Don't listen to the people saying you don't have the proper gardening
skills.

Park Seed used to be a #1 company. In the last few years, they have
deteriorated badly. Low or in many cases zero germination, seed counts
vastly lower than what is labeled on the package, and I'm hearing
reports of low quality or sickly plants even after the seeds
germinate. For now, I'd recommend staying away from them.

Here are some seed companies that I'd highly recommend. Using one or
more of them you can also solve the problem of not having a good
selection. This is in my order of preference:

-------------------------

http://www.johnnyseeds.com - Top quality, very high germination,
newest breeds and strains offered, photos of every plant.

http://www.reneesgarden.com - More limited selection, but that's due
to very high quality plants. Illustrations of all plants.

http://www.gardentrails.com - Sells Botanical Interests and Mr.
Fothergills. Excellent service, excellent quality seed, broad
selection, pictures or illustration of most plants.

http://www.stokesseeds.com - Haven't had a lot of experience with
them, but I hear good things about good germination and quality. At
times site can be slow. Many plants are lacking pictures. VERY broad
selection.

http://www.burpee.com - Classic and well known supplier, you can now
order their seeds from their site. I hear good things about quality
and germination. One person I know planted Park and Burpee this year,
he said that all of his Burpee seeds germinated, while about two
thirds of his Park seeds germinated. Pictures of every plant.

http://www.veseys.com - Another site I don't have any experience with
but have heard good things about. Photos of every plant.

http://www.chilternseeds.com - Classic seed seller from the UK. They
ship to the USA. Good quality seed and germination. Broad selection.
Lacking photos of most plants, both on their site and in their
catalog. They are starting to add photos, but there really needs to be
more.

-------------------------

Companies to avoid in addition to Park include eseeds.com (there are
reports of poor customer service, frequent shipping "substitutions,"
and low germination), and mckenzieseeds.com (reports of low seed count
and low to zero germination).

Hope that helps!

-Mort



Gary Hancock came out of the closet to say:

I ordered from Park Seed last year for the first time for this year's
planting season, because I kept hearing so many good things about
them.

I planted about 10 different vanities. Of all of them, 8 types
germinated. The Rudbeckia Goldsturm and Viola Midnights had a ZERO
percent germination. I mean NOT ONE SEED grew. The other 8 grew fine.
The Rudbeckia and Viola are all in the same soil and in the exact same
conditions as the other 8 types, so I know I'm not doing anything
wrong. All the seed packets were stored together in a cool dry place.

Secondly, over half of the seed types I ordered last year have been
removed and are now no longer sold by Park Seed. So, if you buy from
them and like what grows one year, you don't have the reliability of
ordering again the next year.

I was quite surprised by these problems, these are the typical
problems that places like Michigan Bulb has. I ordered from Park to
avoid those problems, as I have read nothing but good things about
them online.