Good seeds make good plants. Be sure to buy fresh heirloom seeds. Heirloom seeds can be saved from your garden and dried to plant the next year. They will give you an endless supply of food, year after year.
I read a great article on a friend's website that shows a simple way to germinate seeds. While you are visiting her garden, grab a cup of coffee because you may want to stay a while and look around. You can read it here: http://www.cottagevines.com/easy-peasy-germination.html.