90+ Free Seed Catalogs (& Nursery Catalogs Too!)

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Seed catalogs are one of the best things about winter!  After a long summer working in the garden, I’m ready to settle in by the fire and dream of the next year as a steady stream of free seed catalogs come in the mail.  Each one contains different plants, tools, and wisdom for the next year’s season, and every year we order from many different seed and nursery catalogs. 

Reading through so many, I’ve learned which are the best…

“Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year; for gardening begins in January with the dream.”  – Josephine Nuese, author of The Country Garden

Seed catalogs are more than a source of seeds.  They’re also a source of valuable growing information, and best of all…inspiration. 

Ever heard of cornelian cherries?  How about honeyberries?  Or northern wild raisin?  Seed catalogs are perfect for introducing you to new varieties, many of which you’ll simply never taste unless you grow them yourself.

The trick is, finding the right seed catalog for your growing region and gardening goals.  Cold hardy northern varieties won’t help you in Florida and Texas.  Annual gardeners raking up a few raised beds may not want big fruit trees, but if you’re into permaculture, you’ll want all the nursery catalogs you can find.

This past year, we ordered every single seed catalog we could get our hands on, hoping to put together a definitive guide that will help you find the very best seed catalogs for your garden. 

No need to waste time (and paper) on seed catalogs that won’t meet your needs.  Put a little time into finding the right ones and you’ll be happier for it.

The full list is below, with detailed descriptions of what you’ll find in each seed catalog, but I’ve broken them down a bit to help you find the garden catalogs that fit your situation:

• Cool Climate Specialty Catalogs (Zones 2-6) ~ Fedco Seeds and Vermont Bean Seed Company
• Warm Climate Specialty Catalogs (Zones 6-10) ~ Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Native Seeds SEARCH and West Coast Seeds.
• Organic/Non-GMO Selections ~ Annie’s Heirloom Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, Fedco Seeds, Fruition Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, Seeds of Change, Sow True Seed, Sustainable Seed Co., and West Coast Seeds.
   
• Herb Seed Catalogs ~ Richters Herbs, Strictly Medicinal Seeds, Sow True Seed & Fedco Seeds
• Flower Seed & Nursery Catalogs ~ Jackson & Perkins, Van Bougondien, White Flower Farm, Wildseed Farms, Wayside Gardens, and many more
• Nursery Catalogs with Unique Permaculture Plants ~ Burnt Ridge Nursery, Fedco Seeds, Fedco Trees, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, Strictly Medicinal Seeds, Adaptive Seeds, and Raintree Nursery.

My favorite seed catalogs are:

• Fedco seeds, which caries short-season adapted vegetable seeds perfect for our cold northern climate here in Vermont (zone 4).
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seed has an incredible selection of rare seeds and is an excellent source for unique heirloom varieties for any climate.
• Strictly Medicinal Seeds carries hand-selected strains of medicinal herbs, along with a number of other edible or useful plants that have medicinal properties.  
• Burnt Ridge Nursery has an incredible selection of permaculture plants and trees.
• Raintree Nursery likewise is a permaculture practitioners’ dream catalog.

Free Seed Catalogs

Most seed catalogs also contain supplies and other add-on items as well.  These catalogs are primarily for annual garden seeds.  (For nursery catalogs, mushroom catalogs and other specialty garden catalogs, keep scrolling down a bit further to the next sections.)

Annie’s Heirloom Seeds

A small, family-owned seed company specializing in heirloom, non-GMO seed.  Annie’s Heirloom seeds has a good selection of organic as well as conventional seed.  They offer bulk seed at discount for certain crops like beans and corn, and they also have options for pre-packed emergency seed banks.

• Specialties: Heirloom, non-GMO garden seeds
• Location: Hudsonville, MI (USA)
• Type: Heirloom Vegetable Seeds
• Pictures: Yes.  Pictures on every page, but for some, not all varieties.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, with organic seed available.
• Request an Annie’s Heirloom Seeds Catalog

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed

Hands down one of the most beautiful seed catalogs ever made!  Baker Creek has some truly unique varieties, and only carries heirloom non-GMO seed. 

They do offer a free seed catalog that covers many of their varieties, but they put out a second much bigger catalog (400+ pages) that they call “The Whole Seed Catalog” which is for purchase. The owners at Baker Creek also put out a garden-fresh Vegan cookbook called, The Baker Creek Vegan Cookbook.

• Specialties: Unique varieties of heirloom vegetable garden seeds.
• Location: Mansfield, MO (USA)
• Type: Annual Vegetables
• Pictures: Yes! 
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Yes.
• Request a Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Catalog

Botanical Interests

Since they opened for business 25 years ago, Botanical Interests have expanded their seed varieties from 96 to 238 organic, 349 heirlooms, and 29 native varieties, all of which are non-GMO and pesticide-free. They offer a free catalog by request that is released in January.  It’s filled will beautiful photos that make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

• Specialties: Organic and heirloom vegetable garden seeds
• Location: Broomfield, CO
• Type: Vegetable seeds
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Yes!
• Request a Botanical Interests Seeds Catalog

Burpees Selected Seeds

The very first catalog I ordered from, 25 years ago as a child growing up in California.  Burpee was the only seed provider I’d ever heard of, and they were my golden temple for all things plants. 

Burpee specializes in common varieties and dependable producers, and they have an incredible selection of tomato, lettuce, and string bean seeds.  They have a heavy focus on hybrid crops and conventional agriculture (non-organic).  Though they offer some certified organic seed, they also carry GMO seeds.

• Specialties: High-yielding hybrid varieties of common garden vegetables.
• Location: Pennsylvania, USA
• Type: Seed catalog with some supplies & fertilizer included
• Pictures: Yes.  A full-color catalog with pictures of each variety.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: No.  Has no stance against GMO seed, and sells a large selection of patented hybrids.
• Request a Burpee Seed Catalog

Burrell Seeds

Burrell Seeds has been producing quality seeds for 120 years! All their seeds are non-GMO and untreated unless otherwise stated. Burrell Seeds are known to offer generous size packages that are typically filled with double the amount of seeds. They specialize in conventional vegetables and herbs (non-organic). 

• Specialties: Vegetables 
• Location: Rocky Ford, CO
• Type: Vegetables, herbs, flowers, and gardening tools
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO
• Request a Burrell Seeds Catalog

Dixondale Farms

For 107 years, Dixondale Farms has specialized in everything onions and is now the largest and oldest grower of onion plants in the USA! They also carry leeks and for the first time, they’ll add traditional shallot transplants to their 2020 to their catalog. 

• Specialties: Onions
• Location: Carrizo Springs, TX
• Type: Onion plants, fertilizer, gardening tools, and crop protection 
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Request a Dixondale Farms Plant Catalog

Eden Brothers

Eden Brothers have over 700 types of heirloom, organic, hard to find, hybrid, and open-pollinated herb and vegetable seeds. Over 600 heirloom and open-pollinated flower seeds, as well, as many bulbs that are ready for planting in your spring garden.

All of Eden Brothers’ seeds are non-GMO and not treated with pesticides of any kind. At this time, they do not offer a catalog, but every seed they sell has a great picture attached and can be offered straight from their website.

• Specialties: Hard to find heirloom herbs, vegetables, flowers, bulbs, and perennials.
    
• Location: Arden, NC
• Type: N/A
• Pictures: N/A
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All their seeds are Non-GMO, however, they offer both conventional and certified organic seeds.
• Eden Brothers Online Store

Fedco Seeds

Fedco Seeds is a co-op in Maine that offers vegetables, herbs, and trees that can stand up to the cold climate of the Northeast US. Their seed catalog can be requested by phone or through paper mail, and you can view pdf copies of both their seed catalog and their potatoes, onions, and exotics. All seeds are non-GMO and they sell both certified organic and conventional seeds. 

• Specialties: Cold hardy varieties of vegetables, herbs, and trees
• Location: Clinton, ME
• Type: Seeds, potatoes, onions, and exotics. 
• Pictures: No, but there are lots of pictures on their website.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All seeds are Non-GMO. They offer both conventional and certified organic. 
• Request a Fedco Seeds Catalog

Fieldstone Gardens

Fieldstone Gardens has been around since 1984 and carries hardy perennials for colder climate regions. Every plant they ship is at least two years old, not seedling size. While they don’t have a paper copy catalog, all of their perennials are available to purchase right on their website. 

• Specialties: Perennials, grasses, vines, and climbers
• 
  Location: Vassalboro, ME
• Type: Online store on their website
• Pictures: No
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Fieldstone Gardens Complete Inventory

Fruition Seeds

Based in Upstate NY, fruition seeds specializes in cold hardy northern plants and seeds.  I’m most excited about their hardy northern peanuts and I can’t wait to try them out.  They also sell saffron bulbs, and we’ve had great success growing saffron here in Vermont. 

They also have an incredible variety of edible flowers and medicinal herbs.

• Specialties: Annual Vegetables, Unique Edible Flowers and Medicinal Herbs
• Location: Naples, NY (USA)
• Type: Online store on their website
• Pictures: In their Online Catalog 
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Yes!
• Fruition Seeds Online Catalog

Gardens Alive!

Gardens Alive! is an environmentally conscious company that strives to bring you the products that work with the environment, not against it. Since 1989, Gardens Alive! has mailed out their catalog, however, this will be the first season they will be discontinuing their paper catalog.

You can find everything they sell, from beneficial insects, environmentally responsible garden and lawn care supplies, as well as some organic vegetables and fruit. All seeds are non-GMO. 

• Specialties: Beneficial insects, garden and lawn care supplies
   
• Location: Lawrenceburg, IN
• Type: Online store on their website
• Pictures: Their website has pictures of every plant and product they offer.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All seeds are non- GMO and they offer some organic vegetables. 
• Gardens Alive! Online Inventory

GeoSeed

GeoSeed is passionate about bringing you quality and tested cut flowers, perennials, annuals, elusive, and obscure species of flowers. At this time, they do not offer online ordering but are working on building an online inventory. In the meantime, you can request their catalog and use their paper form for your purchases. 

• Specialties: Perennial and annual flowers
• Location: Hodges, SC
• Type: Seed
• Pictures: No
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Request a Geo Seeds Catalog

Gilbert H. Wild & Son

Gilbert H Wild & Son have been growing peonies since 1885 and now grow 1,800 varieties of daylilies, 600 kinds of peonies, 130 irises, and 10,000 potted plants in greenhouses. They offer a mail-order catalog, but you can also order through their website.    

• Specialties: Daylilies, irises, and peonies
• Location: Reeds, MO
• Type: Potted plants catalog
• Pictures: It’s unclear whether the mail-order catalog has pictures or not, but their website has them for each flower they offer.
   
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Request a Gilbert H Wild & Son Seeds Catalog

Gurney’s

Gurney’s specializes in vegetable and flower seeds, gardening supplies and nursery stock, including trees, shrubs, perennials, fruit trees and berries, fertilizers and plant foods.  I was skeptical, but this past year I ordered from gurney’s and received a huge box of plants for just a few dollars.

They seemingly always have a half-off sale of some sort going on.  Just for requesting their mail-order catalog, Gurney’s will offer you a $25 off coupon to be applied to your order! You also have the option to order online through their website. 

• Specialties: Vegetable and flower seeds
• Location: Glendale, IN
• Type: Seed and nursery catalog 
• Pictures: The catalog contains pictures of almost everything, and their website has pictures for everything they sell.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: No.
• Request a Gurney’s Seeds Catalog

Harris Seed

Harris Seed offers several free mail-order catalogs, four in fact! The first being made up of entirely organic vegetable and flower seeds, and garden supplies. Their second is an ornamental catalog that features annual and perennial flower seeds, plants, plugs, and liners.

Their third is their catalog for conventional and organic vegetable and cut flower seeds. Their final offering is a Garden Trends catalog that is made up of garden supplies, plant protection, containers, and tools. You can also order their entire inventory online through their website. 

• Specialties: Vegetable and flower seeds
• Location: Rochester, NY
• Type: Ornamental growers catalog and organic seed catalog
• Pictures: It’s unclear whether the catalogs themselves have pictures, but their website has pictures for each seed or product they sell.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Organic and Conventional
• Request a Harris Seeds Catalog

High Mowing Organic Seeds

High Mowing Organic Seeds opened for business in 1996 with only 28 varieties and now are able to offer over 600 heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds. High Mowing Organic Seeds strictly sells 100% organic and non-GMO quality vegetable and herb seeds.

Orders can be made through mail-order or through the online store on their website. You can also check out their digital catalog as well!

• Specialties: Organic vegetable and herb seeds
• Location: Wolcott, VT
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: 100% Organic and Non-GMO
• Request a High Mowing Organic Seeds Catalog

HPS Seeds

HPS Seeds carries many annual, perennial and vegetable seeds in their paper catalog. You can request a free catalog, peruse their digital catalog, or order directly from the online store on their website. All the seeds they carry are now non-GMO!  

• Specialties: Annual, herb, perennial, and vegetable seeds
• Location: Unclear
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO
• Request an HPS Seeds Catalog

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Since 1973, Johnny’s Selected Seeds has been providing quality vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. In 1979, they became certified organic and offer organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits, and supplies. They have two catalogs, one is strictly organic and the other is for conventional seeds. 

• Specialties: Vegetable, flower, herb seeds
• Location: Albion, ME
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All Non-GMO, conventional and certified organic seeds
• Request a Johnny’s Selected Seeds Catalog

Jung Seeds and Plants

Jung Seeds and Plants carry all non-GMO vegetable seeds and plants. Many of which, are organic! They also carry fruit plants, herb seeds, annuals, perennials, bulbs, roses, trees, and shrubs.

They have a paper catalog that can be requested, however everything they offer can be ordered through their online store. You can also view their spring digital catalog from within their website. 

• Specialties: Vegetables 
• Location: Wisconsin 
• Type: Seed, plant, and bulb catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO and Organic
• Request a Jung Seeds and Plants Catalog

Kitazawa Seed Co.

Kitazawa Seed Co. is one, if not the oldest, Asian vegetable seed companies in the US. You can place an order through their online store or through the mail order form included with their paper catalog. They also have a digital catalog that can be perused before ordering!

(2024 update:  This company was sold to True Leaf Market, but their seeds are still available through True Leaf.)

• Specialties: Asian vegetable seeds
• Location: Oakland, CA
• Type: Asian vegetable seed catalog
• Pictures: No
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO
• Request a Kitazawa Seed Co. Catalog (Via True Leaf Market)

Maine Potato Lady

A specialty catalog just for potatoes, this is by far the largest selection of unique and heirloom potato seed I’ve ever seen.  We often order our stock from the Maine Potato Lady, and I’ve been so impressed by the unique flavors (and excellent storage) of the spud varieties.

• Specialties: Certified disease-free seed potatoes
• Location: Newport, ME (USA)
• Type: Potato Seed Catalog
• Pictures: No.  Black and white catalog with drawings (and excellent descriptions).
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Yes.
• Request a Maine Potato Lady Catalog

Native Seeds SEARCH

Arid adapted crops aren’t something I’ve needed here in VT, but growing up in the Mojave I watered my tomatoes twice a day to keep them alive.  I knew nothing about arid-adapted crops, and they would have saved a lot on the water bill in California. 

“Native Seeds/SEARCH (NS/S) is a nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona. Our mission is to conserve and promote the arid-adapted crop diversity of the Southwest in support of sustainable farming and food security.”  

• Specialties: Arid climate adapted seeds
• Location: Tucscon, AZ (USA)
• Type: Non-Profit Seed Conservation Organization
• Pictures: Online catalog, with pictures for every seed they carry on their website.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, some organic seeds
• View Native Seeds Search Online Catalog

NESeed

NESeed has a large inventory of vegetable, flower, herb, and wildflower seeds. While all seeds are non-GMO, they also have a selection of certified organic vegetables and flowers in their catalog and for order through their online store found on their website.

• Specialties: Vegetable and flower seeds
• Location: East Hartford, CT
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Unclear, but there are pictures for every seed they carry on their website.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, some organic seeds
• Request a NESeed Catalog

Nichols Garden Nursery

While they’re mostly a source of herbs and rare seeds, Nichol’s garden nursery actually sells quite a bit of non-garden related items as well.  They have sourdough starters and the clear gel powder you’d use to make home-canned apple pie filling, along with homestead type books and supplies.

They now even carry beer and winemaking equipment as well!  Think of them as the one-stop-shop for all things homestead this spring.

• Specialties: Rare herb and vegetable seeds
• Location: Albany, OR (USA)
• Type: Herb and Vegetable seed, along with other homestead supplies
• Pictures: Some, but not every variety.  Pictures in their online catalog.
• Request a Nichols Garden Nursery Catalog

Pinetree Garden Seeds

Pinetree Garden Seeds sells a lot more than just seeds! In addition to vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, they offer tons of goodies for self-reliance like soap making and knitting supplies, canning essentials, mushroom kits and more. They also offer teas and spices!

All of their seeds are non-GMO, many of which are certified organic. You can place orders through their online store on their website or request and view their catalog.

• Specialties: Vegetable, herb, and flower seeds
• Location: New Gloucester, ME
• Type: Vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, plants, gardening supplies, teas, spices, books, and crafts!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, many of which are certified organic.
• Request a Pinetree Garden Seeds Catalog
• Pinetree Garden Seeds Digital Catalog

Renee’s Garden Seeds

A source for some pretty unique varieties, we’ve ordered yellow alpine strawberry seeds, specialty rhubarb and saffron crocus bulbs from Renee’s Garden Seeds. Thus far we’ve been very happy with everything from their seed catalog.

• Specialties: Heirloom, vegetable, herb, and flower seeds
• Location: Felton, CA
• Type: Online seed catalog through their website only.
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, 
• Online Seed Catalog

Richters Herbs

Richters Herbs specializes in quality, non-GMO herb and vegetable seeds, live bulbs, roots, and plants. In their Collosso collection, they also offer large herb and vegetable plants in gallon-sized pots.

You can also find everything herbal! From dried herbs to herbal oils, and even herbal books! 

• Specialties: Herb and vegetable seeds
• Location: Goodwood, Ontario, Canada
• Type: Herb and vegetable seeds and plants
•  
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO
• Request a Richters Herbs Seeds Catalog
• Richters Herbs Digital Catalog

Sand Hill Preservation Center

Plant breeder Glenn Drowns selects and breeds his own new varieties at Sand Hill Preservation Center, like a 73-day watermelon Blacktail Mountain that ripens even when summer lows dip into the 40’s

A preservation center rather than a business, Sand Hill Preservation Center makes its “first and primary goal is for the genetic preservation of both seeds and poultry.”  They’re an old-fashioned operation that doesn’t take credit cards or online orders, and everything must be sent by paper mail.

This is one of the few places where the catalog is not in fact free.  To obtain a catalog, you must send a snail mail request with $5 enclosed and then you’ll get $5 off your order when it’s placed.  Understandable, as a small mom and pop operation, they can’t afford unlimited free catalog expenses. 

Their entire catalog is available for download online for free though.

• Specialties: Heirloom vegetable, tubers and poultry
• Location: Calamus, IA (USA)
• Type: Seed & Poultry Catalog
• Pictures: No
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, some organic.
• View Sand Hill Preservation Catalog Online

Seed Savers Exchange

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization that has worked to preserve 20,000+ rare and heirloom seeds in their seed bank. Through their conservation efforts, they’re able to share many of these heirloom seeds with us all. 

They offer many organic and conventional heirloom and rare vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. All of which are non-GMO. 

• Specialties: Heirloom vegetable, herbs, and flowers
• Location: Decorah, IW
• Type: Seed Catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and hundreds of organic varieties.
• Request a Seed Savers Exchange Catalog

Seeds from Italy 

Seeds from Italy distributes over 450 heirloom Italian seeds from three different Italian brands. One of these brands being Franchi Seeds, Italy’s oldest family-owned seed company since 1783. They also offer garden essentials, soaps, and other Italian gifts! 

• Specialties: Heirloom Italian vegetable, herb, and flower seeds
• Location: Lawrence, KS
• Type: Italian seeds, kitchen tools, garden essentials, soaps, and kitchen towels.
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Request a Seeds from Italy Catalog

Seeds of Change

Seeds of Change carries strictly organic and non-GMO vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. They also offer a complete line of premade organic food products like rice and grains, sauces, and marinades! While they don’t have a mail order catalog, they do have a beautiful digital catalog and orders can be placed through their website. 

• Specialties: Vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
• Location: Rancho Dominquez, CA
• Type: Vegetable, herb, and flower seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and all certified organic
• Seeds of Change Digital Catalog

Select Seeds

Select Seeds specializes in hard to find flower seeds of varieties of annuals, perennials, and many heirlooms. They also offer a selection of edible and medicinal herbs and flowers, garden vegetables, and strawberries. 

• Specialties: Antique fragrant flowers, flowering vines, and rare annuals and perennials
• Location: Union, CT
• Type: Flower seed and plant catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All Non-GMO with many certified organic
• Request a Select Seeds Catalog

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange offers mostly organic and heirloom seeds introduced before 1940 and varieties that are well-suited to the Mid-Atlantic & further South in the US. They also offer organic mushrooms, medicinal herbs, books, and garden supplies.

• Specialties: Vegetables, flowers, and herbs
• Location: Mineral, VA
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All Non-GMO and mostly organic
• Request a Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Catalog

Sow True Seed

Specializing in vegetables, herbs, and flowers, most of Sow True Seed’s seeds are organic and are all non-GMO. They carry a wide selection of gardening and medicinal herb remedy books, a mushroom starter kit, and herbal remedy kits. If you’re homesteading or into herbalism, you should check out Sow True Seed!

Also, they have very many unique collections of giftable seeds like their fermentation, herbal tea, and medicinal herb collections. They even have a flower collection for each of the zodiac signs!   

• Specialties: Vegetables, herbs, and flowers
• Location: Asheville, NC
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and mostly organic
• Request a Sow True Seed Catalog

Strictly Medicinal Seeds

Formally known as Horizon Herbs, Strictly Medicinal Seeds carries medicinal herbs of all kinds. Their catalog has the largest selection of medicinal herb seeds (and plants) I’ve found anywhere, and it’s truly a great resource for the budding herbalist (and experienced herbalist too!). The descriptions contain a treasure trove of information introducing you to new medicinal plant species.

• Specialties: Organic medicinal herb and vegetable seeds
• Location: Williams, OR
• Type: Herb and vegetable catalog
• Pictures: Some black and white pictures, but not many.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Yes!
• Request a Strictly Medicinal Seeds Catalog

Sustainable Seed Co.

With over 875 varieties of organic and heirloom and some conventional seeds, Sustainable Seed Co. is a one-stop-shop for many gardeners. What makes them unique is that some of their heirloom seeds are certified organic.

They also offer tobacco, cotton, and grain seeds. While they don’t have a paper catalog, everything they carry is available for order through the online shop on their website.

• Specialties: Vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
• Location: South Salt Lake, UT
• Type: N/A
• Pictures: Quality pictures for each seed they carry on their website
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and mostly certified organic
• Sustainable Seed Co. Online Shop

Territorial Seed Company

An Oregon-based seed company founded by Steve Solomon, who is also the author of some of my favorite gardening books: The Intelligent Gardener and Gardening When It Counts.  Founded on the principle that high-quality seed can make a huge difference in the garden, they still pride themselves on providing the very best seed to their customers.  

• Specialties: Vegetable garden seed from high yielding varieties
• Location: Cottage Grove, OR (USA)
• Type: Vegetable Seed Catalog
• Pictures: Some, but not every variety.
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Some organic varieties, but not many.
• Request a Territorial Seeds Catalog

Timeless-Tomatoes

Timeless-Tomatoes offers only unusual and vintage tomato and pepper variety seeds. While they don’t have a print catalog, everything they carry is available in their online shop on their website. 

• Specialties: Unusual and vintage tomato varieties
• Location: Wilber, NE
• Type: N/A
• Pictures: Pictures for each variety on their website
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Shop Timeless Tomatoes Online Catalog

TomatoFest

TomatoFest is one of the only family-owned companies to sell all certified organic and heirloom tomato varieties. They now offer organic herb and flower seeds, as well. While they no longer have a paper catalog, you can order everything they sell through their online shop on their website!

• Specialties: Organic heirloom tomatoes
• Location: Little River, CA
•  
• Type: N/A
• Pictures: Pictures of every variety on their website
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and all certified organic
• Shop the TomatoFest Online Catalog

Tomato Growers Supply Company

All of Tomato Growers Supply Company’s seeds come from natural hybrid or open-pollinated heirloom varieties that are non-GMO. Their paper catalog contains many tomato varieties, hot chiles, sweet peppers, tomatillos, and eggplants, plus garden supplies, and gardening books.

• Specialties: Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant
• Location: Fort Myers, FL
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Unclear
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All Non-GMO and conventional
• Request a Tomato Growers Supply Co. Seeds Catalog

Totally Tomatoes

Totally Tomatoes carries all non-GMO tomato and pepper plants and seeds. They also offer vegetable seeds and several fruits. Everything they sell can be ordered through their website or paper catalog.

• Specialties: Tomato plants and seeds
• Location: Randolph, WI (USA)
• Type: Seed and plant catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All Non-GMO and conventional
• Request a Totally Tomatoes Seeds Catalog

Twilley Seed

With the stated goal of helping you grow the world’s best vegetables, Twilley seed caries high-yielding hybrid seed at wholesale prices.  From what I can tell, they’re largely a supplier to small-scale market farmers but home gardeners can get the benefits by ordering too.

• Specialties: Market Garden Hybrid Vegetables
   
• Location: Hodges, SC (USA)
• Type: Wholesale vegetable seed
• Pictures: No
• Non-GMO/Organic?: No
• Request a Twilley Seed Catalog

Urban Farmer

Starting with only ten seed varieties in 2008, Urban Farmer now produces over a thousand non-GMO (some certified organic) seed varieties, as well as bulbs, plants, and garden supplies.  

• Specialties: Vegetables, herbs, and flowers
• Location: Westfield, IN (USA)
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Unclear, but there are pictures for everything they offer on their website
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and some organic
• Request an Urban Farmer Seeds Catalog

Vermont Bean Seed Company

While specializing in bean seeds, Vermont Bean Seed Company also carries many vegetable seeds and plants, as well as some fruits and garden supplies. All their seeds and plants are non-GMO and conventional.

• Specialties: Beans
• Location: Fair Haven, VT (USA)
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes, but not for every variety
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Non-GMO and conventional
• Request a Vermont Been Seed Company Catalog

Veseys

Veseys has been providing quality, non-GMO seeds since 1939. In addition to vegetable and flower seeds, they also sell bulbs, herbs, some fruit, garden tools, and other accessories. So many bulbs that they even have a separate catalog for just their bulb varieties. 

• Specialties: Vegetables, flowers, and bulbs
• Location: York, Prince Edward Island (Canada)
• Type: Two separate catalogs: seed catalog and bulb catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and some certified organic
• Request a Veseys Seeds and Bulbs & Perennial Catalogs

West Coast Seeds

West Coast Seeds carries high-quality, non-GMO seeds, some of which are organic, however they also have many conventional varieties. At this time, they don’t have a paper catalog, but they do have a well-done website that makes it easy to shop from!

• Specialties: Vegetables, herbs, and flowers 
• Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)
• Type: N/A
• Pictures: Pictures of every variety on their website
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO, mostly organic
• West Coast Seeds Online Shop

Wildseed Farms

Wildseed Farms specializes in everything wildflowers. Daisies, poppies, lupine, and many more! Their website and catalog are organized in such a way that it makes it very easy to navigate wildflower varieties specific to your own region.

• Specialties: Wildflowers
• Location: Fredericksburg, TX (USA)
• Type: Wildflower Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: Neither
• Request a Wildseed Farms Seed Catalog

Wood Prairie Farm

For over 40 years, Wood Prairie Farm has specialized in high-quality, certified organic potatoes that are all non-GMO. They also carry organic vegetable and herb seeds, as well as, gardening books, supplies, gifts, and organic fertilizer.

• Specialties: Certified organic Maine potatoes
• Location: Bridgewater, ME
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Not many
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO and certified organic
• Request a Wood Prairie Farm Seeds Catalog

Willhite Seed

For 100 years, Willhite Seed has provided quality vegetable and melon seeds. They also offer beans, herbs, peppers, peas, and watermelons. All of which is non-GMO.    

• Specialties: Vegetables and melons
• Location: Poolville, TX
• Type: Seed catalog
• Pictures: Yes!
• Non-GMO/Organic?: All non-GMO
• Request a Willhite Seed Catalog

Free Nursery Catalogs

Nursery catalogs primarily focused on selling perennial plant stock.  While seed catalogs ship all year, nursery catalogs generally have a hard cutoff in late winter or early spring so that the plants can be shipped while dormant. 

This may vary by location, and warmer climates may be able to receive plants all year long.  Since most are perennials, be extra careful to check the hardiness zones for each variety.  (Find your hardiness zone here) 

Many dwarf plants like Meyer lemon trees and even cacao trees can be grown indoors year-round even in the coldest climates with proper care, but be sure you have adequate space for the full-sized plants.  They’re always so tiny and cute when they arrive, just like tiny puppies…but they do grow!

Annie’s Annuals & Perennials

Annie’s Annuals and Perennials specialize in rare and unusual annual & perennial plants, including cottage garden heirlooms & hard to find California native wildflowers.  

• Specialties: rare and unusual perennial plants
• Location: Richmond, CA (USA)
• Type: Perennial Plants
• Pictures: Unclear
• Request an Annie’s Annuals Catalog

Bluestone Perennials

Focusing on flowering shrubs, bulbs and ornamental grasses, Bluestone Perennials sells everything to make your yard both beautiful and pollinator-friendly.  

• Specialties: flowering shrubs, bulbs and ornamental grasses
• Location: Madison, OH (USA)
• Type: Flower Nursery Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Bluestone Perennials Catalog

Burnt Ridge Nursery & Orchards

A permaculture gardener’s paradise!  I really love this catalog for the sheer variety of edible and fruiting perennial plants.  There are no pictures, but some of the varieties in here really can’t be found elsewhere.

• Specialties: Perennial Plants, Fruit Trees, and Nut Trees
• Location: Onalaska, WA (USA)
• Type: Perennial Fruiting Plant Catalog
• Pictures: No
• Request a Burnt Ridge Nursery Catalog

Chief River Nursery

More of a forester’s nursery, Chief River Nursery sells forest trees in convenient plant plugs.  Want to put in an arborvitae hedge, line your walk with a dozen linden trees or plant 100+ cedar trees?  This is the place to find them.

• Specialties: Tree seedlings
   
• Location: Grafton, WI (USA)
• Type: Tree Nursery
• Pictures: Online, but few in print catalog.
• Request a Chief River Nursery Catalog

Fedco Trees

One of my very favorite nursery catalogs, and we dependably order from them every year.  Fedco trees has plenty of unique fruiting plants, hundreds of varieties of heirloom fruit trees and medicinal shrubs too.  For the flower lovers, they’ve even got landscape plants.

Fedco has three different plant and seed catalogs in all, an annual seed catalog listed above and a specific fall bulb catalog listed below in the bulbs section.  All three can be requested at the same time on their website.

• Specialties: Edible fruiting plants, but also flowers and herbs.
• Location: Clinton, ME
• Type: Perennial Plant Catalog
• Pictures: No, the catalog is in black and white, but has some of the best descriptions and planting wisdom anywhere.
• Request a Fedco Trees Nursery Catalog

Gilbert H. Wild & Son’s

Claiming to be the countries largest supplier of Daylilies, Irises, and Peonies, they specialize in all manner of landscape perennials.

• Specialties: Daylilies, Irises, and Peonies
• Location: Reeds, MO (USA)
• Type: Perennial Flower Catalog
• Pictures: Yes, Online Catalog.
• View Online Catalog

Greenwood Nursery

Greenwood nursery carries a wide variety of landscape plants and a few fruiting shrubs.

• Specialties: A wide variety of landscape plants and a few fruiting shrubs.
• Location: McMinnville, TN (USA)
•  
• Type: Online Plant Nursery
• Pictures: Yes, online catalog.
• View Online Catalog

Jackson & Perkins

While I’ve never been much of a rose gardener, both my mother and grandmother order from this catalog every year.  While they’re world-famous for their roses, they also sell other flowers, trees, and shrubs, as well as supplies and gifts.

• Specialties: Hybrid Roses
• Location: Little Newark, NY (USA)
• Type: Rose Nursery Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Jackson and Perkins Nursery Catalog

Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery

A specialty provider of peonies, daylilies, and shade-tolerant perennials. 

• Specialties: peonies, daylilies, and shade-tolerant perennials
• Location: Avalon, WI
• Type: Perennial Plant Nursery
• Pictures: Yes, online catalog
•  
• View Online Nursery Catalog

Logee’s Tropical Plants

A source of fruiting, rare and tropical plants for indoor gardening (and outdoor gardening in warm locations).  While they’re mostly focused on tropical plants, they do have a selection of unique hardy fruiting plants like pawpaw, persimmon, and lingonberries.

• Specialties: Rare Tropical Plants
• Location: Danielson, CT (USA)
• Type: Nursery Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Logee’s Nursery Catalog

Mountain Crest Gardens

Not your everyday nursery, Mountain crest gardens only sells cactus and succulents.  A great source of succulents for desert gardening as well as hardy indoor houseplants.

• Specialties: Cactus and Succulents
• Location: Fort Jones, Ca
• Type: cactus catalog
• Pictures: yes
• View Online Catalog

Nature Hills Nursery

With a huge selection of trees, shrubs, and plants, Nature Hills Nursery markets themselves as America’s Largest Online Plant Nursery.  Their catalog is entirely online, but it’s easy to sort by type (shade tree, fruiting shrub, etc) and you can sort by hardiness zone as well.

• Specialties: Everything!
• Location: Omaha, NE
• Type: Online Nursery
• Pictures: Yes
• View Online Catalog

Prairie Moon Nursery

Marketing themselves as a source of native plants for gardening and restoration, prairie moon nursery focuses on plants originally from the US.  The belief is that native plants do more to promote healthy ecosystems and support native pollinators, whether planted in the home garden or in large landscape plantings.

They carry unique varieties of native plants that cannot really be found for sale in most nursery catalogs, including wild ramp seeds, native milkweed strains and more.  They’re a great option for permaculturists and ecologically minded gardeners.  

• Specialties: Native Plant Species
• Location: Winona, MN (USA)
• Type: Plants and Seed
• Pictures: Yes!  Their catalog is stunning!
• Request a Prairie Moon Nursery Catalog

Prairie Nursery

While I’ve long been familiar with Prairie Moon Nursery, I came across a separate Prarie Nursery as well.  They seem to be in the same niche, selling many of the same native plant varieties. 

I hope to try them out this year so I can report back with more details, but they seem like a great source for native plant gardeners and permaculturists as well.

• Specialties: Native Plant Varieties
• Location: Westfield, WI (USA)
• Type: Native plants and seed
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Prairie Nursery Catalog

Raintree Nursery

A source of both common and unique fruiting plants, I was particularly excited to find Raintree Nursery.  They carry a lot of the plants we hope to put into our permaculture orchard eventually, with an impressive selection of varieties.

If you’re at all permaculture-minded, I’d heartily recommend them. 

• Specialties: Unique varieties of fruiting trees and shrubs
• Location: Morton, WA (USA)
• Type: Unique Fruiting Plants Nursery Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Raintree Nursery Catalog

Stark Bro’s

Specializing in edible trees and shrubs, stark brothers sells many varieties of fruit trees for the home garden.  They have many dwarf varieties available for backyard gardeners, as well as container-friendly selections. 

We’ve had great luck with their selections, and they sell a number of unique varieties.

• Specialties: Fruiting Trees
• Location: Louisiana, MO (USA)
• Type: Fruit Tree Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Stark Brother’s Nursery Catalog

Tennessee Wholesale Nursery

As the name implies, they’re an online wholesale nursery located in Tennessee.  They focus mostly on attractive trees, shrubs, and groundcovers, but they also have sections for wetland plantings, habitat restoration, and a few berry bushes as well. 

If you’re looking to create an attractive landscape with an ecological mindset for the birds and the bees, this is a good nursery catalog choice.

• Specialties: Wholesale trees and Shrubs
• Location: Tennessee, USA
• Type: Landscape Nursery
• Pictures: Pictures available online
• Request a Tennessee Wholesale Nursery Catalog

Wayside Gardens

With the goal of helping you plan an outdoor oasis, wayside gardens focus on trees, shrubs, bulbs, and plant starts for many stunning flower varieties.  Create multiple levels in the garden by adding in shrubs and trees, and even sneak in a few attractive edibles like rhubarb, fig, and blueberry.

• Specialties: Flowering plants and shrubs, with some edibles
• Location: Hodges, SC (USA)
• Type: Flower and Shrub Catalog
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a Wayside Gardens Nursery Catalog

White Flower Farm

Unlike many of the other flower catalogs, white’s flower farm focuses on indoor flower gardening and bulbs.  They have supplies, plants, bulbs, and seed to create incredible tabletop displays with plants like amaryllis, paperwhites, lavender, and hyacinth.

• Specialties: Indoor flower gardening
• Location: Litchfield, CT (USA)
• Type: Indoor flower gardening & bulbs
• Pictures: Yes
• Request a White’s Flower Farm Nursery Catalog

Specialty Garden Catalogs

There are plenty of options beyond just seeds and nursery stock.  Specialty bulb catalogs come out for both spring-planted and fall-planted bulbs. 

Water gardening isn’t just beautiful, it can be a source of perennial food crops for permaculture enthusiasts.  And while they’re not quite a plant, mushrooms can be grown in the garden with ease!

Bulb Catalogs

• Brent and Becky’s Bulbs
• Fedco Bulbs
• John Scheepers, Inc.
• Old House Gardens
• Michigan Bulb
• Tulip World
• Van Bougondien
• Van Engelen Inc.
• White’s Flower Farm

Mushroom Cultivation Catalogs

As they become more popular as backyard crops, homegrown mushroom supply catalogs are multiplying.  We grow our own shiitake mushrooms from plug spawn on hardwood logs, and there are plenty of options for compost, straw and sawdust cultivation too!

• Field and Forest Products
• Fungi Perfect

A few others don’t have print catalogs, but lovely online selections.  Namely Northern Spore, Mushroom People, and Fungi Alley.

Water Garden Catalogs

While water gardening can mean a small koi pond in the backyard, it can also mean growing food and landscape plants on a large homestead pond.  We’ve planted calamus, blue flag, cattails and American Lotus in our large pond and we hope to expand our pond cultivation in the coming year.  

• Lilypons Water Gardens

Gardening Supply Catalogs

Not exactly sources of seeds or plants, but a great resource for garden supplies.

• Gardener’s Supply Co.

What are your favorite seed companies?  Who do you come back to every year, and who are you trying out for the first time?

Did I miss any of your favorites?  Leave me a note in the comments.