Subject: Re: Seed Catalog Awards

From: [email-masked] (Joe Imhof)
Date: 19 Dec 1994 03:01:18 GMT

Best Garden Catalogs: 

1  Seeds of Change
2  Johnnys Selected Seeds
3  Stokes

I agree with those who mentioned superior culture info in the Stokes 
catalog--they also have an extremely wide selection of modern hybrids and 
op's especily in the brassica family.  Johnnys also has a wealth of 
information and a number of heirloom varieties.  Seeds of change offers 
only open polinated organicallly grown seeds.  They have a wide selection 
of vegatable varieties which are never found in such "regular" catalogs 
such as Stokes or Parks.  There are hundereds of new and interesting 
tomato, pepper etc varieties out there to try and I find it rewarding to 
be trying new ones each year.  

Most Ovverrated Catalog in the Newsgroup:
1  Parks

Well, I only grow veggies, so perhaps much of the praise here is for 
their flower varieties, but in vegetables they have pretty much the 
standard fare you can get anywhere, so their catalog is somewhat 
uninteresting to me, however, I may order supplies from them and also 
that new yellow torenia variety they have in this years catalog--torenia 
are some of the only flowers i grow, and mine are all blue.

-JOE IMHOF  [email-masked]
"Its time to stop pretending that your somebody else,
You know you can't change this world but you can 
change yourself"  -Glenn Frey

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From: [email-masked] (Hilda Marshall)
Date: 19 Dec 1994 03:41:53 GMT

I'd also like to put in a good word for

Chiltern Seeds
Bortree Stile
Ulverston
Cumbria  LA12 7PB
ENGLAND

No pictures, but helpful, exhaustive descriptions; and lots of
variety.  Basically, if it grows in England and sets seed, Chiltern
has it (except for something as common and unnoticed as pellitory-
of-the-wall, which I *still* haven't found a source of seed for!)

Love, Hilda

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From: [email-masked] (Giovanni Resta)
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 1994 16:46:25 +0100

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Hilda Marshall) wrote:

> has it 

And not only England. Among the THOUSANDS of species (mostly botanical 
species == wild flowers) there is also a good choice of Australian,
NewZealand and South African plants. (and also American).

Among the other I love their 'Lottery Mixture' packets.
Last year you can choose among (if I remember correctly) annuals,
hardy perennial, shrubs and tree, others and a completely unknown mix
(soon or later I will buy this, since it sounds very challengy and
funny).
I bought an annuals packet and I obtained a lovely selection of
flowers in the [very-common , what-is-that?] range.

(except for something as common and unnoticed as pellitory-
> of-the-wall, which I *still* haven't found a source of seed for!)
Giovanni 'waiting for the 1995 chiltern catalog' Resta

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From: [email-masked] (Jon Charles Gilliam)
Date: 19 Dec 1994 15:51:26 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Joe Imhof) writes:
[snip]
>are some of the only flowers i grow, and mine are all blue.

   I'm still taken with Park's catalog -- just on the basis of how
well it is photogtraphed, and the beautiful varieties of flowers that
they offer.

   As to their vegetable selection  -- I'm in complete agreement.  It 
is mediocre and dramatically overpriced.  My order to Parks this year
(which incidently has arrived) consisted solely of flower seeds and
garden products.  

   Note that Parks seeds do come in sealed, air-tight foil packets,
with good culture information printed on the back of each envelope.  

:jon

-- 
-----
Jon C. Gilliam   <[email-masked]>
   Believing ourselves to be possessors of absolute truth
   degrades us: we regard every person whose way of thinking
   is different from ours as a monster and a  threat and by
   so doing turn our own selves into monsters and threats to
   our fellows.
   -- Octavio Paz
-- 
-----
Jon C. Gilliam   <[email-masked]>
   Believing ourselves to be possessors of absolute truth
   degrades us: we regard every person whose way of thinking