Armchair Gardening

For many northern gardeners, the planting season is still far off. Cold winter days indoors give gardeners a chance to find out what is new in gardens, by reading through some of the seed catalogs that have been accumulating since the Christmas holiday. Americans spend over $3 billion on mail order and online gardening sales. Avid gardeners know that they will find much more variety in the catalogs than can be stocked on the shelf at the garden centre. Each year catalogs tout the latest, greatest varieties to get the gardener dreaming. Where do all these new plants come from?

Most of the new plant introductions featured in seed catalogs are developed for market by one of seven major seed companies that do large scale breeding research. Smaller seed companies also develop new varieties, but are likely focus on a small-specialized area of the market. And researchers never know where the next source of good plant genes will surface. Universities, seed banks and home gardeners may make initial discoveries that are later improved upon by larger plant breeding companies.

Recent trends in the garden are tending toward old varieties developed through centuries of tradition. Many catalogs and online sources are featuring rare heirloom varieties and introducing exotic vegetables that may be common in other parts of the world.

Many gardeners' eyes are bigger than their gardens. A little time spent on practical garden planning - to determine just where all those new seeds will grow - may be another good way for a gardener to occupy time in the winter.

• Garden dreams are made from seed catalogs from the Pocono Record


• Seed catalogs sow desire from the Lexington Herald-Leader


• Taste for exotic vegetables grows from the San Francisco Chronicle


• A new way to find old seeds from the Seattle Times


• Virtual Gardening from the Boise Weekly


• Seed Catalog ‘Lingo’ from The Daily Ledger




Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 2:50 PM on February 14, 2006