As a kid, I always knew when we had reached the heart of winter. I’m not talking about the holidays but that long, empty stretch that comes after. It’s during those cold winter days when words like “cabin fever” and “climbing the walls” get thrown around. I knew deep winter had arrived when the first seed catalog showed up in the mail.
These winter missives were really harbingers of spring, with their glossy photos of plump tomatoes just begging to be sliced, emerald cucumbers with jade green flesh and flowers in hues of pink, red, orange and purple.
We whiled away the rest of the winter, pouring over the pages of Johnny’s, Burpee, R.H. Shumway and the like.
Dad did the ordering, but I did most of the dreaming, flipping the pages, planning flower and herb gardens that would make even Beatrix Potter jealous.
These days, I do the brunt of my seed ordering online, but only after perusing the pages of a stack of seed catalogs. When winter gets serious, many a gardener still looks forward to that first seed catalog showing up in their mailbox.
Catalogs vs. Online
With the rise of the internet, print publications of all forms have declined. Gone are the days when you could ask friends and neighbors to save newspapers so you could make seed-starting pots.
Yet, the humble seed catalog still holds an important role for many gardeners.
It’s often through seed catalogs that we learn about new varieties and strains. The catalog format is also the perfect tangible checklist; riffling through vegetables from A to Z ensures you don’t forget that you wanted to try a different bush bean variety this year or that you’re all out of popping corn seed. Many seed catalogs also feature new gardening books and handy tools.
Sure, you can find all of these things on each company’s website, but there’s something about a catalog in hand that appeals to gardeners.
Luckily, there are still plenty of purveyors of seeds that offer free catalogs. We’ve rounded up quite a few to help you plan your garden this year. Naturally, many more places sell quality seeds for your gardening needs, but not everyone offers catalogs, so this list is hardly exhaustive.
For the environmentally conscious, many of these companies also offer a digital or downloadable catalog in PDF form to save on paper.
Along with requesting a catalog, I highly encourage you to explore each company’s website, especially their About Us pages (usually found at the bottom of the page). It’s a great way to make sure the company you’re purchasing seeds from matches up with your own interests and beliefs as a gardener.
Bluestone Perennials
This Ohio-based nursery specializes in decorative perennials, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers for all of your landscaping and gardening needs.
Botanical Interests
Located in Colorado and known for its instantly recognizable seed packets, Botanical Interests offers vegetable, flower and herb seeds.
Breck’s
Breck’s is likely the first name many think of when they think of spring bulbs and perennial flowers. They’ve been around since 1818 and are still well-known for their quality bulbs.
Burpee
You can’t have a list of seed purveyors without including Burpee. While most of us can easily find Burpee seeds in local stores, their catalog is worth ordering for harder-to-find varieties that aren’t easily found in the selection chain stores carry.
Fedco Seeds
Based in Maine, Fedco’s catalogs are kind of a big deal in the gardening community. Luckily, if you miss out and don’t get their latest catalog, all of their catalogs are available as downloads.
Gurney’s
Another well-known name among gardeners is Gurney’s. Offering everything from vegetable seeds to trees and shrubs, the Gurney’s catalog is one you want in your mailbox.
High Mowing Organic Seeds
If you’re looking for organic-only seeds, I highly recommend you get on High Mowing’s catalog list.
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
This family-owned and operated company is growing more popular with every year. Get signed up for their catalog, as once it’s gone, you have to wait a whole year to get one.
Jung Seed
This is another nursery that offers seeds, live plants, trees, bulbs and more. They’re a great one-stop gardening catalog.
Park Seed
Another familiar name in the gardening community offering everything from seeds to plants to bulbs is Park Seed.
Rare Seeds aka Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
With an almost cult-like following, there’s a reason Rare Seeds/Baker Creek is one of the most popular gardening catalogs out there. Their beautiful photos and wide selection of heirloom seeds make them a favorite among gardeners everywhere.
R. H. Shumway
I remember when the illustrations in this catalog were hand-drawn.
Seed Savers Exchange
This non-profit seed purveyor is all about preserving food diversity and is home to the United States’ largest nongovernmental seed bank.
Select Seeds Seeds & Plants
Select Seeds specializes in old-fashioned flowers, flowering vines and rare annuals and perennials. If you want flower beds unlike any other on your block, you’ll want to check out their catalog.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Another popular one among the gardening community with a mission to preserve biodiversity and support sustainable agriculture practices is Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.
Sow True Seed
Based in North Carolina, Sow True Seed is an employee-owned coop committed to making gardening approachable for everyone.
Territorial Seed Company
One of the things I love most about Territorial is their huge selection of live seedlings. These guys saved my garden one year!
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