Susan Delafield

Ebey’s Susan Delafield

Named for Susan Delafield, a private Ontario garlic enthusiast credited with developing this heritage variety, Susan Delafield carries a quieter kind of legacy. Unlike varieties associated with commercial breeding programs or well-known growers, it appears to have emerged through the careful work of an individual who recognized a variety worth preserving. That spirit of stewardship continues today, passed from grower to grower and season to season, ensuring this heirloom remains alive in gardens, fields, and kitchens alike.

At Ebey’s Prairie Garlic, Susan Delafield reminds us that some of the finest heirlooms are not the most famous—they are simply the ones someone cared enough to keep.

In the Kitchen

Susan Delafield offers a beautifully balanced garlic experience. Raw, it is lively and full-flavored without being harsh, leaving a clean, lingering finish. As it cooks, its character unfolds into a mellow, rounded richness, lending quiet complexity to delicate sauces, roasted vegetables, slow braises, and artisan breads. Its generous porcelain cloves invite simple meals and thoughtful cooking alike—a reminder that the finest heirlooms are meant not only to be admired, but to be shared.

A Living Heirloom

Some heirlooms are preserved in museums. Others are preserved in gardens.

Susan Delafield belongs to the latter. More than an heirloom, it represents the quiet dedication of growers who believe exceptional varieties deserve to endure. Every bulb planted carries forward years of careful selection, every harvest ensures another season of preservation, and every meal prepared from it becomes part of a story that is still unfolding.