Plant Nursery Guide
Favorite Free Plant And Seed Catalogs
It's that time of year when plant and seed catalogs are sent out in droves. Perhaps you are new to the mailings or you might not be aware of a favorite of mine.
Gardens of Monticello
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Gift & Garden Catalog offers an incredible variety of Jefferson inspired garden gifts including books, seeds, and plants.
Burpee
The Burpee company was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 and is still today. Burpee is owned and operated by George Ball Jr. - a passionate plantsman and third generation seedsman.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Johnny’s Selected Seeds products include vegetable seeds, medicinal and culinary herb seeds, and flower seeds. They also offer unique, high quality gardening tools and supplies.
Jackson & Perkins
Primarily known for their gorgeous roses, but now Jackson & Perkins offers bulbs and perennials for sale.
White Flower Farm
White Flower Farm: The premier American mail-order source for plants, bulbs, and gardening supplies.
eBay Stores & Auctions
Ebay is rather new to the arena of being included with plant nursery websites, but if you are a plant collector you need to know how many goodies can be found on ebay.
Spring Hill Nursery
Mailing over 30 million catalogs, Spring Hill Nursery is one of the top mail-order nurseries in the country.
Breck's Bulbs
Breck’s is proud to offer premium plants and bulbs direct to you from Holland since 1818.
Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co.
Plan your new garden each year with an old friend - Gurney's Seed and Nursery providing you with fruits, vegetables and flowers since 1820.
Purchasing Plants Online
Purchasing plants online is a fast way to collect an unique array of plants for your garden. Stress the word unique. Read the fine print. It's not uncommon for a online nursery to offer a perennial in a 3 inch pot. Yikes! Buying locally you might have to pay a a bit more, but you're more likely to get a healthy gallon size plant that doesn't have to go through through the stress of being shipped. Some of the nurseries we have listed do offer larger sizes, but it's something to keep in mind before you order. Look for container size in the description.
If you decide to order online most good nurseries can ship with little stress to the plants, but don't expect the plants to be extremely perky after being in an enclosed box for days.
When you receive your plants you should unwrap them immediately and make sure they appear to be healthy. If there are any signs that the plant is not healthy, you should contact the company you purchased the plants from immediately. Most nurseries will offer to send a replacement, give credit or refund, but only within so many days from the sale. Most places want to please their customers.
If the shipped plants look decent they should be planted within a day or two after you receive them. If you cannot plant them immediately, place the plants in a shady place and keep them watered.