The joys of catalogs
Like most gardeners, I have an unseemly addiction to catalogs.
The first catalog of the season is usually from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Based in Maine, the catalog contains a great selection and—this is the best part—growing information you can refer to all year long. In the middle of July, I’ll pull out the catalog to see what’s chewing those disgusting wormholes into my carrots or when I should harvest the leeks.
Ronniger’s Potatoes is another favorite. Potatoes are divided up into early, middle and late varieties and there’s a good selection of fingerlings.
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds features descriptions you can practically taste. The catalog features such standard varieties such as Blue Lake Pole Beans—but specializes on wonderful variations on the ordinary such as Atomic Red Carrots, Flamboyant French Breakfast Radishes, or Tintin Baby Romaine Lettuce Leaves.
I’m buying some Parisienne Cornichon de Bourbonne Cucumber seeds from Scheepers so my old dad can make cornichons, which are small cucumbers popular in France.
The best part of Scheepers is the lovely line drawings used to illustrate the catalog. Botanical artist Bobbi Angel does all of their work. Here's some examples of her work. To see more, go to http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/
What's your favorite catalog?
Apr 1, 2009 at 6:42 a.m.
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When catalogs have the diagram of a garden plan, you have to realize all the flowers may not bloom at the same time (like it shows in the diagram!). However, those diagrams can be helpful to learn plant combinations and placement. I've used them as a starting point in the past.
Mar 31, 2009 at 8:14 p.m.
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Right now it is Johnny's Selected Seeds. Scheeper's looks beautiful so I want to get one of those. Thanks.
Mar 31, 2009 at 4:33 p.m.
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seed savers exchange--endless varieties of heirlooms! mmmmmgreenzebrasmmmmmm
www.seedsavers.org
Mar 31, 2009 at 4:10 p.m.
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Jungs-I don't give the rest a chance or glance. I get one every year that is black and white and lists most items they sell by item # with no picture or anything. You would have to be a science expert to translate the plant names into "laymens" terms.
Mar 31, 2009 at 2:01 p.m.
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I like the flower catalogs that sell "gardens" with little diagrams so that your garden will look quite nice, not like an accident. I am unable to visualize what the thing will look like in the end, and when I see those gardens already mapped out for you, I CAN visualize my garden looking just as lovely and my neighbors won't be embarrassed to have me in the area ; - ) Of course, lots of times my stuff nevery comes to fruition...and the plan looks like someone stampeded over the plot. (I can do veggies, but flowers don't prosper in my garden.)
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