This latest catalogue could do double duty on your 'Named After' thread as well. The name 'Vilmorin' resonates with Agave-fanatics everywhere. It seems that one de Vilmorin (Maurice?) is the namesake of the Octopus Agave (Agave vilmoriniana).
Flower catalogs
- Thread starter LouisFerdinand
- Start date
Michell's Bulbs 1913
Plant Delights has had a cavalcade of curious catalogue covers of the years. This one is par for the course.
Coles Seed Catalog 1917
Bauscher's Seed & Plant Guide 1899
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When I had an allotment there was a new young member who was talking about what he was going to grow and how wonderful all the plants were. One of the old boys looked at him and said "You have been reading Thompson and Morgan's catalogue haven't you?" It was true, some catalogues are a lot more enthusiastic than others.
The Conrad and Jones Co. New Floral Guide Spring 1898
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I like the labelling of the roses, to the point, not too many fancy names 
1910 John A. Salzer Seed Co
Salzer Seed Company Catalog
Every thing is more mail order these days "But i have found ordering plants via mail order not so good"*This is due to the minute the plants leave the sender and the way the are handled between being sent and arriving at your door,
I like to see the state of the plant and look at the roots if possible,
Seed catalog's Here we have a different subject, The information on the packets are really worth keeping as they give important info on how to grow the seeds / soil / Compost in requires and so on, It even tells you when and where to sow!!
So far so good, Now we come to the new to gardening and this good advice, The sowing guide is just that a guide,
The seeds man has no idea where you live or the different time of the season that your areas is operating in
And if the seed packet says sow outdoors in April, !!!!!
That-s fine if in your area April is warming up time for the soil, but if it is not and the ground is still very cold of an evening then the seeds suffer, Same goes for rain, to much and these tiny seeds rot, even if covered,
Have a walk around your garden Center first and see the bulbs and plants and the storage of the items, if the plants are being stored outside !!!! This will let you know these plants are hardy and can stand the out door temps "But ask if they are ready to plant into the outside now or a little bit later, The bulbs you'll find stored inside the Center (these need protection from frost etc until you get them home,
Street markets are some of the worst places to have plants/shrubs offered for sale, they sit on stalls in wind/the cold etc and spent the evening pre the street sale sitting in a truck, "Not the ideal way to start their lives off.
I like to see the state of the plant and look at the roots if possible,
Seed catalog's Here we have a different subject, The information on the packets are really worth keeping as they give important info on how to grow the seeds / soil / Compost in requires and so on, It even tells you when and where to sow!!
So far so good, Now we come to the new to gardening and this good advice, The sowing guide is just that a guide,
The seeds man has no idea where you live or the different time of the season that your areas is operating in
And if the seed packet says sow outdoors in April, !!!!!
That-s fine if in your area April is warming up time for the soil, but if it is not and the ground is still very cold of an evening then the seeds suffer, Same goes for rain, to much and these tiny seeds rot, even if covered,
Have a walk around your garden Center first and see the bulbs and plants and the storage of the items, if the plants are being stored outside !!!! This will let you know these plants are hardy and can stand the out door temps "But ask if they are ready to plant into the outside now or a little bit later, The bulbs you'll find stored inside the Center (these need protection from frost etc until you get them home,
Street markets are some of the worst places to have plants/shrubs offered for sale, they sit on stalls in wind/the cold etc and spent the evening pre the street sale sitting in a truck, "Not the ideal way to start their lives off.
Logan
Logan
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We order all of our plants and seeds online. With the plants they're very good when they arrive and only take 2 days for them to do that. But i did have a bit of trouble with the polyanthus plug plants when they arrived. Some were out of the cells and the compost was a bit all over. Phoned them up and they gladly replaced them without me having to send them back. When the next lot arrived it was still the same but i had enough plants, the plants themselves were ok.
Hi Logan, Long time no talk (Christ i sound like a red Indian) But you know what i mean,
Anyway How do you feel about the UK post thinking of no deliveries on a Saturday ?
Will this have any problem with future delivery service's?
Anyway How do you feel about the UK post thinking of no deliveries on a Saturday ?
Will this have any problem with future delivery service's?
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Really agree here, the seedsman wants his customers to have a good experience, then they may come back, so he gives the best information he can for growing.
Of course, as you say later, local conditions can vary, and the set parameters may be 'ideal', but if you want an early or late crop, or even to extend your cropping season, you can usually stretch them. Your planting time or place may not be 'ideal', but it will often give you a good crop all the same. Seeds are very cheap on the whole, it will really only cost you in space to experiment a bit.
Having said that some seeds and plants are expensive. Unlike most commodities this is not because they are 'better', but because they are harder for the seedsman to grow successfully, and therefore harder for you too. It often pays to go for the cheap option, look at marigolds!