Five Best Catalogs for Home Gardeners

This time of year it seems as if the mailbox yields a new gardening catalog each time I look inside.  Everything from perennials to gardening supplies to seeds of every kind leap off the colorful pages, calling out to me with “I’d be PERFECT for that shady spot in the corner”, “You don’t have anything quite like me in your garden, do you?”, and “How could you pass up a chance to grow your own organic kumquats?!” It’s all I can do not to max out my credit card buying the latest and greatest catalog offers. So, in an effort to help other gardeners faced with a similarly overwhelming plethora of choices, here are my favorite five catalogs for home gardeners.

Thompson & Morgan  (flower seeds)

The Thompson & Morgan catalog has hundreds of gorgeous photos covering a wide range of plants. It’s divided into sections that cover annuals, perennials, climbing plants, fragrant plants, new introductions, container plants, herbs, and vegetables. Each plant has a full description, both Latin and common name, and information on growing habits. There’s even a handy index at the back of the catalog. You can find varieties here that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere and, in my experience, the quality of the seeds is unsurpassed. While their seeds may cost a little more, the old adage “you get what you pay for” applies here. Combine that with their 100% quality satisfaction guarantee, and Thompson & Morgan is the first place I look when shopping for new or unusual seeds.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange  (heirloom, organic, open-pollinated vegetable seeds)

Unlike the glossy catalogs from other companies, the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange catalog is printed on newsprint, is full of ext, and has relatively few pictures (most of which are hand-drawn color pictures of specific plants). But don’t let that lead you to think that it’s not a quality publication – the information presented about each plant, as well as detailed growing guides for each type of vegetable, is clearer and more detailed than you’ll find just about anywhere else. Southern Exposure specializes in heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable seeds, with emphasis on heritage, flavor, disease resistance, and other qualities of interest to gardeners. If you’re looking for organic vegetable seeds, look no further.

Bluestone Perennials  (a wide range of perennials)

One of my gripes about other plant catalogs is that they cater to an uneducated or inexperienced public, with headings like “Stunning Blue Blooms” – but they don’t actually tell you what the plant really is!  In contrast, while the Bluestone Perennials catalog is visually appealing and easy to understand, it also provides all the information an experienced gardener is looking for (e.g., genus and species, hardiness, size, sun/shade, moisture needs). Over the years, I’ve bought many dozens of plants from Bluestone Perennials and have been thrilled to find that the plants actually do look like the photos in the catalog, usually by the end of the first growing season. If I can’t find a specific plant in the local garden centers, I know that I can usually find it at Bluestone Perennials and that I’ll receive a healthy, vigorous plant that will quickly grow into just what I was looking for.

High Country Gardens  (xeriscape perennials)

This is one catalog I buy relatively little from – not because I don’t want the plants they display in their colorful catalog pages, but because they specialize in waterwise plants that don’t do well in my moist zone 6 garden. However, if you live in a drier area, even cold locations or those at higher altitude, this catalog has just what you’re looking for. Manyplants are exclusive to High Country Gardens or are introductions from the irown growing program, including a wide array of Penstemon and Agastache. They guarantee their plants for 120 days and will promptly refund your purchase or send you a replacement if something goes wrong (as I can attest after having an Aubretia die within days of planting – the replacement is still thriving and even bloomed in January!).  High Country Gardens is a good “go-to” source for high quality xeriscape plants.

Lee Valley  (gardening supplies)

There are other gardening supply catalogs out there, but LeeValley’s is my favorite.  They have so many unique, useful, and affordable tools and gadgets that reading their catalog often has me exclaiming “Wow, this is so cool!” or “I can’t believe they came up with something like that – it’s just what I need!”  They seem to carry the thing you didn’t know existed but, somehow, is exactly what you’ve always wanted. Unlike supplies I’ve gotten through other catalogs, everything I’ve ordered from LeeValley has arrived undamaged and been of excellent quality. You may find similar tools or materials elsewhere for slightly cheaper, but I’ve found it’s not worth the hassle – with Lee Valley, you get what you need, when and how you need it, and with the quality you expect.