By Jennifer Langille
In 1950, on a small family farm south of Cambridge Station, Nova Scotia, a young boy loaded his shirttails full of apples and took them to his mother in the house. His mouth watered as he anticipated the pie she would make, which the family would later enjoy.
These apples, picked by my father, were Northern Spy apples. A cherished heirloom, Northern Spy has largely disappeared from commercial orchards but remains treasured by those who still appreciate its history, uses, and flavour.
What Are Heirloom Plants?
Heirloom plants are open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down for generations, often grown for their unique flavours, adaptability, and historical value. Open-pollination means that these plants are pollinated naturally—by wind, insects, or birds—rather than being deliberately crossbred by humans. This allows them to produce seeds that grow true to type, meaning the next generation will retain the same characteristics as the parent plant.
Heirloom varieties are distinct from mass-produced hybrids because they have evolved to thrive in specific climates and soil conditions. This makes them invaluable for sustainable gardening. These time-honoured plants are often called “heritage” varieties as well, and both terms refer to traditional plants that have been preserved for generations.
We live in a world where commercial agriculture favours uniformity, but heirloom fruit, vegetables, and flowers remain as living links to the past and they offer diversity in flavour, resilience, and historical significance, which are traits often overlooked in favour of high-yield, disease-resistant hybrids.
Despite their many benefits, heirloom varieties have fallen out of favour with large-scale growers because of challenges in storage, transportation, and uniformity. For example, some heirloom apples, such as the Northern Spy, have been largely replaced in commercial orchards because of their irregular shape, bruise-prone skin, and longer time to reach maturity. Yet, these very traits are not usually of concern to home gardeners since they taste so much better, are resistant to diseases and are historically significant.
Why Heirloom Plants Matter
- Exceptional Flavour – Unlike commercial hybrids, heirloom plants are bred for taste rather than storage, resulting in richer, more complex flavours.
- Genetic Diversity & Resilience – These plants have a broader genetic base, making them naturally more resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental changes.
- Deep Roots in History – Many heirloom varieties have fascinating stories of survival, adaptation, and cultural significance.
- Sustainability & Seed Saving – Because they are open-pollinated, gardeners can save and replant their seeds, ensuring self-sufficiency and preserving biodiversity.
- Unique Beauty & Variety – From purple carrots to striped tomatoes, heirloom plants offer an incredible range of colours, shapes, and textures that aren’t found in grocery stores.
Flavour You Can’t Find in Stores
Many heirloom vegetables, such as Brandywine tomatoes, Dragon’s Tongue beans, and Paris Market carrots, boast intense flavours lost in their commercially bred counterparts.
Heirloom vegetables have more intense flavours because they were bred for taste rather than yield, storage, or uniformity. Their genetic diversity, slower growth, and higher sugar-acid balance enhance their complexity. Unlike modern hybrids, they adapt to local conditions, developing rich, nuanced flavours over generations.
Stronger Through Diversity
The genetic diversity found in heirloom plants plays a crucial role in resilience against pests, diseases and changing weather patterns. Many heirloom apple varieties have a natural resistance to woolly aphids and apple scab, traits that have been incorporated into modern rootstocks.
Similarly, heritage tomatoes often withstand blight better than many hybrid varieties. By growing and preserving heirlooms, gardeners help safeguard a genetic reservoir that could prove invaluable in future breeding efforts.
Keeping History Alive in Our Gardens
Beyond practical benefits, heirloom plants connect us to generations of growers before us. The simple act of planting seeds saved from a grandparent’s garden, or tending to a flower cherished for centuries, adds depth and meaning to the gardening experience.
Many heritage varieties tell stories of migration, adaptation, and survival. The Cherokee Purple tomato is said to have been passed down by the Cherokee People; the Mortgage Lifter tomato was developed by a West Virginian farmer who paid off his home by selling the plants.
It’s not just fruits and vegetables; many beloved flowers are also heirlooms, passed down through generations. Poppies, hollyhocks, zinnias, lavender and countless other flowers we know and love have graced cottage gardens for centuries. They are valued for their resilience, beauty and ability to attract pollinators.
Gwen Locke is a fifth-generation gardener in our area who is still growing plants handed down through her ancestors. We were led to her by stories of her “Wilson bean” which was brought here from Scotland 200 years ago. Read about Gwen’s story here.
Cultivating the Future, One Seed at a Time
The interest in heirloom gardening is growing, and the importance of keeping the past alive in our gardens is recognized more and more. Seed-saving organizations, small-scale farmers, and home gardeners play a vital role in keeping these horticultural treasures alive.
Just as my father’s Northern Spy apples connected him to a tradition of flavour and history, every heirloom variety we grow today carries a story worth preserving. By choosing these plants, we not only honour the past but cultivate a more resilient, flavourful future.
April 2025
2 Responses
Very interesting, Jennifer. Your mother would be proud.
Thank you so much!