Symbol Key: I love the catalog- good service, plants, delivery, accurate information beautiful pictures of plants
excellent plant material
Why use catalogs?
I think garden catalogs are indispensable, unless you have acquaintance with an ultra-Master gardener who will teach you AND help you locate the plants.
Some catalogs are useful as references, all are now necessary for obtaining less common plant materials. Ten years ago this wasn't so;
the garden centers and nurseries once carried a vast supply of interesting plants and seeds -all hand-picked for your own climate conditions,
but for reasons beyond the scope of this little article, the best hope for buying Reseda odorata, or any other plant lesser known, will be through a catalog
Catalogs come in three main divisions: highly reputable and expensive stock illustrated in glossy full color beauty, less well known
yet reputable in inexpensive lists, and colorful less reputable purveyors. For obvious (I hope) reasons, I will only list the catalogs I have had good dealings with;
but here is a hint ...if the colorful pics don't match up with the prices (the too-good-to-be-true syndrome) take a close look at the sizes that will be provided. If the pieces of information don't match, you are taking a chance; fine if it works out, and you were warned if it doesn't.
A riddle for you, when is blue not blue? That's right, whenever the garden writers decide that a blue rose is wanted... and the same can go for the color red in peonies, so take the color descriptions with a grain of salt.
Depending on your source, read the description as you would a personal ad (aw, you've read a few from curiousity,haven't you?);
fast grower,vigorous are the modifiers? We may be facing one of those highway robbers of the garden with running roots and greedy
appetites. Just beware before you place it in your richest border
If you are looking for bulbs, look for the word "top-size" and it doesn't hurt to familiarize yourself with the cm. that is represented.
Small sizes in bulbs are rarely a good buy, but in trees or perennials it can be an economical way to purchase IF you will give them the
care such plants need. (Shelter,frequent and careful water, prepared soil) .
although I usually buy from a local nursery, I have regularly ordered roses from Wayside's Rose Catalog.
It is my favorite source; do research the hardiness of the rose varieties or, if you are in Zone 5 and colder,
look for the roses which are the rated for the coldest climates. Look for #1 stock, #1 1/2 is smaller and not as strong.
Roses are sometimes sold by gallon size.
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* Take your catalog along to public gardens- check out how something really looks in the garden
* Shipping Dates- check them and be ready for your new arrivals
* You can use the pictures and descriptions in your garden journal
* Common names can be misleading, so investigate the Latin or scientific names ( they are usually in there somewhere You might not get the plant you think you ordered. oops!
Some don't. When I first wrote this page many updates ago (1998), online merchandise was in it's infancy and mail catalogs
were still the primary source of ordering goods. Most of the companies are still in business, although "Mellingers" is long
gone, and Smith & Hawken just closed its doors. (That is very sad- they were a fine Co. and a fine catalog!). There is rumor of it being purchased by Target- I hope so.
However, I have long recommended "Brecks" as a great company to do business with and just now have become an affiliate (2009).
The only change that makes is that , after all these years of telling about my good experience with their bulbs, I stand to receive something to support my site from their sales. Maybe. Their customers will continue to get great plants. Now that is a great deal :)
Jest Talking
Betsy Jukofsky writes: Allison Saylor and Gillian Texeira of Trade Secret Gardens recognized this and came up with a telling Garden Catalog Dictionary that Tim Drake of Valleycrest Landscape passed on to The Avid Gardeners garden club.
If the catalog says that the plant has "beautiful foliage," it really means that the flowers are pathetic. "designer colors" are actually paper bag beige. And "dormant in hot weather" means it looks dead most of the year. My favorite is this catalog description: "unusual," meaning one of the ugliest plants on the planet.
Wayside Gardens
