Gardening catalogs offer much more than seeds
By Kathy Hatfield
Gardening Columnist
Back to Gardening Articles List
For those not ready to set up seed-starting operations, this month's column
features mail-order catalogs that sell live plants. Remember that even
though you may be ready for these plants with a spot in a sunny window,
they won't be shipped until the weather warms to minimize the plant's chance
of freezing in transit.
Agua Fria Nursery
1409 Agua Fria St.
Sante Fe, NM 87501
Fax phone only: 505-983-3593
Agua Fria Nursery specializes in perennials, western wildflowers, trees
and shrubs, including a plethora of penstemons and western natives. Though
its catalog has no color photos, its plant descriptions are excellent and
include growth habit and plant origin. Regular shipping charges are expensive,
but they always ship second day Airborne Express, assuring that the plants
arrive in good condition.
Burpee Seeds and Plants
800-888-1447
www.burpee.com
This company must be doing something right, since it has been in business
for over 120 years. Burpee has more reasonable prices on plants and shipping
than some of the other catalogs and includes a $5-off coupon on orders
of $30 or more before June 30. The company offers some interesting collections
of plants, such as a rainbow vegetable garden, a cut-flower garden and
a "Come Rain or Come Shine Garden," which they say will thrive "in the
most extreme conditions - from flooding rains to scorching droughts." This
alone might make ordering from this catalog worthwhile!
High Country Gardens
800-925-9387
www.highcountrygardens.com
Anyone who has seen this catalog will probably rate it as a favorite when
it comes to plants for this area.
High-quality glossy photos of each plant make it difficult to stick to
a budget. It is especially useful because it gives information on plant
origins, uses, moisture and light requirements, soil conditions that best
suit the plants and special features (such as deer and rabbit resistance,
bird and butterfly attractants and long-blooming flowers). The gardens'
specialty is native and regionally appropriate perennials, shrubs and grasses.
Great tips on planting alternative lawns, maintaining ornamental grasses
and lavender basics are also included. In fact, the catalog is now called
"High Country Gardens - Your Waterwise Gardening Catalog and Handbook."
Though plants are more expensive than what you might buy locally, many
are unique, and they are packaged to arrive in excellent condition.
Henry Field's Seed and Nursery Co.
513-354-1494
www.HenryFields.com
This is another old company, in business since 1892. It offers flowering,
fruiting and shade trees, hardy roses, perennials, vegetables and herbs,
as well as some gardening aids, fertilizers and pest controls. Great photos
accompany the descriptions, but there is limited information on growth
requirements. A bonus is a $20 gift certificate on orders of $40 or more,
if you order by Feb. 25.
Mellinger's Inc.
800-321-7444
www.mellingers.com
This company claims to have over 4,000 items, including perennials, herbs,
ornamental grasses and vegetables, as well as some unusual trees, shrubs
and fruiting plants. They also carry a great line of houseplants, with
lots of fun tropical treasures. Prices for plants and shipping are reasonable.
Prairie Nursery Wildflowers and Native Grasses
800-476-9453
www.prairienursery.com
Though I mentioned this catalog last month, I include it again here because
it is unique in its thorough coverage of soil types as they relate to plant
needs. The section on clay-busters - plants that are well adapted to growing
in clay soils - is especially applicable to many Colorado gardens. This
is a high quality catalog with large glossy photos of their offerings,
including detailed planting and maintenance information. Plant prices are
reasonable, though the seeds are expensive.
White Flower Farm
800-503-9624
www.whiteflowerfarm.com
There is a lot to choose from in this catalog full of large glossy photos,
accompanied by good information on plant flowering and mature size. Descriptions
of plant growth requirements (at least in the catalog) are limited to light
requirements, rarely mentioning soil or moisture requirements. The plants
are expensive, even plants that are available locally, and in my limited
experience with this company, the quality of the plants on receipt is only
average.
Don't forget your local nurseries as a source of seeds and plants. Advantages
of buying locally are seeing what you're buying and no shipping and handling
charges. Often, but not always, the plants will be adapted to local growing
conditions. As a bonus, friendly personnel can provide answers to your
gardening questions.
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