Our Story

Seeds since 1998

Renee Shepherd is widely regarded as a pioneering innovator in introducing international vegetable, culinary herb and flower varieties to home gardeners and gourmet restaurants. After receiving her PhD from UC Santa Cruz and teaching there, she established Renee's Garden in 1998 to do what she likes best – searching out the very best seeds from around the world and thoroughly testing them in the company’s trial gardens to choose top varieties for our seed packets.

Today, Renee's Garden continues its mission as part of the British Columbia-based Diamond family of businesses alongside our sister company West Coast Seeds. Together, we carry on the same dedication to trial-tested, high-quality seeds for home gardeners.

Our Trial Gardens

The heart of everything we do

Each year we test ~300 new varieties in our trial gardens on both the West and East coasts to find the highest quality seeds guaranteed to be successful in all climate zones. Seeds are chosen for excellence in flavor, color, and ease of growing for home gardeners. We don't sell anything that we haven't trialed and tasted ourselves.

Left to right: Elayne Takemoto, Product & Marketing Manager, Lindsay Del Carlo, Trial Garden Manger, and Renee Shepherd, Founder

Our Seeds

  • Safe, Organic & Non-GMO

    Whether you plant our Certified Organic seeds or choose from our range of conventionally produced varieties, supporting sustainable farming practices is an integral part of our mission at Renee's Garden. We do not sell chemically tested or genetically engineered seeds.

     

    We have been committed organic gardeners for over 35 years using strictly organic gardening practices with great success. Everyone at Renee's Garden eats and enjoys the organic produce we grow in our trial gardens. Our organic seeds are sourced from small USDA Certified Organic seed growers, family farms and cooperatives who meet our high standards for germination and purity.

  • From Around The World

    We search the world to bring fresh flavors to your garden. Our seeds are sourced from growers we know and trust in the USA, Holland, Italy, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Thailand, Japan, China and New Zealand.

     

    Informational Packets

    Our individually written packets offer beautiful watercolor illustrations and are written as if Renee is talking to you with down to earth descriptions, complete growing instructions, a quick-view planting chart, growing tips, harvesting information and cooking ideas. We want gardeners to be successful with our seeds, and we provide everything we can to help them.

Seeds That Make a Difference

Helping grow a better tomorrow

Every season, we donate seed packets to schools, community gardens and nonprofit organizations dedicated to cultivating healthier spaces. These donations support education, sustainability and food access while empowering people to connect with nature and each other.

Join us in the Garden

Home-grown food and fresh bouquets

"Renee's Garden is a company run by gardeners, for gardeners. It is our way to spread the joy of gardening as a meaningful, productive and satisfying activity that connects us to each other and the earth."

- Renee Shepherd, Founder