Suttons Unveils New Heirloom Tomato Seed Collection

For British gardeners, the humble tomato has officially secured its crown. According to a recent survey by Suttons, tomatoes remain the UK's absolute favourite crop to grow from seed, with an overwhelming 89.9% of respondents choosing to cultivate them at home.

In response to this booming passion for home-grown produce, Suttons is launching its new Heirloom Tomato Seed Collection. Featuring 24 carefully selected varieties, the collection is designed to give gardeners an exceptional choice of shapes, sizes, and culinary uses—ranging from sweet snacking cherry tomatoes to dense, meaty beefsteaks.

To mark the launch, Suttons is also introducing a new packet design specifically styled to celebrate the unique character and diverse history of these heritage crops.

Celebrating True Character Heirloom varieties are treasured not just for their lineage, but for their incredible diversity. Rob Smith, Sutton’s New Product Development Manager, explains:

"Suttons new Heirloom tomato range brings together some real standouts, from rich, dark-fruited types to striped, pear-shaped and beautifully coloured varieties that look as good as they taste. You can grow varieties you’d never normally find as plants in a garden centre, let alone on a supermarket shelf!

What I love about heirloom tomatoes is that each has its own character. Some are sweet, some are tangy, some are meaty and perfect for slicing, while others are best eaten warm straight from the plant."

Four Varieties to Watch Within the new 24-variety collection, several standout cultivars are expected to become fast favourites for home growers this season:

Tomato 'Rosella': A premium cherry tomato renowned for its exceptional flavour. Producing heavy trusses of deep rosy-pink fruit, it offers a rich, complex taste profile with notes of raspberry and blackberry.

Tomato 'Indigo Pear': For gardeners attracted by novelty and productivity, 'Indigo Pear' delivers both. Producing up to 800 pear-shaped cherry tomatoes per plant, ripening from deep indigo purple to yellow with striking black shoulders.

Tomato 'Blue Berries': Continuing the focus on visual impact, this variety produces long, abundant trusses of fruit with deep black-purple shoulders that gradually ripen to rich crimson. It boasts a tangy flavour, making it ideal for snacking straight from the vine.

Tomato 'Amish Paste': For cooking and preserving, ‘Amish Paste’ is a high-yielding plum tomato prized for its dense flesh and versatility. Ideal for sauces, soups and passata, it aligns perfectly with the growing interest in scratch cooking and reducing food miles through home production.

The Appeal of Growing Heirloom The shift toward heirloom varieties is heavily driven by a collective push toward sustainable living. Recent data shows that 91% of gardeners say sustainability is important to their gardening practices, with growing their own food remaining a primary motivator.

Unlike uniform, mass-produced supermarket hybrid varieties, heirloom tomatoes are celebrated for their outstanding flavour, remarkable colours, and fascinating histories. They offer an opportunity to cultivate distinctive crops that simply cannot be found on commercial shelves.

The Full Suttons Heirloom Collection includes:

Classic Slicers & Beefsteaks: 'Beefsteak', 'Black Krim', 'Blue Beauty', 'Cherokee Purple', 'Marmande', 'Mortgage Lifter', 'Pineapple (Ananas)', 'Pink Brandywine', 'Red Brandywine', "Rutger's 250"

Plums & Pastes: 'Amish Paste', 'Ruby Falls'

Sweet Cherries & Salad Types: 'Black Cherry', 'Blue Berries', 'Blush Tiger', 'Fraise', 'Garnet', 'Green Zebra', 'Indigo Pear', 'Lucky Tiger', 'Pink Tiger', 'Purple Bumblebee', 'Rosella', 'Sweet 100'

The Suttons Heirloom Tomato Collection will be available in garden centres from August 2026.