Heirloom flower seeds are being planted now in Colonial Williamsburg . . .

In the Garden -- Hands-On History Lessons
You will want to get in the garden and start digging after you read this great article!

The garden beds at the Lewis House in Colonial Williamsburg are being seeded right now with heirlooms. Larkspur, corn poppies, wallflowers and many other flower seeds need this early start. Stephanie Oberlander photo for The New York Times

Calendulas, or pot marigolds, like many early bloomers, need sufficient periods of cold for their seeds to germinate. They are accents in not only the garden but also the kitchen; high in vitamin C, they can be used in soups and salads. Barbara Temple Lombardi photo.

THE quince hedge was already covered with salmon-pink flowers the day Lawrence Griffith, the curator of plants at Colonial Williamsburg, planted 19 varieties of heirloom flowers from seed. Read more...