Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Baker Creek offers the largest selection of seeds in the United States with almost 2,000 varieties of heirloom flowers, vegetables, and herbs, including an impressive collection of 19^th century Asian and European varieties. Now in its 21^st season, Baker Creek collects, grows, and preserves endangered seed types from here in North American, and throughout the globe. All of its seeds are non-GMO, non-treated, and non-patented.

In addition to the extensive catalog, the company hosts festivals with the goal of bringing together gardeners, homesteaders, and natural food enthusiasts to share seeds and ideas, browse vendors, and enjoy music and lecturers at their farm and authentic pioneer village in the Ozark hills of Missouri. Furthermore, visitors to the farm can shop for seeds and learn best practices for growing them. They can tour Baker Creek’s trial gardens, and dine in its restaurant. There’s an herbal apothecary on –site, as well as a natural bakery, native rock oven, and a garden museum. Road trip, anyone?

Renee’s Garden

Renee’s Garden bills itself as the ‘Garden to Table Seed Company’. I couldn’t agree more. This company offers exclusively non-GMO varieties of heirlooms, certified organic, international hybrids, and open-pollinated seeds. The collection tends to be interesting and unusual, emphasizing flavorful herbs and vegetables for cooking. Seeds can be purchased individually. These include French baby bush beans, heirloom columbines, and wasabi arugula, to name a few. Alternatively there’s the ‘Easy to Grow’ collections for containers- herb gardens, kitchen gardens, etc. Seed packets are beautifully decorated with watercolor portraits. They include all the necessary growing instructions, planting charts, harvesting tips, and even cooking suggestions. Renee has also published a collection of recipe books to shepherd your produce right into the kitchen.

Gardener’s Supply Company

Based in Vermont, Gardener’s Supply Company offers customers everything from organic seeds to garden furniture. If you need it, Gardener’s Supply sells it – and in myriad colors and styles. This is one of my favorite places for gifts. I love just browsing its wares for new ideas and finding things I didn’t even realize I needed!  They also sell seeds in individual packets and also often ship them for free. This company also has charming themed gift sets. These make it easy to grow ingredients for salads, cocktails, and tacos, among other things. The company is committed to being a leader in sustainability and making positive contributions to the environment through responsible sourcing of products like their line of teak garden furniture certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Even though most of these catalogs offer a one-stop shopping experience, one of the great things about using them to plan your garden is that you don’t actually have to work from just one. Go through your stack and mix and match – some flowers from Hudson Valley, veggies from Baker Creek, whatever catches your eye. Prices for seeds are reasonable and the convenience of doing it all right in your living room beats running around to different garden centers and big box stores trying to find everything you’re looking for in the snow and at the last minute. The biggest benefit of all, there’s no better way to spend these chilly afternoons than getting lost in the vibrantly colored photos and possibilities that spring up as soon as you open the cover of a seed catalog.