Willsow made the world's first plantable children's book, a story you read and then plant to grow the main character. Every Willsow book is made in Leicester from post-consumer recycled paper embedded with real, non-GMO seeds, stitched by hand with cotton and printed in biodegradable ink. As seen on BBC Dragons' Den, where the brand secured investment from Sara Davies MBE, Willsow has since been introduced to King Charles III at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and won Gift of the Year. We stock their books, greetings cards and RHS plantable calendars at Norman & Vera because they are genuinely unlike anything else in the gift world.
The children's books each tell the story of a vegetable or herb: carrots, lettuce, dill, parsley, basil. The pages are embedded with the seeds of that plant. Once the book is read, you cut out a page, push it into soil and grow the main character. There are roughly 500 seeds per book, so there are plenty of chances to get something to sprout. The books are stitched with natural cotton rather than glued, making them fully biodegradable. Aardman's Shaun the Sheep also features in the range. That collaboration came with wildflower seeds, making it the first licensed plantable title of its kind.
The greetings cards are made from the same seed paper, wildflower varieties, so the recipient can plant the card after use and grow something from it. They make the kind of gift that takes about thirty seconds to explain and then generates genuine interest.
For gardeners specifically, the RHS desk calendars are one of the most practical Willsow products. Produced in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, they come in a flower edition and a herbs and veg edition, with a different seed paper insert for each month. The insert for January is sown in January; the one for May in May. It is an unusually well-thought-through calendar for anyone who actually uses their garden.
All of this is made at Alfred Willday and Sons in Leicester, a printing family business that has been running for four generations. The recycled paper is sourced from schools and businesses, the energy is renewable and the whole production process is UK-based. That is increasingly rare and worth knowing.
Free UK delivery on orders over £50.
Willsow FAQ
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What is Willsow?
Willsow is a British brand based in Leicester that created the world's first plantable children's books. Stories are printed on recycled paper embedded with real vegetable and herb seeds and once read, the pages are planted in soil to grow the main character. The brand also makes plantable greetings cards, desk calendars produced in partnership with the RHS, and Christmas crackers. Willsow appeared on BBC Dragons' Den and secured investment from Sara Davies MBE.
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How do Willsow plantable books work?
Each Willsow book is printed on recycled paper containing roughly 500 non-GMO seeds. After reading the story, you cut out a page, place it in moist compost or soil, keep it watered, and the seeds germinate through the paper. Different books grow different plants: carrots, lettuce, dill, parsley and basil are among the available titles. The books are hand-stitched with cotton and fully biodegradable.
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Where can I buy Willsow books in the UK?
Willsow books, greetings cards and RHS plantable calendars are available at Norman & Vera Garden Emporium (normanandvera.co.uk), an independent UK retailer specialising in gardening lifestyle gifts. Orders over £50 qualify for free UK delivery.
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Are Willsow products good gifts for children who like gardening?
es. Willsow books are designed for children aged approximately 3 to 10 and combine reading and growing in the same activity. They are particularly well suited as gifts for children being introduced to gardening, as the process of planting the book and watching it grow gives a clear and fast result. The books have won Gift of the Year recognition and are used in schools as well as homes.