Christie’s Favorites: Mail-Order Plants

My favorite winter garden “chore” is to curl up in an armchair with a good plant catalog.

I shared some of my favorite online garden sources in this previous library post.

Consider the following an expanded “Part Two.” Part Three (my favorite sources for mail-order seeds) coming soon!

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Hands-down my favorite is Bower&Branch. Their quality, convenience, and selection is incredible. Although they are working to expand their service area, I still recommend their website even for those of you who don’t live in the eastern or midwestern U.S. The descriptions of trees and perennials offered on their website are very helpful.
Rare Find is just what it promises! A great source for unusual or hard-to-find trees and shrubs. They are an especially good source for rhododendron.

White Flower Farm: This mail-order source is pricier than some, but I have found the quality and selection to be very good.
Brent and Becky’s is my favorite source for flowering bulbs, but they also have a small selection of perennials at good prices.
I love the small, quick-to-establish plugs offered by Prairie Nursery.

A good source for everything from apple trees to blueberry bushes is Stark Brother’s Nursery
Johnny’s Selected Seeds sells many fruit varieties in addition to seeds

I love Swan Island Dahlias for very high quality dahlia tubers
These are linked above, but White Flower Farm and Brent&Beckys sell great bulbs and tubers.
I have found wonderful antique varieties from Old House Gardens

For the most part, I order bare root roses in winter. I love to buy my David Austin “English Roses” straight from the source here.
An excellent source for heirloom or antique roses is the Antique Rose Emporium located in Texas.
Jung Seed offers a wide variety of low cost plants. I have had great success with their bare root roses.

I have loved the hard-to-find scented geraniums and other herbs sold by Renee’s Garden Seeds. They do well indoors on a south-facing windowsill.