Garden centres

■ Garden centres don’t have the space, or the turnover, to stock the huge ranges available by mail order but if you accidentally empty a packet of seeds on the shed floor you can pop down to the garden centre for a replacement.

■ Country Value is the budget range of traditional varieties, Mr Fothergill’s is the most widely stocked and you’ll also find Johnsons (especially good for lawn seed), Suttons, Thompson & Morgan and Unwins. The excellent Franchi (Seeds of Italy) range is stocked by a few larger centres.

■ Supermarkets, DIY stores and other non-specialist outlets also sell seeds. They’re sometimes offered under the store’s own brand name although, personally, I’d pass these by in favour of trusted names.

Well-known seed names are stocked in most garden centres