A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

I first met this beauty through Craig LeHoullier’s Epic Tomatoes: How to Select & Grow the Best Varieties of All Time. Not only did I stumble across what might be the best beefsteak tomato ever, but I also found my gardening bible, Craig’s heartfelt ode to tomatoes. You can feel the aroha on every page.

Cherokee Purple quickly became my go-to. Deep flavour, rich history, and that dusky, purply glow, it’s believed to have been grown by the Cherokee people. That story, that taste... how could it not make it into my very first Tomato Love Seed Vault, 2025?

There’s a certain soulfulness to Cherokee Purple, like it’s carrying something bigger than just seeds and sweetness. And that’s why the song A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke plays in my head every time I harvest one. It’s timeless. Tender. Grounded in struggle, memory, and quiet resilience, just like this tomato.

If you haven’t read Craig’s book, get on it. And if you haven’t grown this tomato? You’re missing magic.

I Get Money - 50 cent

She's a boss babe; she'll make you money. This sweet little overachiever cranks out fruit like nobody's business. Think of her as the Ferrari of production: sleek, fast, and relentless. Anyone who's grown a Moneymaker knows she's the real deal.

One of her best traits? A seriously extended fruiting period. She keeps giving and giving.

Now, here's the mystery. I wish I could tell you exactly when Moneymaker first strutted into seed catalogues. Some folks point to a 1925 Mixson's Seed Catalog listing, but that turned out to be a cotton plant, not our tomato queen. Mixson's is American, and I'm guessing Moneymaker's roots are more likely to be from England. The hunt for her true debut continues...

Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

When you first meet Moonglow, you just know she’s something special. That skin, so yellow it’s almost luminous, but firm, never mushy. Slice her open and you’ll see: no sugary wateriness here. Just pure, golden flesh that’s meaty, juicy, and sweet without going soft.

She turns any salad from zero to a ten with one bright splash. Her flavour? Sunny and full of charm. Moonglow is high in disease resistance, modest in yield, but full of heart. She's like the dependable friend who always shows up with good vibes.

I noticed that NZ Heritage Seeds has just released a cherry variety called Moonbeam, and you better believe I’ll be growing it this season. If it’s anything like its golden big sister, we’ve got another star on our hands.

If this tomato had a soundtrack, it would be “Walking on Sunshine.” Bold, bright, and guaranteed to lift the mood.

I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred

I’ve been growing Soldacki for over five years now, and she still turns heads like it’s her first time on the catwalk. Friends and family often ask for seeds. Why? Because this tomato has swagger. Plain and simple.

Soldacki is a Polish heirloom from Krakow—slightly flattened, low in seeds, and rich with that sweet, meaty flavour we all crave. These beauties regularly clock in at half a kilo or more. She’s not here to be subtle.

Now, a little warning: she can crack at the top if she drinks too much too fast, so keep your watering game smooth and steady. She’s high maintenance, but worth it.

I grow Soldacki every year because she’s got the whole package: flavour, form, and flair. Disease resistant, moderate cropping, and a true show-off in the garden bed. This is the tomato your neighbours secretly wish they planted.

Gracia A La Vida - Mecedes Sosa

This one is rare, so rare it nearly slipped through time’s fingers, and it needs to be in more gardens across Aotearoa, not just tucked away in Hokianga. It’s too good, too precious, too full of quiet history to stay a secret.

When I received the seeds, I was given 400 and told they were old, likely to fail. But I had to try. And wouldn’t you know it? About 10 plants came through. Strong. Pink. Glowing. And the rest... well, the rest is legacy.

Now they live here in the Vault. Safe. Watched over, replanted year after year until this gem shines again in gardens all across the land.

Some seeds carry a story. This one carries a promise.

The Sweetest Thing - U2

At first, I honestly forgot what I’d grown. The flavour was rich, the size just right—but I knew it wasn’t Black Cherry. It was something else. Something sweeter, something superior!

So I did some sleuthing, dug through my old seed orders like a tomato detective, and there it was: a seed packet labelled Chocolate. Mystery solved. And just like that, Chocolate Cherry claimed her throne.

This is the one—the tomato that gets people stopping me on the street in springtime asking, “Do you have that brown cherry?” And when I say YES... I swear, some of them do a little dance right then and there.

She’s juicy, sweet, and unforgettable—the kind of cherry tomato you plant once and then always make room for again. Gives me a cheeky little wink identical to the one Marilyn Monroe cast her spells with every time I walk off with a basket full of her glorious gems. This cherry is especially for all the beautiful mommas working hard to make ends meet.