Over the years, I have ordered plants and bulbs from hundreds of different sources across the country and the following are the ones that I love and highly recommend. You can find more information about each one of them below, plus a few wholesale-only businesses that we love.

BULBS

Adelman Peony Gardens
Over the years, I’ve ordered hundreds of roots from this family-run operation in Oregon and have been thrilled with the quality and selection. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting their farm in Salem, and if you get the chance to visit during peak flower (mid-May through June), it’s well worth making the trip. If you want to learn how to grow peonies from the very best, be sure to get a copy of Carol Adelman’s book Peony: The Best Varieties for Your Garden. While you’re there, be sure to visit Schreiner’s Iris Gardens, which is in bloom at the same time and just right down the road.

Brent & Becky’s Bulbs
This family-owned company in Gloucester, Virginia offers a great selection of fall- and spring-planted bulbs as well as a selection of perennial plants. Brent and Becky wrote a comprehensive book all about daffodils and one about tulips, which are my all-time favorite books on the subject. 

The Flower Hat
Our friend Julio at The Flower Hat in Bozeman, Montana offers a nice selection of anemone and ranunculus corms specifically for cut flowers in quantities perfect for home gardeners each fall. He also carries tulip bulbs and dahlia tubers. You can sign up for his newsletter to be the first to know when they become available. 

John Scheepers
One of the oldest bulb producers in the country, John Scheepers has a great selection of all types of bulbs, from tulips and narcissus to hard-to-find treasures. They also have great bulb collections grouped by color and their paper catalog is such a treat. 

Leo Berbee Bulb Company
This long-standing company in Ohio offers a nice collection of all types of bulbs for fall and spring planting. Bulbs are sold in larger quantities and are wholesale only, so you’ll need to have an account to shop with them. If you’re wanting larger quantities, they are a great place to go. 

The Lily Garden
Finding this source was one of the most exciting discoveries I made in 2024! This company located in Woodland, Washington, specializes in rare and hardy lilies. Owner Judith Freeman has been hybridizing lilies for more than 40 years and has curated the most incredible selection, many of which I’ve never seen before. In addition to all types of lilies, including Asiatic, Oriental, Trumpet, Orientpet, and Martagon, Judith and her partner Niels also offer a rainbow of fritillaria and crocosmia. They also have the ability to ship internationally.

Mid-America Garden
I stumbled upon this plant-filled wonderland at the end of a long and winding road near Schreiner’s Iris Gardens the last time we were in Oregon. Owners Thomas Johnson and Kirk Hansen run two different businesses—Sebright Gardens, which offers shade-tolerant plants, and their iris nursery, Mid-America Garden. Their iris breeding field had the most beautiful colors and combinations I’ve ever seen before and I’m quite positive they offer the most beautiful irises in the world! If you’re in Oregon in May, it’s absolutely worth the visit. Be sure to check the Mid-America site for directions and instructions. I will definitely be going back this spring.

PHS Daffodils
Jason Delaney is a daffodil and daylily breeder located in southern Illinois who has been hybridizing new cultivars since 1990. He maintains an incredible collection of 3,500 narcissus varieties and his offering rotates each year. So far, I’ve gotten more than 100 cultivars from Jason and I continue to add more each season. Bulbs for rare varieties are very expensive, but I’ve never been disappointed once I see them flower in April. If you’re sticking to a budget, check for his field line-outs, which are bulb crates filled with smaller, leftover bulbs, typically 30 individually bagged and labeled cultivars. He always sells out fast, so be sure to sign up for his newsletter to get up-to-date availability information.

Roozengaarde
This long-standing family-run operation is the largest tulip producer in the Skagit Valley with over 1,000 acres in production. During the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, you can visit their beautiful 3-acre display garden. They offer a nice selection of standard and novelty varieties in their mail-order shop. 

Schreiner’s Iris Gardens
One of the oldest iris farms in the country, the Schreiner family has been cultivating 100 acres of irises for four generations. They are known for their vast section, personable customer service, and amazing quality. Their 10-acre display garden is one of the best I’ve seen, chock full of the most stunning bearded irises and glorious perennials you can imagine. It’s a true bucket list experience, one of those things you just need to see in your lifetime. If you get the chance, I highly recommend going—May is their peak flowering month and the perfect time to visit. While you’re there, be sure to visit Adelman Peony Gardens, which is in bloom at the same time and just down the road. 

PLANTS

Perennials

Bluebird Nursery
I have been a loyal fan and customer of this wonderful mail-order wholesale nursery since my early days of flower farming. Located in Nebraska, Bluebird offers a massive selection (nearly 1,500 varieties!) of specialty perennials, native plants, herbs, and vines along with vernalized (cold-treated) biennials. One thing to note is that they only sell to the trade (you must have a business license to order), but if you’re looking for amazing plants in volume, they are worth reaching out to. They also have an awesome full-color print catalog that is filled with loads of helpful information. We sourced nearly all of the plants for our pollinator strip project from them.

Digging Dog Nursery
This delightful retail and mail-order plant nursery located on California’s Mendocino Coast has been offering an array of perennials, grasses, shrubs, trees, and vines for the past 30 years. I’ve been incredibly impressed by their perennial selection that features both tried-and-true varieties and impossible-to-source treasures, including grasses and interesting textural elements like sanguisorba, thalictrum, and veronicastrum. If you love Piet Oudolf, you’ll find many of his favorite plants here.

Farmer Bailey
Flower farmer Bailey Hale spent many years growing in Vermont and traveled the world in search of the best flower varieties for cutting. He started his custom plug brokerage, Farmer Bailey, with the goal of providing small- and medium-sized growers with the specialty varieties they were looking for. The company offers a tremendous variety of plugs and plants (including lisianthus, campanula, foxglove, pansies, and Iceland poppies to name a few) from multiple sources. To view all of the offerings, you’ll need to set up an account via the website, and while you’re there, be sure to read his helpful growing guides and cultural resources.

Geraniaceae
This obscure little nursery started in 1983 is located in Marin County California, and they specialize in geraniums of all kinds, primarily rare and heirloom varieties. Their selection includes hardy perennial geraniums, scented geraniums grown for foliage (which I love using in arrangements), and an incredible array of other types. Because their availability varies greatly from week to week, their ordering system is a little bit different. To place an order, simply select the plants you’d like. When they arrive you’ll receive an invoice with the amount to pay, add the cost of postage on the outside of the box, and send the funds via PayPal.

Prairie Moon Nursery
This Minnesota-based company has the largest native plant collection in the U.S. available to retail customers. They offer a wide range of wildflower and meadow seeds, along with potted and bare root plants that ship out in late summer and autumn. You can order small three-packs or 38- to 50-plug trays of single species. If you’re interested in starting a pollinator-friendly garden, they sell two different sizes of Potted Garden Kits that come with perennial plugs and a planting plan. Sunflower Steve told me about this amazing company, and I’m thrilled to now have a recommended source for native prairie plants.

Clematis

Brushwood Nursery
I only recently discovered this delightful family-owned mail-order nursery that specializes in clematis and other flowering vines. Located in Georgia, Brushwood has a fantastic selection of specialty varieties that I haven’t seen elsewhere, including many newer introductions from Europe.

Donahue’s Greenhouse
Located in Faribault, Minnesota, this family-run business is one of the largest clematis growers in the country—they ship over 700,000 plants each year! Their mail-order website features a fantastic selection of different types, all organized by color. They sell their varieties in 3-in pots which makes them quite affordable and lightweight to ship. If you want to grow larger quantities, they also offer wholesale pricing. I’ve been continually impressed by Donahue’s quality and customer service and it’s no wonder they’ve been in business for more than 50 years.

Chrysanthemums 

3 Porch Farm
This Georgia-based flower farm owned by Mandy and Steve O’Shea does it all. They offer fresh-cut flowers grown on their farm and shipped nationwide during the spring and autumn months, they have a lovely offering of seeds, and have started selling chrysanthemum plants from their collection of heirloom varieties. One of the things I love most about 3 Porch Farm is Mandy and Steve’s commitment to sustainability in all aspects of their business. For example, all three of their delivery vehicles run on waste vegetable oil, and their house and farm are 100 percent solar-powered.

Goose Creek Gardens, Ltd.
Goose Creek Gardens is a family-run flower farm located in Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh. Their operation is a true family affair—Kate Dagnal helps run the business alongside her parents Margie and Mark, who started the farm 20 years ago. In addition to offering fresh cut flowers and dahlia tubers, they have recently expanded into rooted chrysanthemum cuttings and have a great selection of varieties you won’t find anywhere else. I met Kate at one of the very first workshops I taught in 2013 and it has been so much fun to watch her and her business grow over the years.

Harmony Harvest Farm
Alongside their families, sisters Stephanie and Jessica run two fantastic businesses. Floral Genius, the only U.S. manufacturer of high-quality flower frogs and hairpin holders, has allowed countless floral designers to leave floral foam behind and embrace sustainable floral design. In addition to growing cut flowers on their farm, which they ship nationwide, these hysterical ladies are embarking on their next big adventure, offering hundreds of heirloom chrysanthemum cultivars to gardeners around the country. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter to learn more.   

King’s Mums
Located in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, King’s Mums specializes in heirloom chrysanthemums. Due to unprecedented demand for their offerings, you have to get on a waitlist to become a customer. Visit their website for more information. 

Roses

The Antique Rose Emporium
This long-standing Texas-based nursery has some of the best customer service around. They have a very unique offering that features more than 350 rare and hard-to-find antique varieties, including their Texas Pioneer rose series, which is a line of carefree, repeat-blooming varieties with an old-world quality.  

Angel Gardens
I have found some really special varieties from this Florida-based mail-order nursery and love visiting their website for the pictures alone. Angel Gardens offers more than 1,000 antique and modern roses and uses organic growing practices in their production.

Burlington Rose Nursery
Owner Burling Leong maintains a large collection of rare and hard-to-find roses and has been one of my go-to sources when trying to track down rare, coveted varieties. To get a list of her most current availability list, email [email protected]. 

Christianson’s Nursery
If you live in western Washington, this family-run nursery has a tremendous selection of potted roses (including many heirloom and hard-to-find treasures) that go on sale in January. While they don’t ship their plants, if you’re within driving distance it’s well worth the trip, and be sure to visit in June to see their English-style rose garden in full bloom—it’s a sight to behold!  

David Austin Roses
If you’ve grown roses for any length of time, chances are that you’ve fallen in love with the David Austin varieties, which are known for their old-fashioned-looking blooms that come in a wide range of soft colors and are generally repeat-blooming. I have been collecting David Austin roses for years and if you ever come across some of his older varieties, be sure to snatch them up because they are no longer being commercially propagated. 

Freedom Gardens
Peter Schneider is a rose collector, importer, and author who has maintained the Combined Rose List, a book of 17,000 different roses and where to find them, since 1992. If you’re looking for rare rose varieties, the book includes hundreds of mail-order sources from all over the world. You can purchase a copy for $34 on his website. Peter maintains a huge collection of very rare and hard-to-find roses and does custom propagation. I’m on the list for a number of treasures, including some impossible-to-find old David Austin varieties. I also discovered he offers a wide range of historic lilacs, too! My collection has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to Peter and his preservation efforts.

The Friends of Vintage Roses
This Sebastopol, California-based nonprofit maintains one of the largest private collections of roses in the world and was originally started by Gregg Lowery and Philip Robinson. Each year, they propagate thousands of cuttings that are sent to curators, collectors, and public gardens devoted to preserving these special plants. Twice yearly they offer the extra plants from their propagation efforts for sale to the public (local pickup only). You can find the availability list on their website. You can read a full interview with Gregg Lowery here.

Grace Rose Farm
Gracelinda Poulson started growing roses in 2015 to honor her late grandmother. Not long after she was inundated with requests to ship her coveted varieties to designers all over the country. Now, in addition to shipping fresh-cut roses, California-based Grace Rose Farm offers an amazing selection of both potted and bareroot rose plants. Gracelinda has been working closely with European breeders to introduce some really special varieties to gardeners here in the States, which is super exciting!

Greenmantle Nursery
This California-based nursery has assembled a comprehensive collection of own root rare and old rose varieties that they have gathered from around the world. If you’re looking for something special, be sure to check their Rose Master List, which includes so many rare treasures. Roses from Greenmantle Nursery must be reserved with a deposit made in advance and their shipping season is January through May. It’s important to note that they only communicate through the mail or by telephone. 

Heirloom Roses
This rose nursery in Oregon has a nice selection of varieties grown on their own roots, including many David Austins, historic roses, hybrid musks, and everything in between.

High Country Roses
This Colorado-based nursery has an amazing selection of own root roses. Their collection features old garden roses, cold-tolerant varieties, and modern varieties, including some of the older David Austin treasures. 

Menagerie Farm & Flower
Our flower-farming friend Felicia Alvarez offers a beautiful collection of bare root roses that she has trialed over the years and are known to make excellent cut flowers. Her inventory typically sells fast, so be sure to sign up for her newsletter. Felicia also sells fresh-cut garden roses shipped to floral designers nationwide from late spring through early autumn. 

A Reverence for Roses
This Florida-based nursery specializes in own root roses and has a huge selection of heritage and old garden varieties, plus so many beautiful modern roses and a large selection of hybrid musks—my favorite group!

Rogue Valley Roses
This Oregon-based nursery offers more than 1,500 unique varieties and has one of the largest selections of rare, historic, and exceptional modern roses grown on their own roots. They ship live plants to U.S. and Canadian customers year-round, and can also ship bare root plants internationally in December and January. Be sure to use their “Join wait list” feature, since many of the plants sell out fast and it’s the only way to know when they come back in stock.

Rose Petal Nursery
This Florida-based mail-order nursery offers a large selection of rare heritage roses which they are constantly expanding each year. If you find something special that isn’t available, be sure to use the “be notified” button and you’ll receive an email when it’s back in stock. I’ve found some real treasures here!

Trees & Shrubs

Blue Hill Wildlife Nursery
I’ve been collecting crabapple trees to plant here on the farm for a number of years now, both because they put on a floral show in the spring and also because their fruit is attractive to wildlife. I’m curious to see which varieties will work in floral arrangements, too. During my hunt for new cultivars, I stumbled onto this unique mail-order nursery located in Pennsylvania that specializes in varieties of fruit that attract whitetail deer for hunters. I’d never heard of anyone wanting to attract deer to their property! Owner Ryan Haines has been working on a collection of fruit varieties for more than 20 years that produce abundantly from a young age, are disease resistant, cold tolerant, flavorful, and are very easy to grow. While he offers many different types of standard-size fruit and nut trees, his crabapples and applecrabs (large-fruited crabs) look amazing. If you aren’t easily offended and want a good chuckle, the names of some of the trees are pretty funny, including ‘Deer Candy’, ‘Road Kill’, and ‘Lockdown’. One thing to note is that trees only go on sale once per year in the fall, so be sure to use the “get alert feature” and put the sale date on your calendar because he sells out very fast.

Burnt Ridge Nursery & Orchards
This long-standing family-owned farm located in Onalaska, Washington specializes in northwest native plants, fruit and nut trees, and a wide selection of ornamental trees and shrubs that are both fruiting and flowering. I’ve been ordering from this wonderful company for two decades now and I’m always thrilled with my order. 

Cummins Nursery
This small New York-based nursery grows and ships thousands of fruit trees from their farm each year. They have a great selection, including lots of stone fruit, cherries, pears, and many types of apples from red flesh to heirlooms to cider, and a good dozen crabapple varieties too. I’ve always been really happy with everything I’ve ordered from them and love their tagline “fruit trees for everyone.”

Fedco Seeds
This longstanding Maine-based nursery specializes in varieties that perform well in cold climates. In addition to offering seeds, potatoes, onions, bulbs, and growing supplies they also have a great selection of fruiting plants and trees. I’ve gotten a number of really special heritage varieties from them, including almost a dozen different crabapples. Their bare root trees are tiny when they arrive but will take off quickly once in the ground.

Hope Spring Nursery
Hope Springs is a small woman-owned lilac nursery located in New York. The business started in 2009 as a passion project by Jamie Powers who learned to cultivate lilacs through cuttings, which is notoriously tricky. Jamie offers an incredibly large selection of rare and historic lilacs in a wide range of colors at very affordable prices. Please keep in mind that Hope Springs is a one-woman show and Jamie does all of the propagating, customer service, and shipping herself. The best way to learn about product availability is to sign up for her newsletter. These hard-to-find treasures are well worth the wait.

Orange Pippin Fruit Trees
I have been collecting crabapple trees for the past few years because of their beautiful spring floral display, which is followed by small ornamental fruit in the fall. Finding trees has proven to be a bit tricky, but Orange Pippin offers more than a dozen great crabapple cultivars including the rare (here in the states) ‘Golden Hornet’ variety. I’ve been very pleased with the quality of their trees.

Raintree Nursery
This specialty nursery located in Morton, Washington has an incredible selection of fruit trees, nut trees, unusual edibles, and berries, all of which have been carefully selected to thrive in the Pacific Northwest. They also offer native plants, ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines. 

St. Lawrence Nurseries
This nursery is one of my very favorites and has an amazing selection of fruit trees and fruiting plants. Located in Potsdam, New York, St. Lawrence is one of the only nurseries growing their stock in an extreme climate (zone 3), so anything you get from them will survive even the toughest growing conditions. I love that their tagline is “cold hardy plants for cold hardy people.” Owners Connor and Allyssa use organic, regenerative growing methods and all of their trees are planted, tended, and dug by hand to ensure the highest quality. Be sure to sign up for their mailing list (email [email protected] with your address) in order to get their wonderful printed catalog. It’s filled with stories, art, and colorful descriptions and is worth hanging onto because someday it’s sure to be a collector’s item.

Trees of Antiquity
This treasured mail-order nursery has been growing and shipping heirloom fruit trees around the country for more than 40 years. Their collection is unmatched, with 200 different historical apples available this season alone. In addition to their incredible preservation efforts, Trees of Antiquity is also certified organic. I’ve been very impressed with their quality and selection and am excited to continue adding more of their varieties to our farm in the future.

Willamette Willows
This family-run business based in Oregon specializes in willows that can be grown for their beautiful catkins, basketry, weaving, hedgerows, and environmental restoration projects. They offer more than 40 unique varieties, including the coveted pink Japanese variety Mt. Aso. I’ve been really happy with all of the cuttings I’ve ordered so far.

Local and Specialty

Biringer Nursery
Located here in the Skagit Valley, Biringer Nursery has been growing flowering ornamental trees and shrubs, along with a wide selection of fruit trees for the wholesale trade, since the early 1970s. They specialize in wholesale bare root plants which are available during the winter months. Getting them on the phone can sometimes be tricky, but be persistent. They offer one the best selections of French lilac cultivars and also offer ‘Evereste’ crabapples in bulk.

Christianson’s Nursery
If you’re within driving distance of the Skagit Valley this family-owned nursery is a must-visit. Of all the plant nurseries I have gone to, Christianson’s is hands down the best. In addition to having an amazing selection of specialty perennials, annuals, shrubs, and trees, they also have the largest selection of garden roses in the state. Bring your checkbook and plan to stay for a couple of hours! 

Clark’s Native Trees
This Arlington, Washington-based nursery specializes in trees and shrubs native to western Washington. Plants must either be picked up at their nursery or if you have a large enough order, they will deliver. We planted a huge native hedge along the back property line of our farm using plants from Clark’s and have been very pleased with how well they established and took off.

Instant Hedge
I first discovered this Oregon-based company when we were searching for hedging plants for a garden design project here on the farm. At first, I was skeptical that you could actually order hedging that was already established and it wouldn’t be stressed during the process of transporting and transplanting. We have since planted nearly half a mile of hedging from them and have been incredibly pleased with how quickly everything has established and thrived. One note is that some heavy equipment is needed for installation (a forklift and backhoe) but if you have access to it, plus a few strong friends, the hedges can be planted quickly and relatively easily. For retail customers, they have a sister company called Conifer Kingdom.

Wiggin’s Nursery Co.
We discovered this gem of a nursery when hunting for some special specimen plants for a big landscaping project here on the farm. Owner Terry Wiggin and his incredibly knowledgeable crew have been perfecting the art of growing and transplanting mature trees and shrubs for decades now. This family-owned nursery covers 65 overflowing acres and it’s easy to get lost when looking around. They ship their plants all over the country to nurseries and landscapers, but here locally the general public is welcome to shop too. I can’t recommend these guys highly enough, their plants, their service, and their passion for the craft are unmatched.

If you have a favorite source for bulbs and plants please share it in the comments below.

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