Shopping for spring starts now!

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Seed and plant catalogs can help cure gardeners’ winter withdrawal symptoms. Many companies no longer produce a paper catalog so you have to shop online but the pictures will make you long for spring.

 
This year’s list includes some old standards for new gardeners, many heirloom seed companies and a selection of unique listings for experienced gardeners.

 
The companies that our parents ordered from include Burpee, www.burpee.com, 800-888-1447, Parks Seeds, www.parkseed.com, 800-845-3369 and Henry Field’s, www.henryfields.com, 513-354-1494. Also try Hometown Seeds http://hometownseeds.com, 888-433-3106.

B and T World Seeds in France, offers gardeners a worldwide perspective. The Master List has 34,000 listings and the sub-lists have 700 specialist catalogs including eco roof garden seeds, Polish native plants, Shady Condition seed list, Terrarium seeds, Icelandic native seeds, 5,000 food plants, etc. http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com
 
Select Seeds specializes in antique plants for cottage gardens. www.selectseeds.com,800-684-0395   
 
Heirloom seeds are the specialty of the nonprofit Seed Savers Exchange, www. Seedsavers.org, 563-382-5990. You can just order seeds or join the seed bank and get seeds from other members around the country. 
 
Fedco Cooperative specializes in untreated cold-hardy varieties of tubers, seeds, and trees. www.fedcoseeds.com, 207-873-7333.
 
For small amounts of heirloom seed try The Sample Seed Shop. http://sampleseeds.com, 716-871-1137. Seed packs are $1.50 and shipping is $3.50 for up to 20 packs. 
Artistic Gardens specializes in 35-cent seed packets and sells a 50 sample herb seed collection $20, www.artisticgardens.com, 802-748-1446.
 
If you love beautifully designed and informative seed packs Renee Seeds and Botanical Interests are good choices. http://reneesgarden.com and www.botanicalinterests.com.
 
For a gorgeously illustrated catalog, get one from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, http://rareseeds.com, 417-924-8917. Johnny’s has pelleted seeds at www.johnnyseeds.com, 877-564-6697.
High Mowing Seeds sells only organic seeds at www.highmowingseeds.com, 802-472-6174.
 
Sky Fire Garden sells easy-to-grow heirloom seeds for $2 a pack. www.skyfiregardenseeds.com/
 
For a kitchen garden check out Cook’s Garden seeds, www.cooksgarden.com and 800-457-9703, and, Seeds of Italy known for its generous packets of delicious offerings from Franchi, www.growitalian.com, 785-748-0959.
 
Sand Hill Preservation
Sand Hill Preservation Center has heirloom poultry and organic heirloom seeds, www.sandhillpreservation.com, 563- 246-2299.
 
Richters Herbs in Canada has every herb you could want and many you have never heard of. Vegetable and flower seed, too. www.richters.com
 
Seeds of Change is one of the largest sellers of organic seed. www.seedsofchange.com, 888-762-7333.
 
Bountiful Gardens, a project of Ecology Action, offers open-pollinated and untreated seeds. www.bountifulgardens.org, 707-459-6410.
 
Territorial Seed is the former company of gardening guru Steve Solomon. Beneficial insects, cover crop seed, plants, etc. www.territorialseed.com and 800-626-0866.
 
Unique international seeds are available from a public seed bank, The Ethnobotanical Catalog of Seeds, www.JLHudsonSeeds.net. Newsprint catalog.
 
e'pecies tropical seeds
Lou Thomas, a seed supplier in Belize, Central America offers tropical plant seeds such as ginger, palms, passionflower, tropical vegetables, jewelry seed, etc. www.especies-seeds.com or http://tinyurl.com/6tqxf2m.  
 
Request vegetable (cute drawings) and flower catalogs from Chiltern Seeds, www.chilternseeds.co.uk and Thompson and Morgan, www.tmseeds.com, for British varieties.
 
Native Seeds, Southwest Endangered Aridlands Resource Clearing House, is a non-profit that conserves and distributes agricultural seeds and their wild relatives from the American Southwest and northwest Mexico. www.nativeseed.org,
 
The nonprofit Ozark Seed Bank receives and offers donated seed from members including Chinese medicinals. www.onegarden.org, 417-679-1003.
 
Everwilde Farms
The Landis Valley Museum in PA grows, preserves and sells German settler seed varieties. www.landisvalleymuseum.org 717-569-0401.
 
Conserving Arkansas Agricultural Heritage, CAAH, sponsors seed swaps. Their seeds are not sold, but are given to gardeners who agree to return seed to the seed bank. http://arkansasagro.wordpress.com.
 
Oklahoma-grown plants: Bustani Plant Farm in Stillwater www.bustaniplantfarm.com, 405-372-3379 has a print catalog and is open a few days a year. Sooner Plant Farm in Tahlequah, http://www.soonerplantfarm.com, 918-453-0771.
 
Native plants: Pine Ridge Gardens, www.pineridgegardens.com,501-293-4359 and Wild Things Nursery, www.wildthingsnursery.com.
 
Plant Delights catalog
Cool and unique plants: Plant Delights www.plantdelights.com, 919-772-4794
 
Enjoy the hunt!

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