13 Best Places to Shop for Seeds and Garden Plants, Vetted by a Gardening Expert

2. Bonnie Plants

Shop for live vegetables and herbs, such as popular Celebrity, Early Girl and Cherokee tomato varieties, hot banana peppers, eggplants and herbs such as parsley, cilantro and dill. There’s a large selection of old favorites, but you’ll also find newer varieties, such as shishito peppers, one of my favorite easy-to-grow peppers that produces loads and loads of fruit. You can plan and plant your entire veggie garden from this site.

• Good to know: There’s no delay-shipping option, so you’ll need to wait until it’s warm enough to plant in your region before ordering because they ship immediately. 

3. The Burpee Company

This is one of my favorite companies for garden planning and planting. They sell seeds, bare root plants, bulbs and live plants, including herbs, veggies, perennials and flowers, and gardening supplies. Their adjustable 12-in-1 galvanized raised bed is one of my favorites and still looks new strong after three hard, snowy winters in my garden.  

• Good to know: Get on the mailing list so you’re notified of sales, such as BOGO and free shipping offers. They’ll ship bulbs, bare roots and live plants when it’s time to plant in your area.

5. Fast Growing Trees

This site offers trees, shrubs and perennials, but their selection of hard-to-find trees is especially good. I ordered a 6-foot-tall standard form hydrangea I couldn’t find locally, and it was packaged so well that it arrived in perfect condition.

• Good to know: Although some of the perennials are priced higher than other sites (unless you catch them on sale), selection is good across the board. However, trees are their strong point on this site.

8. Jackson and Perkins

Jackson and Perkins has been selling roses for a very long time (150 years!), so the company knows a thing or two about these plants. The brand likely has whatever rose your heart desires from petite varieties to old-school rambling roses. I rely on them for their selection of climbing roses.

• Good to know: Their roses often are available as bare roots in the spring, which makes them easier to ship. Other roses are offered in containers.

9. Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Johnny’s offers an extensive of vegetable, flower and herb seeds, as well as some berry plants and seed garlic. The company is a favorite of farmers, but it also has a huge following among serious gardeners. It’s one of my favorite places to order heirloom seeds and seed garlic for fall planting.

• Good to know: Order early because many popular varieties sell out quickly.

10. Logee’s

If you’re looking for fruiting, rare or tropical plants, Logee’s is the best in the business. You’ll find edibles here that you won’t see anywhere else, including avocado trees, Australian finger limes, papayas, bananas and bay leaf plants. But they also carry a nice selection of edibles, such as figs, that can be grown outside the warmer hardiness zones.

• Good to know:  Read the descriptions carefully because pot sizes vary but are typically small (4-inches).

11. Longfield Gardens

Longfield Gardens has some of the best-quality bulbs you will find, whether you’re looking for spring bloomers such as daffodils, summer bloomers such as lilies, or late summer and fall bloomers such as dahlias. I find they have great quality at excellent prices, and they carry some of my favorite lesser-known bulbs such as peacock orchids and pineapple lilies. They do offer a small selection of perennials and shrubs, but I find these much more expensive than other nurseries.

• Good to know: They will ship at the time when it’s best for planting in your area.

13. White Flower Farm

As a family business for 75 years, White Flower Farm has an outstanding reputation for supplying gardeners with beautiful annuals, perennials, shrubs and vines. They offer a small selection of hard-to-find edibles, too. I like them best for perennials you can’t find elsewhere and annuals, such as verbena bonariensis, that are hard to find.

• Good to know: They ship when it’s time to plant in your area, so you can order any time.