Plants By Mail FAQ
Peter Leppik
Posting-Frequency: bimonthly (sporadic)
The Plants By Mail FAQ
by Peter Leppik
p-l...@uiuc.edu
This document is intended to introduce readers to the world of buying
plants by mail order; and also to serve as a central clearinghouse for
information about contacting various mail order plant houses. I make no
claims about being more informed on this topic than your average Joe, but I
saw the need, and I'm willing to put forth the effort to compile and
maintain this.
This FAQ contains an extensive list of catalogs, but actual addresses
and comments on only a few. This is because the addresses and
comments were getting so large that the FAQ was becoming
unmanagable.
Don't despair, though! The information is not gone, it has merely
moved! For all the latest information, see the WWW version of
the FAQ at:
http://seidel.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PBM-FAQ/Default.html
If you don't have WWW access (or don't know what I'm talking
about), just send me E-mail telling me which companies you want
more information about, and I'll send you those listings.
History:
Updated: 2/22/95
Minor revisions. A few formatting changes, more entries added to
the catalog list, and more comments added. The entire list of
companies (though not information on each of them) is now
included in the USENET version....before, this was only included
in the WWW version.
Updated: 1/22/95
Updated: 7/12/94
Updated: 4/30/94
Originally Created: 3/17/94 (late at night)
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. But First, A Word From Our Lawyers
3. How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
4. What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
5. Which Catalog To Order From
6. Mail Order Houses, How to Contact Them, and My Opinions Thereof
7. But Before We Go....
---------Introduction
It seems that one of the most common article titles in rec.gardens is, "How
can I reach XYZZY?" or, "The Plugh company sent me a catalog. Are they any
good?" I hope to be able to answer some of these questions in a reasonably
definitive manner (the first is easy, the second harder), and provide the
neophyte with some introduction to buying plants by mail.
My experience in this area has been short, but intense. After finally
moving from a small condo into a real house (with a YARD and a GARDEN
even!) in 1993, one of my first projects was to begin widespread replanting
of the yard (which is mostly boring grass, or very ugly hybrid poplars). To
do that, I began ordering large numbers of bulbs and plants from a number
of mail-order houses. Some were good, some were bad, and I learned a lot
about what to look for and what to avoid.
I welcome any and all comments. Send them to p-l...@uiuc.edu. If there is
some catalog not covered here which you think should be, by all means let
me know. If you do send me comments, PLEASE please respect my poor,
overworked mailer. I've had people resend me the entire FAQ just for a few
lines of comments, and I even had one person send me a bunch of UUencoded
binary pictures! Needless to say, this doesn't help me much, and it wastes
my disk space. That said....do send comments, because they do help!
I assume that, if you send me comments, you don't mind if they find their
way into a future edition. I'll try to verify this, but sometimes I forget.
Thus, if you DON'T want you name in a future edition of the FAQ, be sure to
say so.
---------Disclaimer
All opinions in this document are the opinions of the author, unless
otherwise noted. The author is well-known for his arbitrary and capricious
judgments, and cannot be held liable for anything he says herein. Besides,
the author is a poor grad student, and suing him is like trying to squeeze
blood from a rock.
---------How To Tell a Good Company from a Bad One
(or: Things To Look For Before Taking the Plunge)
If you are like me, you probably have a dozen or two catalogs from various
places, some fancy, others plain, and you're wondering who to order from
and how to tell the difference between a place that really cares, and a
place that is just trying to unload some poor, pathetic bits of green stuff
on The Gullible Majority. In this section, I will outline what I think a
good mail order company should do, and what you should consider before
buying a plant sight-unseen. Keep in mind that this is aimed at the
relative neophyte, who needs a little more service than the extremely
experienced gardener....there are plenty of companies which provide good
plants, but don't offer the level of service than many gardeners need.
What a Good Mail-Order Company Will Do
1. Every perennial in the catalog should have a clearly indicated
hardiness range. That is, for every perennial (anything you expect to
last more than one year) should have indicated which USDA hardiness
zones it will survive in. Simple adjectives like "hardy," or "tender,"
are NOT sufficient. Perhaps I am biased, being a Minnesota native
currently living in Illinois, but I have seen too many catalogs which
do not include this crucial information. Without knowing this, it is
too easy to buy plants that won't survive in your climate. This also
includes those of you who live in places like Southern California,
where it never gets cold, since some plants require a period of cold
temperatures every year in order to survive/bloom/etc.
2. Every plant should have its botanical (scientific) name listed. Of
course, this doesn't count for things like roses or tomatoes, which
everybody knows what that are. This may sound picky, but think about
it: if you ever want to get information on this plant from some other
source, and they use their own name, you might have a devil of a time
figuring out how to get information. A plant's botanical name is
unique. I have seen places that will take a standard variety of some
plant, come up with a flashy (trademarked) name, and sell it as
something special. Needless to say, this is dishonest.
3. Information on the habitat requirements should be easy to find. By
this, I mean answers to questions like, how much sun does it need, how
much water, and so forth. Nearly every catalog has this, but if you
see one that doesn't, stay away.
4. A good company will be able to answer questions about their products.
Really, this is basic. If you call them, and ask about something, they
should be able to answer your question. If they can only take orders,
this is a Bad Sign. (By the way, in many places, you can call your
local County Extension office to get information about plants, too.)
Finally, something that you should probably ignore:
5. Every mail order catalog that I've seen offers some sort of guarantee.
This should NOT be a factor in deciding where to buy from. After all,
what good does it do if they replace a plant that died because you
can't grow oranges in Alaska? The replacement will just die, too, and
you'll spend twice as much time on a plant that was Never Meant To Be.
Some people have even noted an inverse relation between the quality of
the guarantee and the quality of the plants: the louder the company
proclaims its "FOOLPROOF 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE," the worse the
plants are when they arrive.
What To Consider Before Taking the Plunge
Okay, so you've got your heart set on the beautiful Creeping Green Stuff.
Before plunking your money and time on it (usually more time than money),
you should stop and ask yourself a few questions:
1. Will it grow in my area? If they don't make it CLEAR (i.e. by telling
you the hardiness zone), then avoid that plant, or buy it from
somebody who will tell you.
2. Do I have a place to put it? It is very easy to get spring fever when
all the catalogs start arriving midwinter, and wind up buying enough
plants to cover every square inch of your yard two or three times
over. Make sure you have a specific place for each and every plant you
order, and make sure you will have the time to plant it when it
arrives. Keep in mind that you will probably have to plant them soon
after they arrive, and you might not be able to control the exact day
they arrive. Thus, ordering 150 bushes for a new hedge from one place,
all of which will arrive via UPS on the same day and need to be
planted immediately, is probably not a good idea. Believe me. I've
done it.
3. Will it really look the way I want it to? Keep in mind that the
pictures in the catalogs are designed to sell plants, and the plants
in your garden will generally not look quite as nice. I have seen a
lot of comments from people in rec.gardens about the rose Blue Girl as
a particular offender in this respect. Also keep in mind that
illustrations (and photographs) can be very deceptive.
---------What To Do When Your Order Arrives
(or: OhMyGawd! There's No DIRT With These Plants!)
The most important thing to do when your order arrives is DON'T PANIC!
Good. Take a few deep breaths.
The reason your roses/trees/whatever arrived without any dirt is not
because the company sent you dead plants. Shipping woody plants without
dirt ("bare-root") is standard. First, it does not harm the plants much, as
long as the company has taken steps to ensure that the roots don't dry out.
Usually, this involves dipping the roots in some sort of stuff that helps
retain moisture. Second, shipping plants bare-root helps keep shipping
costs down. Shipping with dirt could easily double or triple the weight of
the plant when shipped, and make it that much more expensive to buy.
Finally, shipping plants bare-root helps prevent the spread of pests that
live in the soil (like the Japanese beetle). Needless to say, unless you're
buying small seedlings, it would be expensive for a company to grow all
their stock in greenhouses.
There are a few places which ship plants in pots. Shipping a plant with the
dirt will be less traumatic to the plants, and, as a rule, you can expect
these plants to be healthier, but, because of shipping expenses, they will
often also be much smaller than bare-root plants--and more expensive. Given
the option, I will usually buy the plant shipped in a pot, since the
quality is often much higher. In addition, there are some plants which have
to be shipped in pots, simply because they're too fragile otherwise.
Generally, you will get a little booklet with your order explaining how to
plant your new plants. Usually, the first thing to do (with bare root
plants) is to stick them in a bucket of water for some time. You should do
this as soon as they arrive. Then, dig a hole according to the booklet
instructions, and plant those buggers.
It may take some time for your new plants to leaf out, especially if
they're dormant when shipped. Again, don't panic. If you planted in the
spring, don't call the company to complain that the plants are dead until
midsummer. They'll just tell you to wait, because sometimes the plants take
a while to adjust to their new surroundings.
---------Which Catalog To Order From
If you are buying roses, you should certainly order from a catalog which
specializes in roses. There are quite a few of these catalogs, and you will
generally get better selection, quality, and price than you would from
buying from a catalog which doesn't specialize in roses.
For some reason, this rule of thumb seems to be the other way around when
buying bulbs. I have had the best experiences buying bulbs from White
Flower Farms, which is generally an outstanding catalog, but they aren't
even remotely limited to bulbs. My worst experiences, on the other hand,
were with places that sell only, or mainly bulbs. Go figure.
Not everybody will agree with my judgments. After much consideration (and
several long discussions on the order of "Company X isn't really THAT
bad!"), I've decided that the main consideration has to be consistency.
That means that I can count on large plants, of a uniformly high quality,
every time I order. Note, too, that I haven't yet had anyone take issue
with my list of "Good" companies, just the "Bad" ones. Having said that,
here is my list of best and worst companies, based primarily on my personal
experiences:
Really Good Companies:
White Flower Farms
Nor'East Miniature Roses
Heirloom Old Garden Roses (but see here)
Gardener's Supply Company
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Companies To Avoid:
Spring Hill
Michigan Bulb Co.
Breck's Bulbs
---------Heirloom Old Garden Roses
24062 NE Riverside Dr.
St. Paul, OR 91737
Orders: (503) 538-1576
This is a catalog of "old" roses: not a hybrid tea to be found. If you're
looking for english or unusual roses, this is the place to go.
OPINION: If you are a rose grower, and you are still growing hybrid teas,
this catalog will convert you. Many of the old roses offered here are just
as good, if not better than, the more common modern roses. The catalog
offers a lot of information about a zillion different roses, including
hardiness, and (my favorite) lists of roses well-suited for particular uses
(i.e. roses for growing over trellises, roses for scent, etc.). Their stock
is first-rate, and all grown on its own roots, so there are no bud unions
to worry about. There is no separate phone number for questions, but I
found the people answering the phone to be knowledgeable and helpful. Two
thumbs up. Note that they charge $5 for the catalog, but once you're on
their mailing list (i.e. after you buy something), they'll send it free.
Kristin Bruneau reports a different story:
About a month or so ago on rec.gardens.rose people started to discuss
their experiences with the company. Over all it was very negative.
Some of the major complaints were that the plants were too young (9
months or less), you never knew when they would get around to
shipping your plant (some waited over a year), and the owners were
very nasty when you had a problem (and basically said that's too
bad). The only reason I am passing this along is that the responses
were consistently bad and many people's stories were extreme (no
roots on the rose, horribly nasty experiences with the staff).
I too had a bad experience with them. I ordered from them last year
for the first time. Even though the rose was in stock when I called
in May, I had still not received it in July. I had to call up and
raise a fuss before they finally agreed to send it out. Gosh only
knows when I would have received it if I left it up to them. When it
arrived it only had two canes, one completely stripped off and
dangling from the plant. It only had two leaves on it and came with
the worlds biggest slug that was the size of a nickle and covered in
yellow fringe (Yuck!). I called them to complain and their response
was basically "Oh". They only guarantee for the plants to arrive in
good condition so I called. I did not want it replaced at that time
because it would be too late in the season to plant another one (if
they finally got around to sending it to me). I told them that I
expected them to replace it if it died. They finally agreed. Well,
at first it dropped the only two leaves that it had and I thought it
would die. After a while it did come back though. It is doing ok,
not great. The rose was Rosa Rugosa, basically a weed. Maybe that
explains why I was so lucky it made it.
Anyway, since Heirloom Old Garden Roses was on the highly recommended
list I thought I'd pass these experiences along. I know that
different people have different experiences and that we must weigh
that in our minds when we order. Just my 2 cents worth.
I don't know if this is due to temporary management problems, or something
deeper. I'm going to keep this company on my "good guys" list for the time
being, because of my good experiences, but I would appreciate any comments.
From the Rose FAQ, maintained by klba...@ren.edaco.ingr.com (Karen
Baldwin):
Catalog: $5 (a beautiful catalog -- well worth it as a reference guide)
Service: One of two companies licensed as U.S. agents by Austin.
"courageous enough to invest marketing $$$ in
what was really sort of arisky project [Austin roses]"
apparently no satisfaction guarantee;
reports of many ignored complaints by phone and letter
Plants: most complete offering of Austin roses of U.S. suppliers.
own-root old roses and Austins
Maturity: plants are extremely small and young, "very tiny plants,"
but most often they will survive if coddled
(they say their plants are 6-9 mo old., which
is arguably too young, yet recipients guess
the roses they got were much younger than that.
Many references to "twigs without roots")
This problem may be due in part to availability issue
(below), and HOGR attempt to make them available sooner.
Delivery: Does NOT ship to Canada (would not say why).
Availability of newly released Austins will lag
behind Canada because of U.S. quarantine period.
Many reports of broken canes.
Unasked-for switching of plants from what was ordered,
when ordered plant is unavailable ... or else up to
year-long delays in shipment! to avoid, confirm
during telephone order that plant is *in stock* and
*ready to ship immediately* and specify *no substitutes*!
However: will ship at any time of year (except when
it is too cold for the plants to survive shipment.)
James Roush (ROU...@vet.ksu.edu) reports:
Read with interest your FAQ on rec.gardens.roses today, especially
the stuff about problems with Heirloom Roses. I started orders with
Heirloom 2 or 3 years ago, and although I think their catalogue is
great, after 2 years of ordering from them I'm going to try to avoid
it in the future. I love old garden roses, but.....
I haven't had the problems you mentioned with grouchy consumer
relations, but I, like you, had to beg to get my plants (came one
year two months after they were promised), and I found the quality to
be less than great. In fact, the second year I was doing some of my
own cuttings and I found that my cuttings started in late April were
bigger and better rooted than the plants I received from Heirloom in
June. So much for 1 year old plants! The first year their excuse
for being late was a computer crash, but the second year they had
only the excuse of being too busy. Also, I used to belong to
Compuserve and the garden group there ran a long string of responses
2 years ago with people who had bad experiences with them. Even
people who supported them (on the basis that they are the only source
for many roses) had had bad plants and experiences with them.
On the plus side, most of the plants they sent (except a "Hunter"
rugosa) survived with a little coddling--they're just a little behind.
--------Gardener's Supply Co.
128 Intervale Rd.
Burlington, VT 05401
Orders/Customer Service: (802) 863-1700
TDD: (802) 660-3530
Fax: (802) 660-4600
E-mail: gard...@cybermalls.com
WWW: http://www.cybermalls.com/cymont/gardener/index.htm
All kinds of gardening supplies, and a few plants.
OPINION: I have had good experiences with this company. Their products
appear to be of a uniformly high quality, and a lot of people in
rec.gardens swear by them. At least one of their employees reads this
newsgroup, so you may be able to get answers "from the horse's mouth," if
you know who to ask. If anybody can supply me with his E-mail address, I
would appreciate it.
kol...@adobe.com reports:
The Gardener's Supply people are great folks. I ordered a humongeous
light fixture from them and UPS apparently dropped it in shipping,
slightly denting inwards one end so I couldn't install the bulbs. GS
took it back without a peep. I have placed at least five orders for
various things over the past 2-3 years and been very pleased. Their
order takers all seem to be gardeners.
Also, they credited my charge account twice for the return, (due to a
disk crash, as it turned out), and when I called to let them know, they
said thanks, and a few days later a freebie thank you package of maple syrup
from one of their employee's subbusinesses showed up.
--------Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 307
Rowley, MA 01969
Phone: (508) 948-7964
Orders: 1-800-426-6485
On the West Coast:
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc.
P.O. Box 473
Ontario, CA 91762
Phone: (909) 984-2223
Orders: 1-800-662-9669
A large selection of miniature roses, and some supplies for those who like
to grow them (like miniature vases)
OPINION: This company is also on my "Good-Guys" list. Their prices are
quite reasonable, and their stock is high quality. Their catalog has photos
of many of their offerings. If you are into miniature roses (or would like
to be), this is the catalog to get.
lo...@phantom.com reports:
cheap cute lil'roses.
--------White Flower Farm
Litchfield, CT 06759-0050
Orders: (203) 496-9600
White Flower Farm sells just about every kind of ornamental plant that one
might reasonably want to grow in North America.
OPINION: I will state my bias right up front: White Flower Farm is far and
away my favorite catalog. They have a reputation for being "upscale," but
their prices are only slightly above average. Their catalog offers a wealth
of useful horticultural information, along with interesting commentary
about each and every plant. All the information you need to know
(hardiness, planting requirements, light requirements, etc.) is compiled in
a single useful index, as well as being stated with the description of each
plant. The catalog is organized alphabetically by genus name, so in
addition to being fun to read (and look at the pictures), it makes a very
useful reference. Of course, the catalog is only secondary to the
merchandise. Fortunately, their produce more than lives up to the high
standards set by the catalog: it is absolutely first rate. When I was
buying daylillies, crocuses, and daffodils from White Flower Farm and other
catalogs, the bulbs or roots from White Flower were often more than twice
the size of the ones from other vendors, and at a comparable price. Even if
you never buy anything from White Flower Farm, you should get their catalog
as a reference, since it is almost as good as buying a book on ornamental
plants, but a whole lot cheaper.
Sean A. O'Hara (sa...@uccmvsa.bitnet) disagrees with some of my tone:
Not really a flame, but please! I have a few of White Flower Farm's
catalogues, and I do value them for their reference quality and nice
photographs. But their plants and garden information is distinctively East
Coast in character. I would very much enjoy growing a number of plants they
list, but no longer attempt such folly as they are definitely inappropriate
for my arid western climate (as would many of the plants I cherish in my
garden be inappropriate for yours).
Please, let us not forget those 'less fortunate' souls who garden elsewhere!
North America is a big place, and I do not expect my garden to look like
your any more that I expect your to look like mine.
This reminds me of the search for a "North American gardening style". I can
think of nothing more ridiculous to search for - as if it could ever be
defined for a continent like ours - or that you'd want to try! This has
always been a way to 'one up' the 'English style'. Well, England is a
relatively small place, and even then it contains diversity more than we
imagine.
I must plead guilty here. Perhaps I should have said that they sell "just
about any ornamental plant one might reasonably want to grow East of the
Rockies...."
lo...@phantom.com reports:
I ordered fuscia (vodoo and swarthy gem) which aren't
doing so well. Tristar Strawberry plants satisfactory. Begonia tubers
mediocre. I also liked the catalog ;-)
--------Breck's Bulbs
U.S. Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
Peoria, IL 61632
Orders: (309) 689-3870
Breck's sells bulbs imported from Holland: tulips, crocuses, daffodils,
etc.
OPINION: Overall, I am not terribly impressed with Breck's. Their
merchandise (contrary to the catalog hype) is not particularly premium, but
their prices are higher than most places, even some places which have
superior stock. They do not list hardiness for anything, though most of
what they sell should do fine most places in the U.S. (they don't sell any
of the really tender bulbs, like glads). You can do better elsewhere.
Note that Breck's Bulbs appears to be the same company, or closely
associated with, Spring Hill, another company on my "Avoid" list.
--------Michigan Bulb Co.
1950 Waldorf NW
Grad Rapids, MI 49550-0500
Michigan Bulb Company sells bulbs, perennials, and other assorted plants.
OPINION: This catalog is filled with the kind of BREATHLESS PROSE and
AMAZING BARGAINS designed to stampede the gardener into making impulse
purchases. Their prices are cheap, but selection is limited, and quality
was very mediocre. In addition, I was unable to find a phone number
anywhere in the catalog--this could be a real problem, if you have problems
with your order. To their credit, they generally include hardiness
information. On the other hand, they also sell the "Blue Girl" rose, which
is an automatic two demerits in my book. Go elsewhere.
j...@geneab.b23a.ingr.com (Jeff Reifsteck) reports:
I've had nothing but bad news from Michigan Bulb. The plants were poor and
didn't survive. They did replace them without question but my 40 creeping
myrtle (6" evergreen ground cover) became 40 crape myrtle (a big bush and
a lot more expensive). I needed ground cover not bushes. Except for the
replacement of a "Blue Girl" rose all the other replacements were not plantable.
api...@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Angela Pilote) reports:
Last year I ordered some things from them -- NEVER AGAIN!
I even told my husband to remind me of the poor quality
of there plants and bulbs if he even SEES me *looking* at one
of their catalogs.
None of the plants survived and only about half (maybe less)
of the bulbs came up. The bulbs also seemed very small
and I think I read somewhere that this is a sign that the
bulbs have not matured enough to bloom.
The prices seem to be good, but if you factor in the survival
rate and time invested -- it's not a deal. I'm better off paying
premium prices at my nursery for good quality plants and bulbs.
Evelyn Walker reports:
I have ordered perinnals from Michigan Bulb company, the first year
the blooms are not so big, but usually the second year it is bigger,
If you plant them in a fertilized area the plants do a lot better.
I have shasta daisies, carnations, guardinalla or whatever. I was
really pleased with it. I plan on getting a few more for some bare spots
in my yard
--------Spring Hill
Mail Order Reservation Center
6523 North Galena Rd.
P.O. Box 1758
Peoria, IL 61656-1758
Orders: (309) 689-3800
Customer Service: (309) 689-3849
Spring Hill sells just about any kind of plant that catches their fancy.
OPINION: Spring Hill is one of these places that is in the business of
dumping cheap, inappropriate merchandise on unsuspecting customers. The
quality of their merchandise is mediocre, even though the prices are about
average. The provide little or no hardiness information, which is
especially troublesome considering that they sell some plants (like
carnations) for outdoor planting, even though they will not survive the
winter in large portions of the U.S. Furthermore, if you ever buy anything
from Spring Hill, you will be on their mailing list but good. I have
received no less than four different catalogs from them in the last two
months (not even counting the large number of "special offers" which seem
to arrive about once a week, and at least one telemarketing call). Avoid
this company like the plague.
Note that Spring Hill appears to be the same company, or closely associated
with, Breck's Bulbs, another company on my "Avoid" list.
Al Harrington [a...@hprnd.rose.hp.com] says:
I think you are being way to hard on Spring Hill. I realize that
they do not supply hardiness information, and that some of their
plants are not in the best shape - their customer service is very
good. I purchased the carnation collection (15 plants) and 2 of
them died. I got credited for all 15 as it was a collection.
I ordered a lot of stuff from them (over 100 plants) and just about
all are doing just fine - what isn't I get credit for.
If nothing else seeing color pictures of *everything* they sell is
nice. :-)
From the Rose FAQ, maintained by klba...@ren.edaco.ingr.com (Karen
Baldwin):
Service: superlative customer service w/satisfaction guarantee
Plants: "Usually grown by the Weaks Farm"
Maturity: very good plants
(some argument here: some claim their SH bushes are equivalent
to or even better/more mature than J&P;
but two indicated lesser quality stock evidenced by
taking longer to root, not flourishing as well, lower survival
rate)
Delivery: Good packing in re-usable bedding material.
"If rose unavailable, will be sent following year,"
(so no "surprise" deliveries of roses not ordered).
--------Mail Order Catalogs
How to Contact Them
And Opinions Thereof
If you have had experience with any mail-order company, good or bad, I want
to hear about it! Your experiences will help other gardeners. Please, send
any comments you have to me, at the above E-mail address. I'll include them
in the on-line database, unless you don't want me to. Send comments,
corrections, and additions to p-l...@uiuc.edu.
I know of only a few companies with E-mail addresses. If you know of
others, please let me know. It would be really nice to have a list of
places to buy plants via E-mail (or get information, for that matter).
For each company, I will list their name, mailing address, phone number, a
general description of what they sell, and my opinions. Opinions are
strictly mine, unless otherwise noted. I will not indicate an opinion
unless I have actually ordered something from a company, unless the opinion
is someone else's. [[Comments]] means that comments exist for this company,
[[+]] means that this company is recommended, based on my personal
experience, [[-]] means that this company is NOT recommended, based on my
personal experience, and [[Order]] means I have personally ordered from
this company.
For a more extensive list of catalogs, see Cyndi Johnson's catalog list.
Over 700 catalogs, but beware....not all browsers can load the whole list
(250K)....
If you have trouble....
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Abby Rose Gardens
Roses
Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden
Irises
Orchids
Antique Rose Emporium [[Comments]]
Old Garden Roses
Arena's Rose Company [[Comments]]
Roses
The Aril Patch
Aril Irises
B & D Lilies [[Comments]]
Lilies
The Banana Tree, Inc. [[Comments]]
Rare Seeds
Bear Creek Nursery
John and Janet Benz [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Bluestone Perennials [[Comments]]
Perennials
Shrubs
Breck's Bulbs [[Comments]] [[-]] [[Order]]
Bulbs
Bridges Roses
Mini Roses
Burpee
Seeds
Plants
Supplies
Busse Gardens [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Caprice Farm Nursery
Peonies
Daylilies
Irises
Carlton Rose Nurseries
Roses
Cascade Forestry Nursery
Chamblee's Rose Nursery
Mini Roses
Old Garden Roses
Charlotte's Gardens [[Comments]]
Heirloom Seeds
Clean Shaven Iris
Siberian Irises
Cook's Garden [[Comments]]
Seeds
Cooley's
Tall Bearded Irises
Cordon Bleu Farms [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Corn Hill Nurseries [[Comments]]
Roses
Corner Oaks Garden [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Country Bloomers Nursery [[Comments]]
Roses
The Crownsville Nursery [[Comments]]
C.W.S. Roses
Mini Roses
David Austin Roses Limited
Roses
Daylily Discounters [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Daylily World [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Georges Delbard
Roses
Draycott Gardens
Siberian Irises
Dutch Gardens, Inc. [[Comments]]
Bulbs
Edmund's Roses [[Comments]]
Roses
Ensata Gardens
Japanese Irises
Filaree Farm [[Comments]]
The Flowery Branch [[Comments]]
Flowers 'n Friends Miniature Roses
Mini Roses
Floyd Cove Nursery [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Forestfarm
Four Seasons Nursery
Nursery Stock
Supplies
Fungi Perfecti
Fungus
Gardens Alive
Organic Gardening Supplies
Gardener's Eden
Supplies
Gardener's Supply Co. [[Comments]] [[+]] [[Order]]
Supplies
Gilbert H Wild and Son, Inc. [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Peonies
Giles Ramblin' Roses
Roses
Girard Nurseries [[Comments]]
Azaleas
Gurney's [[Comments]] [[Order]]
Seeds
Plants
Supplies
Hall's Flower Garden [[Comments]]
Irises
Hardy Roses for the North [[Comments]]
Own-Root Roses
Heirloom Old Garden Roses [[Comments]] [[+]] [[Order]]
Old Roses
Henry Field's [[Comments]]
Seeds
Plants
Bulbs
Heritage Rosarium [[Comments]]
Roses
Heritage Rose Gardens [[Comments]]
Roses
Hidden Garden Nursery
Mini Roses
Holland Bulb Farms
Bulbs
Hortico [[Comments]]
Roses
J.L. Hudson, Seedsman [[Comments]]
Seeds
Hydrofarm [[Comments]]
Hydroponics
Clause Jardin
Roses
Jackson & Perkins [[Comments]]
Roses
Plants
Johnny's Selected Seeds
J. W. Jung Seed & Nursery[[Comments]]
Seeds
Nursery Stock
Supplies
Justice Miniature Roses
Mini Roses
Klehm Nursery
Peonies
Kordes [[Comments]]
Roses
Ladybug Beautiful [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Langenbach
Tools
Lee Valley Tools Ltd.
Supplies
Lenington Gardens [[Comments]]
Plants
Lilypons Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
Logee's Greenhouses [[Comments]]
Plants
Louisiana Nursery
Louisiana Irises
Lowe's Own-Root Roses [[Comments]]
Roses
Martha S. Davies Antique Roses [[Comments]]
Roses
McDaniel's Miniature Roses
Mini Roses
Mendocino Heirloom Roses [[Comments]]
Bulbs
Michigan Bulb Co. [[Comments]] [[-]] [[Order]]
Bulbs
Perennials
Michigan Miniature Roses
Mini Roses
Milaeger's Gardens [[Comments]]
Perennials
Daylilies
Grasses
J.E. Miller Nurseries, Inc [[Comments]]
Fruit Trees
Miller's Manor Gardens
Irises
Daylilies
Hosta
Bryant Millikan [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Mini Rose Garden
Mini Roses
Monarch Daylily Garden [[Comments]]
Daylilies
National Arbor Day Foundation [[Comments]] [[Order]]
Trees
Netherland Bulb Co. [[Comments]]
Bulbs
New Holland Bulb Co.
Bulbs
Perennials
Nor'East Miniature Roses, Inc. [[Comments]] [[+]] [[Order]]
Mini Roses
Northern Grown Perennials [[Comments]]
Perennials
Northwoods Retail Nursery
Nursery Stock
Ohio Gardens
Mini Tall Bearded Irises
Oregon Miniature Roses
Mini Roses
Paradise Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
Park Seed Co. [[Comments]]
Seeds
Supplies
Pepinieres Louis Lens s.a. [[Comments]]
Roses
Perry's Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
Peter Beales Roses
Roses
Pickering Nurseries, Inc. [[Comments]]
Roses
Pinetree Garden Seeds
Books
Seeds
Supplies
Quality Dutch Bulbs
Bulbs
Raintree Nursery [[Comments]]
Perennials
Rialto Gardens [[Comments]]
Reblooming Irises
Richters [[Comments]]
Herbs
Rock Bottom Farms [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Rosengaertnerei Kalbus [[Comments]]
Roses
Roses Of Yesterday And Today [[Comments]]
Roses
Roses Unlimited
Roses
The Rosseraie At Bayfields [[Comments]]
Roses
Royall River Roses [[Comments]]
Roses
Santa Barbara Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
John Scheepers, Inc [[Comments]]
Bulbs
Schreiner's
Tall Bearded Irises
R. Seawright [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Seeds of Change [[Comments]]
Seeds
Seed Savers Exchange [[Comments]]
Seed Exchange
Sequoia Nursery/Moore Miniature Roses [[Comments]]
Mini Roses
Shady Oaks Nursery [[Comments]]
Shepherd's Garden Seeds [[Comments]] [[+]] [[Order]]
Seeds
Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery
Slocum Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
Smith & Hawken
Supplies
Soules Gardens [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Spring Hill [[Comments]] [[-]] [[Order]]
Plants
Stark Brothers [[Comments]]
Fruit Trees
Stephens Lane Gardens [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Taylor's Roses [[Comments]]
Mini Roses
Territorial Seed Co.
Seeds
Supplies
Tetra Pond
Pond Supplies
Texas Mini Roses
Mini Roses
Tiny Petals Miniature Rose Nursery [[Comments]]
Mini Roses
Trans-Pacific Nursery Collectors
Trophy Roses, LTD
Roses
Van Dyek's Flower Farm
Bulbs
Van Engelen [[Comments]]
Wholesale Bulbs
Van Ness Water Gardens
Pond Supplies
Vintage Gardens [[Comments]]
Roses
Waterford Gardens
Pond Supplies
Wayside Gardens [[Comments]]
Weiss Brothers Nursery [[Comments]]
Whatley Gardens [[Comments]]
Daylilies
White Flower Farm [[Comments]] [[+]] [[Order]]
Ornamental Perennials
Bulbs
Supplies
Wildseed Farms, Inc.
Wildflower Seeds
Wimberlyway Gardens [[Comments]]
Daylilies
Woodlanders, Inc.
Native Plants
Woodside - a private garden [[Comments]]
Daylilies
-------But Before We Go....
I hope this FAQ has been useful. I also hope it has been accurate. If you
find any mistakes, or have any comments, please send me E-mail at the
address listed at the top of the file. Any suggestions for improving future
editions will be happily accepted, and possibly even acted upon.
Please send all suggestions, comments, corrections, and so forth to
p-l...@uiuc.edu
The full version of this FAQ is available at:
http://seidel.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PBM-FAQ/Default.html
If you do not have WWW access, you can send me E-mail listing
those companies you want more information about, and I'll mail
you the fill listing.
--
Peter Leppik-- p-l...@uiuc.edu
Lost in the Information Supercollider