Organic Edible Flower Seeds from Beira Baixa

Sementes Vivas' organic China Aster (Callistephus chinensis) seeds, available at Geocakes, bring an explosion of colour to the garden that lasts from late summer through autumn. Single-petalled, this traditional variety attracts bees and butterflies, and is also recognised for its edible petals, delicate and slightly sweet. A simple choice for anyone looking for a livelier corner of the garden, full of colour and life.

Single-Petal China Aster: An Origin in Beira Baixa

Also known simply as aster or China aster, the single-petal China Aster celebrates the simplicity of the more traditional varieties, predating the hybridisation that produced fuller, double-flowered forms. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Sowing is ideally done in spring, once the risk of frost has passed, in a spot with full sun and well-drained soil. Germination happens within seven to fourteen days, and the first flowers open in late summer, lasting through autumn. Each pack contains 0.5g of seeds, enough for a flowering corner in the garden, in pots or window boxes. The plant reaches 40 to 60 centimetres in height, making it equally good for garden beds or deeper window boxes.

From the Land to the Table: Flowers You Can Eat Too

Beyond their colour, China Aster petals have a mild, slightly sweet flavour, and can accompany salads, decorate desserts or bring colour to summer dishes. Start with just a few petals, to discover the flavour at your own pace, and always make sure the flowers were grown without chemical treatments before bringing them to the table.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Long flowering, from late summer through autumn
• Attracts bees and butterflies, allies of garden biodiversity
• Edible petals, for use in the kitchen too
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Pansy (Viola tricolor) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce small tricolour flowers, delicate and edible, with a mild, slightly sweet flavour. Compact and generously flowering, they're ideal for anyone who wants to bring colour to the garden and the table at the same time.

Organic Pansy: Colour and Flavour from Beira Baixa

The Pansy (Viola tricolor) owes its scientific name to the three colours that usually appear on the same flower - purple, yellow and white - in a combination that varies slightly from plant to plant. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Pansies adapt well to pots, window boxes and courtyard gardens, since they rarely exceed 30 centimetres in height. They prefer full sun or partial shade on warmer days, and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Each pack contains 0.40g of seeds, enough for several compact, long-flowering plants.

From the Land to the Table: Flowers You Can Eat Too

Pansy petals have a mild, slightly sweet flavour, and are a classic among edible flowers. They can add colour to fruit salads, decorate desserts, give a floral touch to drinks, or surprise in a cold soup. Start with just a few petals at a time, and always make sure the flowers were grown without chemical treatments before bringing them to the table.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Edible tricolour flowers, with a mild, sweet flavour
• Abundant, long flowering, on compact plants
• Ideal for pots and window boxes, even in small spaces
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce a perennial plant with striking purple flowers that can reach 70 cm in height. With long flowering and low maintenance, it's a sure choice for anyone who wants to attract bees, butterflies and birds to the garden, season after season.

Organic Echinacea: A Purple Flower from Beira Baixa

Echinacea purpurea has a long tradition of use in infusions and herbal preparations across Europe, although today it's grown mainly for its ornamental value and its importance to pollinators. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Echinacea grows best in well-drained soil with direct sun exposure, reaching between 40 and 70 centimetres in height. Being a perennial, it doesn't need to be replanted every year: once established, it flowers again the following spring, usually with more vigour. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough for several plants in the garden or vegetable patch.

A Magnet for Pollinators

Echinacea's purple flowers and orange centre are a true invitation for bees and butterflies, and its seeds also attract native birds once flowering ends. Leaving them in the garden for longer, without cutting right away, helps extend that relationship with local wildlife, keeping the space livelier all year round.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Striking purple flowers, with a long tradition in Europe
• A perennial plant, that comes back year after year
• Attracts bees, butterflies and birds, an ally for biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Marigold (Calendula officinalis) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce vibrant orange flowers, edible and quick to germinate. Easy to grow even for beginner gardeners, they bring colour to the garden and a traditional touch to the kitchen.

Organic Marigold: Colour and Tradition from Beira Baixa

Grown for centuries across Europe, Marigold became known as "the poor man's saffron", from the old habit of using its petals to add colour to rice, soups and broths. Dried petals were also, over time, used to naturally dye fabrics and homemade butters, a custom that still survives in some traditional kitchens. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Sow directly in its final spot, in full sun, and germination is usually quick and reliable, even for someone who has never sown anything before. Marigold adapts well to the Portuguese climate, flowers over several months and needs no complicated care. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough for a good flower bed.

From the Land to the Table: Flowers You Can Eat Too

Pick the petals on dry days, preferably in the morning, and use them fresh in salads or dried in rice, soups and homemade teas. It's a simple way to bring to the table the same flower that colours the garden, with a mild, slightly peppery flavour.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Quick germination, ideal for beginners
• Edible flowers, traditional in Portuguese cooking
• Long flowering, over several months
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Cosmos Mix seeds, available at Geocakes, produce vibrant flowers in shades of purple, pink and white that fill the garden with colour from summer through to autumn. Easy to grow with generous blooms, they're a sure choice for anyone who wants a lively garden with minimal effort.

Cosmos Mix: Abundant Colour in Your Garden

This open-pollinated Cosmos mix brings together shades of purple, pink and white in the same sowing, creating a different floral mosaic each season, since the proportion between colours is never exactly the same from year to year. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Sow after the last frost, once temperatures stay stable, in a spot with full sun. Cosmos adapts well to different soil types, grows quickly and needs no complicated care. Cutting the flowers regularly encourages new buds and extends flowering into autumn. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough for a generous area of the garden or for large pots on the balcony.

From the Land to the Table: Flowers You Can Eat Too

Cosmos petals are edible and can add colour to salads and desserts, fresh or dried. Once dried, they also work as a natural colouring for recipes, a simple way to bring into the kitchen the same colour that fills the garden. At the end of summer, leave a few seed heads uncut, so the birds can enjoy the abundance too.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Tricolour mix, purple, pink and white
• Abundant flowering, from summer to autumn
• Attracts bees, butterflies and birds, an ally for biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

These Sementes Vivas organic seed balls, available at Geocakes, turn any green corner into a burst of colour. Each of the 6 balls combines an organic floral mix that attracts bees and butterflies, ready to use in gardens or balconies, even with no prior gardening experience.

Organic Seed Balls: Simple, Fun Gardening

Each ball, 2.5 cm in diameter, combines organic substrate, clay powder and an organic floral mix, in a formula designed to protect the seed and make germination easier as soon as it finds water and sun. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

A Diverse Flower Mix

The mix includes cornflower, cosmos and poppy, among other varieties, which reveal themselves as the plants grow and flower throughout summer. The plants reach between 60 and 100 cm in height, creating a striking visual impact in any green space, from garden to balcony, and a constant meeting point for bees and butterflies. Each box brings together six possible small gardens, each with its own colour balance.

How to Use the Seed Balls

No burying or preparation needed. Just place the balls on the soil, in a spot with good sun exposure, and keep the soil moist until germination. Sowing is best done between January and May, taking advantage of spring for better results, though the box can be kept until then without losing quality.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Simple application, no preparation or tools needed
• A diverse floral mix, with prolonged flowering
• Attracts bees and butterflies, allies of biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

These Sementes Vivas organic Colourful Garden seed balls, available at Geocakes, are a simple, fun way to sow seeds as a family. Each of the 6 spheres combines an organic floral mix that transforms, over the summer, into a small garden full of colour and life.

Colourful Garden: Sowing as a Family

No tools or prior experience needed: just place the ball on the soil and water it. That's why these spheres are one of the simplest first contacts a child can have with gardening, watching, week after week, their own flowers grow. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

An Activity for the Whole Family

The mix includes cornflower, cosmos and poppy, among other varieties, which grow between 60 and 100 cm tall and appear gradually, keeping the curiosity alive throughout the season. It's a good excuse to pull the little ones away from the screen for a few minutes, hands in the soil.

How to Sow with Little Ones

Choose a pot or a sunny corner of the garden, place the balls on the soil without burying them, and water regularly until germination. The ideal sowing period runs from January to May. The clay and organic substrate protect the seed, making the process foolproof, even for a child's first gardening attempts.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Simple application, ideal for sowing with children
• A diverse floral mix, flowering throughout summer
• Attracts bees and butterflies, a good introduction to biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

The Guia Pé Fértil 2026, by Sementes Vivas, is dedicated to growing traditional Portuguese aromatic herbs, with planting techniques and specific care for each region. A special edition combining ancestral wisdom with modern practices, celebrating the varieties that define Portugal's gastronomic and territorial identity. Note: this guide is written in Portuguese.

Traditional Growing of Portuguese Aromatic Herbs

This special edition of the Guia Pé Fértil 2026 explores the aromatic herbs that shape Portugal's culinary and territorial identity, from Beira Baixa's oregano to Alentejo's coriander. Developed by Sementes Vivas, the guide presents techniques adapted to each region's specific climate and soil conditions, celebrating traditional know-how and local biodiversity.

What You'll Find in Each Chapter

Each chapter details planting methods, ideal seasons, specific care and preservation methods, respecting local traditions. It also includes technical data on growth cycles, water needs, soil types and beneficial companion planting in the garden.

A Guide for All Levels

You don't need a garden or prior experience to make the most of this guide. The information is organised practically, designed both for beginners and for those who have grown aromatic herbs for years and want to deepen their regional knowledge.

Why Choose This Guide

• Region-specific growing advice, adapted to each area of Portugal
• Ancestral techniques, validated by practice
• Aromatic herbs of Portuguese cuisine, from north to south
• Practical format, softcover, easy to consult in the garden
• Developed by Sementes Vivas, in Idanha-a-Nova

Sementes Vivas' organic Giant Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce majestic plants that can reach 2 metres in height. With a large dark-brown centre surrounded by golden petals, they're one of the simplest spectacles to grow in any garden or vegetable patch, even for someone who has never planted anything before.

Giant Sunflower: Majesty from Beira Baixa

Each plant develops one large main flower, and may also form a few smaller side flowers depending on growing conditions, soil and spacing between plants. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Sow in full sun with well-drained soil, once the risk of frost has passed. The Giant Sunflower grows quickly and doesn't need complicated care, but benefits from regular watering while it develops and plenty of space for its roots to establish. Each pack contains 5g of seeds, enough for several plants across your garden or vegetable patch.

A Curious Fact About the Sun

While still young, before the flower fully opens, the Giant Sunflower actually follows the sun's movement throughout the day, a phenomenon called heliotropism. After flowering, the flower settles facing east, ready to catch the first rays of sun each morning, and stops moving for the rest of the day.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Giant flowers, up to 2 metres tall
• Attracts bees and other pollinators, an ally for biodiversity
• Edible seeds, a bonus after flowering
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seeds, available at Geocakes, bring a vigorous tropical plant to your garden or greenhouse. With autumn flowering and intense red calyces, it's the base of the well-known hibiscus tea, now within reach of anyone wanting to grow it in Portugal.

Hibiscus Sabdariffa: A Tropical Plant in Beira Baixa

Originally from Herdade do Couto da Várzea, in Idanha-a-Nova, these seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner in the Naturtejo Geopark, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification. Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers naturally in autumn, as the days start to shorten, after a whole summer of growing and gaining height.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Being a tropical plant, Hibiscus adapts better to the Portuguese climate with protected growing, in a greenhouse or a sheltered, warm spot, especially during the colder months. It prefers full sun and regular watering during growth, and rewards patience with a striking, vigorous plant with lush foliage. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough to try growing this still-uncommon crop.

From the Land to the Cup

After flowering, the red, fleshy calyces that surround the seed can be harvested and dried, to prepare the traditional hibiscus tea, tart and intensely coloured, known in many cultures by different names. A simple way to follow the plant's whole journey, from sowing to cup, without leaving your own garden. Each harvest can also be stored for winter, dried and ready to infuse whenever you like.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, sustainable production
• Autumn flowering, following the natural Portuguese cycle
• Edible calyces, the base of hibiscus tea
• A vigorous plant, easy to maintain
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce intense blue flowers that turn any garden into a small wild refuge. With long flowering, they attract bees and butterflies and bring back a flower that was once common in Portuguese fields.

Cornflower: A Wildflower from Beira Baixa

The Cornflower was once a common presence in Portuguese wheat and barley fields, considered a weed, before becoming increasingly rare with modern farming practices. Growing it in the garden today is also a small way of giving it back some space. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Cornflower adapts easily to different soil types, as long as it gets good sun exposure. It prefers direct sowing in its final spot and needs no complicated care once established, growing to about one metre tall. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough for a colourful border or a wild corner of the garden.

From the Land to the Table and to Decoration

The blue petals are edible and can enrich salads, herbal teas and dishes, with a mild, slightly peppery taste. Once dried, they keep their colour well and also become a natural, biodegradable confetti, widely used at weddings and outdoor celebrations, a second life beyond the garden and the kitchen.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Edible flowers, for cooking and herbal teas
• Long flowering, over several months
• Attracts bees and butterflies, an ally for biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic French Marigold (Tagetes patula) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce vibrant orange flowers that are decorative, edible and useful in the vegetable garden all at once. Also known simply as Tagetes, it's one of the most complete plants for anyone who grows both for pleasure and for practical need.

French Marigold: Beauty and Protection in the Garden

Beyond its ornamental value, French Marigold is known among gardeners for helping to reduce nematodes and other soil pests, thanks to substances released by its roots, especially when planted in clusters alongside other crops. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden or Vegetable Patch

Sow in full sun, once the risk of frost has passed. French Marigold adapts well to different soil types, flowers throughout the warm season and needs no complicated care. Each pack contains 10g of seeds, enough both for ornamental borders and for planting among tomato plants and other vegetable garden crops.

From the Land to the Table

The petals, with a mildly bitter taste, can be used in salads, soups, sauces, cakes and breads, working as a traditional, economical substitute for saffron, both in colour and in the aroma they bring to dishes. A double life few flowers can offer, spanning the garden and the kitchen.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Edible flowers, a saffron substitute in the kitchen
• Helps repel nematodes, useful alongside other crops
• Attracts bees and pollinators, an ally for biodiversity
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark

Sementes Vivas' organic Borage (Borago officinalis) seeds, available at Geocakes, produce an aromatic plant with edible leaves and flowers, with a fresh flavour reminiscent of cucumber. A sure choice for anyone who wants to attract bees and bring another genuine flavour to the vegetable garden, with little effort.

Organic Borage: Fresh Flavour from Beira Baixa

Borage is one of the most generous nectar plants for the garden, with a long flowering period that begins in spring and attracts bees in large numbers. Its star-shaped flowers naturally vary between blue-violet and pink, depending on the plant. These seeds reach you through Sementes Vivas, a Geocakes partner based in Idanha-a-Nova, with organic and Demeter (biodynamic farming) certification, sharing the same values of respect for the land and the Naturtejo Geopark's natural cycles.

How to Grow It in Your Garden

Borage grows easily in almost any soil, in full sun or partial shade, and needs no complicated care once established. Once it takes hold, it tends to self-seed year after year, making it an easy presence to maintain in the vegetable garden, with little effort on your part. Each pack contains 1.40g of seeds, enough to get started this season.

From the Land to the Table

Borage's tender leaves and flowers enrich salads, drinks and soups, with a fresh flavour reminiscent of cucumber. A simple, popular trick is to freeze the flowers in ice cubes, for a decorative touch in summer drinks, or use them fresh to decorate desserts and cold dishes.

Why Choose These Seeds

• Organic and Demeter seeds, no chemical treatments
• Edible flowers and leaves, fresh cucumber flavour
• A nectar-rich plant, much sought after by bees
• Long flowering, from spring onwards
• From Idanha-a-Nova, at the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark