Here's a cool link that has a huge data base, with ratings, for mail order gardening seeds, plants & more. You can search by US or Canadian Companies or by specific plants types. It has complete directory info including full address, phone/fax/toll-free & website info. You can easily link to the suppliers web site & check out their on-line catalog.
http://www.gardenlist.com/
Mail Order Gardening Resource
cool!! Thank you.
Wonderful resource, thanks!
Groooooooan! Now I'll never get off the computer :-) Thanks - what a great resource.
Fabulous resource! Thanks for the link.
Here's a little article I wrote on mail-order.
Mail Order Sourcing for Gardeners
Gardening catalogs provide a jolt of inspiration and excitement for the next season. They have been available for countless years and most are full of beautiful plant photos and usually also have a huge assortment of plant materials. Catalog shopping is very relaxing and convenient for anyone, even with a busy schedule. Mail order catalogs provide today’s gardener with an easy source of new plant varieties, old favorites and chance to try the out-of-the ordinary with a reasonably low investment.
There are many gardening suppliers that offer a mixture of product types, such as plants, seeds, supplies, decor, books etc. Today, mail order catalogs are readily available in print & on-line versions. Lynnette Westfall of Valley K Greenhouses (www.valleyk.com) near Camrose, AB commented that although most of their customer orders are placed on-line, there is an increase in sales after the issue of a printed catalog.
Most hard copies are full of awesome photos & product info. The Dominion Seeds print catalog (www.dominion-seed-house.com) utilizes different icons to increase the detailed plant information in least amount of printed space Most on-line catalogs offer very detailed plant information, including specific planting instructions, optimal growing conditions and care recommendations. Supplier web sites provide an easy way to research plant information & suitability to your garden.
Many mail order suppliers offer seasonal catalogs. Suppliers often post specials on their websites. Veseys (www.veseys.com) have several seasonal catalogs & Internet promotions throughout the year. Catalogs targeting spring planting are available late fall into early spring. Catalogs targeting fall planting are released in mid summer. Suppliers will state order deadlines & applicable promotions, which will give you an order date guideline for product availability. Mail Order companies will accept orders by phone, fax or on-line.
Calgary is in a cold climate short growing season in Zone 3A. Our average last frost is May 25 and sourcing via mail order allows for earlier harvests & flowers in our growing area. The number of weeks to start early on seeds packages are in reference to May 25. Sources such as Gardens North (www.gardensnorth.com) specialize in unusual & rare seeds that suit our cold climate gardens. Your planting method (starting indoors, winter sowing, direct seeding or transplanting) will determine the required delivery date. Suppliers have delivery date guidelines regarding perishable items, which on occasion may be negotiated.
Aside from the satisfaction of starting plants & watching them grow, mail order sourcing is an economical way to increase the number of plants in your garden. Some suppliers, such as T & T Seeds (www.ttseeds.com) utilize promotional enticements to market their products. Extra savings are also obtained by grouping an order with a friend to share product and/or shipping costs.
Mail orders offer a large variety of plants & seeds, which gives a home gardener an opportunity to try new varieties, Heirloom & Hybrids. McFaydens (www.mcfayden.com) consistently offers new specialties, not available locally or first time on the market.
In addition to a sneak peek of what’s new, a home gardener can expect quality seed & healthy plants. Individual supplier guarantees are stated in their catalogs and they do package the shipment with care to ensure the product is safely delivered. If you choose an US supplier, such as Park Seeds (www.parkseed.com) contact them directly regarding duty and shipping charges. Some international suppliers have a Canadian distribution depot such as Thompson & Morgan (www.thompson-morgan.com).
There are many resources to find Mail Order Suppliers. Some options are: recommendations from gardening friends, ads in your favorite gardening magazines, or doing an internet search, such as (www.google.ca). There is an excellent on-line database (www.gardenlist.com) that allows you to search by plant type or country and includes supplier ratings. Another important resource is the Calgary Horticulture Society on-line Forum that members contribute valuable information daily. Reference Books, such as "The Prairie Gardener's Sourcebook" by June Flanagan & Donna Fremont are also worth a look.
There are a huge number of mail order suppliers & it would be difficult to list them. Utilizing the resources, you can choose to buy locally or source through a supplier that specializes in specific products. Your specialty search may have some of these results: herbs (www.richters.com), roses (www.pickerings.com), grasses (www.bluestem.ca), alpines (www.rockgardenplants.com), bulbs (www.botanus.com), tools (www.leevalley.com), and much more.
A number of suppliers have decades and even centuries of experience in this business, such as Stokes (www.stokeseeds.com) which started in 1881. They also have their own trial gardens. Most suppliers offer quality products at competitive prices. Mail order shopping has a number of benefits, but the key reward will be the new additions in your garden.
Happy gardening.
This message was edited Dec 10, 2007 1:43 PM