Gardening Catalogs Are a Valuable Bargain

In these days of rising prices, garden catalogs are one of the biggest bargains available. A few postcards and a little time are the only investments necessary for receiving some beautiful and tempting publications. Some firms charge a slight fee for their catalogs, while others will send the catalog free on request. They are often available at news stands, or from a gardening friend.

Months of planning go into the catalogs, and most companies will begin planning next year's catalog as soon as the current year's supply is distributed. While they are designed to sell you their products, many are both interesting and educational. Many of the plants, seeds and other materials listed in catalogs are available from local nurseries, and thereby you may save the cost of shipment. However, some items are not always locally available, and the garden catalog can broaden the garden experience.

While thumbing through a catalog we can make decisions in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. What kind of catalogs are available? If you are planning a garden of annual flowers or vegetables you will find several major companies that sell flower and vegetable seeds as well as aids to growing plants. They may list from 1,000 to 3,000 different items. Some firms also add to the lists of seeds a collection of fruit trees, brambles, and ornamental plants for landscape planting. A few also carry a limited selection of house plants or house plant seeds.

For those with a special interest in the home orchard, there are catalogs from companies that specialize in fruit and nut trees. Some nursery catalogs offer primarily perennial flowers and shrubs for outdoor planting. You will often be able to find rare or unusual items in such catalogs. While your local nurseryman may special-order such items for you, normally he finds so little demand for unusual plants that it is not economical to try to keep them in stock.

When buying rare plants, pay special attention to hardiness and adaptability. A plant may be uncommon in your area because it is unsuited to the local environment. Many mail order catalogs list plants for different climates, and the exact cultural conditions necessary for a certain plant are not always clear. If you want to be a plant specialist, there are catalogs aimed directly at you.

Catalogs that list only varieties of one type of plant or related plants are common. Chrysanthemums, dahlias, orchids, houseplants, African violets, roses. bulbs, strawberries, rock garden plants, azaleas, and rhodedendrons are just a few of the plants available in specialized catalogs.

Gardening Catalogs, Bumpee Garden Catalog by Ken Lawless.