Join us for our Open Day,
16 November 9am-3pm
Kings Seeds is a New Zealand owned, family business.
Owned by Barbara and Gerard Martin for over 20 years, the essence of the business hasn’t changed since its inception by Ross King in 1978. Gerard and Barbara have grown the business to be a household name throughout New Zealand and a key supporter of the local Katikati community. As Barbara and Gerard’s own family has grown with the advent of grandchildren they look to progress into their retirement and enable the next generation to continue their work.
Charlotte Connoley co-owner and General Manager was brought into the business with her husband Rob and young family of three boys. From a farming background in the Hakataramea Valley, Charlotte has over 20 years’ experience in the seed industry and a desire to continue to build on the key vision set by the business over 45 years ago – making growing from seed accessible to everyone.
Where possible the business works with other family-owned seed breeders and producers globally to retain a vast assortment of modern and heirloom varieties to satisfy every gardener and grower. New Zealand sourced seed is preferential where it can be obtained with around 10% of the range coming from seed producers in New Zealand or our own seed productions.
Ross King, founder of the company, was inspired in his lifelong love of herbs by Carmel Hare and Gillian Painter, both noted herbalists. Ross began Kings Seeds by selling herb plants from his backyard before quickly realising that there was demand for herb seed nationwide. The first Kings Seeds catalogue was produced in 1979 with 24 pages listing 65 herbs and flowers, 8 vegetables and 170 herb plants.
In the early 1980’s Ross and his wife, Glenys, started a retail shop on Great North Road. The building with its unique Tudor style became a landmark and remains there today. The shop sold dried flowers, pot pourri, essential oils, gifts, books, seeds and plants with the mail order operation working in tandem. By the early 1990’s a garden was added along with a café serving Devonshire teas whilst the reputation of Kings Seeds continued to grow.
It was about this time that Ross and Gerard Martin were to meet. Gerard called into the Avondale shop and became yet another recipient of Ross’s vast knowledge and more importantly, a friend. Ross & Glenys worked hard to build Kings Seeds into a household name with an extensive range from the standard to the weird and wonderful and after 21 years it was time for a change.
In February 1999, Gerard and Barbara Martin bought the Kings Seeds mail order operation. Gerard a flower grower and Barbara a teacher. The business was relocated to Katikati where the appeal of the Bay of Plenty climate had drawn Gerard and Barbara.
Under Gerard and Barbara’s guidance the business has grown to offer a huge assortment of flower, herb, vegetable, sprouting, microgreen and lifestyle seed to home gardeners and commercial growers throughout New Zealand. We aim to introduce new varieties to our assortment every year and in all we maintain approximately 1000 varieties. Our seed packets are all hand packed and we focus on outstanding customer service and knowledgeable gardening advice for our many customers.
Our organic journey began back in 2000, when Kings Seeds was the first company to introduce organically grown and internationally certified seed to the New Zealand home garden market.
At first our organic range was small, limited to just 14 varieties which continued to grow each year with the requirement for a dedicated organic section in our catalogue.
In 2013 we recognised the importance of becoming a New Zealand certified supplier of organic seed and became BioGro NZ accredited. BioGro accreditation gives our customers complete assurance that our products and systems are certified to the highest organic standard.
Now the largest supplier of organically certified seed in New Zealand with over 100 varieties, we continue to look at how we can continue to grow the range.
We’d love to know what other organic varieties you would like us to source for our range so send us a message info@kingsseeds.co.nz
Achillea Pastel Fruits
Colourful mix of yarrows in shades of rose, pink,peach and white. Great for cutting or
Alyssum Carpet of Snow
Popular white flowering ground cover for edging, filling gaps between pavers or growing
Amaranth Green & Red
Equally appealing for ornamental purposes as it is for culinary uses. Also referred to
Amaranth Mekong Red
Attractive Amaranth popular in Asian cooking, can be used as a substitute for spinach i
Amaranthus Hot Biscuits
Unique golden brown upright stems bring a textural quality to floral work. Stunning for
Amaranthus Love Lies Bleeding
Popular for floral work, the cascading red tassels are a striking addition to large bou
Amaranthus Velvet Curtains
Exotic looking, with erect dark-crimson plumes and stunning burgundy foliage. Upright b
Amaranthus Viridis
A stunning cascade of green tassels that fall gracefully adding length, texture and dra
Ammi majus White
Also known as Bishops flower. A highly attractive wild flower with lacy white flowers l
Ammi visnaga Green Mist
Also known as Bishops flower fern leaf. The flowers are greener and more compact than A
Anise
The whole plant has a fragrant sweet smell. Grown usually for its seeds which are used
Basil Cinnamon
Cinnamon basil, also known as Mexican spice basil, has a spicy, fragrant aroma and flav
Basil Genovese Giant
A large leaf variety of the well-known, standard Genovese basil strain.
Not jus
Basil Lettuce Leaf
The most vigorous and highly prolific variety of culinary Basils.
The large leav
Beetroot Bulls Blood
An American heirloom that produces beautiful vibrant red, globe-shaped roots. A versati
Bells of Ireland
This unique plant adds vertical interest to garden beds and bouquets, captivating garde
Briza Quaking Grass
Ornamental grass with graceful paper lantern-like flower heads that are white, tinged w
Bunny Tails Grass
Ornamental grass with soft fluffy white flower heads reminiscent of bunny tails. A grea
Cabbage Chinese Mini Gold F1
Fast growing, mini Kimchi cabbage with a golden yellow interior and a sweet, crunchy fl
Cabbage Korean Kimchi Red F1
Unique dark-purple Kimchi cabbage especially bred for pickling the leaves. A semi-headi
Calendula Nova
Considered among gardeners as one of the easiest and most versatile flowers to grow in
Campanula Blue Bell
One of the best of all perennial bell flowers. From the spreading roo
Campanula Cup & Saucer Mix
Also known as Canterbury Bells, this mix produces a stunning array of bell-shaped flowe
Candytuft Flash Mix
Mound-shaped plants form a blanket of colour including shades of lilac, purple, white,
Capsicum California Wonder Golden
Highly regarded heirloom capsicum, noted for its adaptability and reliability. Sweet an
Caraway
Grown mainly for its seeds which have a pungent anise-like flavour and aroma that comes
Carrot Nagai (treated seed)
Super long heirloom carrot from Japan, can grow to over 60cm yet still be sweet and cri
Carrot Paris Market
A small round carrot that matures extra early, this 19th century French heirloom variet
Carrot Scarlet Nantes
A long time favourite with a sweet crisp flavour, terrific for juicing, baby vegetables
Carrot Touchon
Heirloom French Nantes style carrot renowned for its crisp juicy texture and being near
Catnip
Well known for the way its leaves and blossoms, either dried or fresh, are relished by
Cauliflower Green Macerata
An attractive lime-green cauliflower with very good flavour that can be a nice change f
Celtuce
Chinese stem lettuce primarily grown for its thick crisp stem and used sliced in stir f
Centaurea Sweet Sultan Mix
Cottage garden favourite with honey-scented, soft thistle-like flowers in white, rose,
Centranthus Jupiters Beard
Great border plant with lightly fragrant flowers that bloom the first year from sowing.
Chamomile German
Tea made from the flowers of this variety is very popular as an aid to digestion. The f
Chervil
A member of the parsley family, but more delicate in flavour with a subtle taste of lic
Chicory
Fantastic, year round, upright growth which grazing animals, including cows, deer, shee
Chicory Treviso
This radicchio is what is known as a "Treviso" type - named for the region in Italy fro
Chilli Cherry
Cherry chillies typically have a Scoville rating of about 2,500 to 5,000. These chillie
Chilli Habanero Yellow
Breathtakingly hot chilli with a Scoville rating of 100,000-350,000. Sturdy one-metre t
Chilli Pancho F1
With a Scoville rating of 2,500-8,000, these popular chillies are known for their mediu
Chives Broad Leaf
A commonly used herb, the green stalks (scapes) are diced and used as an ingredient for
Chives Garlic New Belt
An attractive perennial closely related to common Chives but with a mild garlic, rather
Choy Sum
Choy sum (Tsai shim) is also known as Chinese flowering cabbage and a popular leafy veg
Choy Sum Hon Tsai Tai
A purple stemmed choy sum this is a versatile Asian green, featuring tender leaves and
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