Gardening Catalogs

miss_thenorth

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I must admit that I only LOOK at the catalogues--just to get ideas. I usually buy locally. I have a few tired and trusted family run greenhouses in my area that I can buy from..Anything from vegetable plants and seed, to flower plants and seeds, to nurseries for trees, shrubs etc.I

Catalogues are just to look at, dream, get ideas, and pass time until I can actually get out there and get dirty.

So, I only order one catalogue--to be eco-friendly.

Is that bad? Sometimes I feel guilty for ordering a catalogue when I know I'm not going to order from them:hu:idunno
 

country freedom

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I used to order catalogs and just look at them because where I lived and who I was with I wasn't able to do ANY gardening at all. For me, catalogs meant future dreams only, being patient in the present was necessary. They, (and my 6 children), also kept me sane, because living with In-laws and an abusive husband was extremely stressful on me.
 

digitS'

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I have a few tired and trusted family run greenhouses in my area that I can buy from.
I used to resemble one of those "tired" greenhouse workers ;) ! However, I tried to remain alert and on my toes especially when working on the greenhouse roof :weee !

I try not to request information from a mailorder outfits unless I intend to order from them. But, once you get in the database . . . all sorts of stuff shows up in the mailbox, unbidden.

It's one thing I like about Stokes - they send me ONE catalog. No matter how many years and how much money I've sent 'em. Dang that catalog gets dog-eared! Burpee sends me a catalog every 6 weeks it seems. I don't understand why, surely my small seed order doesn't pay for all the paper, print, and postage. :idunno.

Some of these outfits are century-old institutions. Many are being bought up by bigger fish - Burpee was. That's unfortunate, too, especially since they are often plant breeders with seed banks. And, some companies are really nothing more than mom & pop shops and always have been - the Fragrant Path and JL Hudson, Seedman come to mind. The latter seems to be a multi-generational company that seems to operate out of shoeboxes in a garage ;) .

I understand a little about "freedom in the country" and garden soil beneath the feet and fresh air and sunshine and quietude and . . . and . . . dreaming and waiting.

Steve
 

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