heirloom plants we offer books and videos to teach the lost art of seed-saving. It's really quite simple and fun - and it's a great skill to pass on to your children or grandchildren. We strive to teach and encourage all gardeners once again to reap the benefits of self-sustainability.

An added benefit - birds and butterflies are attracted to heirloom varieties which they recognize as sources of habitat and nectar. They will choose to live and reproduce where these plants grow!

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