Gardening Services Guide

For some novice gardeners, gardening supply might simply be a few hand tools, a few pots, some soil and fertilizer. Some novice gardeners might be intimidated even by those few items. They may wonder around in a garden store, wondering what all the strange looking items do, and how they can be helpful (or not) for one specific garden. For many gardeners, however, the thought of a new gardening supply catalogue, or being left in a gardening supply store with some disposable income, is almost like leaving a six year old in a toy store.

There are a variety of different kinds of gardens. Some gardens are large, with several kinds of plants that span across two or three seasons. Some gardens are small, with only two or three different plants. Some gardens are smaller still. These gardens may be window box containers, hanging baskets or even dish “gardens” which hold a variety of small plants

Many gardeners look forward to the new catalogues that get sent out at the beginning of the year. Each catalogue tries to outdo the competition, and their own history, with bigger catalogues of better products and slicker ads. Experienced gardeners may know that all the slick ads don’t guarantee the lush products they advertise, but many enjoy looking at the gardening supply catalogues.

Generally, before a gardener starts receiving the catalogues, the gardener has visited the local garden supply center. Depending on the size of the community, there may be many garden centers, or there may be just one place that is the source of all gardening supply dreams.

Local garden centers will usually be staffed by people who know gardening and/or farming (depending on the area) and understand the differences between the two processes. The staff will also be familiar with the area and be able to explain why one particular item may be inappropriate for gardening in that area. The staff will know what plants are best in the area, how and when to plant them and what gardening supply needs those plants have. Many people may never need to have any source of gardening supply other than their favorite garden center.

Others find that the yearly catalogues are “the stuff of dreams”. The catalogues can advertise a list of plants that no single garden store can offer, mostly because those plants won’t grow in that area. That doesn’t really mean much, when the outside winds are howling, the snow is almost blizzard-like, but the gardener is inside, warm and cozy, leafing through the most recent gardening supply catalogue.