THE Most Beautiful Seed Catalog on the Planet

Whoopee!  After no mail delivery last Thursday and Friday due to Snowmageddon, I was so happy to see the mailman yesterday.  That's especially true since he brought me a very special delivery that I've been waiting on - my 2013 Landreth Seeds catalog.

Folks, if you haven't seen a Landreth's catalog, you haven't seen a seed catalog.  I talked about this when I got my first copy last year, but I think this 229-year-old seed company has clearly outdone themselves this year.  Look at that cover!  That's an original image from the 1930's and the catalog is full of these type of beautiful, historic illustrations and photographs - they're so beautiful that you could frame them and put them on your wall (if you can bring yourself to tear up the catalog!)  The cost for this beauty?  Just $5.00.

Among the pictures, you're sure to learn from the historical information that's provided.  Here's an example:

"Melons are native to the continent of Africa. Many wild forms of melons and watermelons can still be found there today. Though it is not known when melons were first cultivated, it is believed that prehistoric man may have gathered and saved the seeds of the sweetest melons, and this practice led to cultivation. Seeds and wall paintings found in Egyptian tombs indicate that melons and watermelons were under cultivation in Egypt at least 4000 years ago....Columbus brought melons to the New world on his second voyage..By the 16th century, melons were being cultivated in North and South America."

Interesting, huh?  I had no idea that what we normally refer to as cantaloupes are actually muskmelons.  Did you?

This year' catalog was accompanied by a separate catalog that highlights Landreth's heirloom bulb collection and is full of antique watercolors of many of the flower bulbs that they carry.  I flipped through this and am realizing that I'm going to have to spend some time looking at the 24+ varieties of garlic.

Well, this is the last piece in the puzzle for my garden planning this year.  I guess I have to get serious now, even as the snow lies deep on the ground.  On the heels of 9 inches of snow 4 days ago and a light meltoff today, they're forecasting another 12 inches starting tomorrow night!  Sounds like I might have another work-at-home day on Tuesday, so I'll be spending my "lunch break" on the sofa with hot chocolate and the Landreth's catalog.

If you are looking for seeds for your garden or flower bed this year, I hope you'll consider Landreths. There are so many companies failing right now and I can't bear to think of this company, the 5th oldest corporation in America, being dealt the same fate.  For goodness sake, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington both bought seed from Landreths.  Let's keep this American treasure alive!

 

I've shared this post with this week's Barn Hop. Go check out what other folks are up to over there!