Today is a Good Day to Order Seeds for Bees!

One way I cope with the lack of daylight, rainy weather, and lack of companionship from bees in winter is to grab a hot cup of tea and surround myself with gardening catalogues. I plan, I dream and I order seeds. Last year was particularly dark and dreary. I ordered a LOT of seeds. The West Coast Seeds catalog arrived yesterday, which is a cause for celebration in our household. I love the cover photo of the sunflower, but it is lacking something . . . say, a bee or two. Personally I think every garden catalog should have at least one bee on the cover, preferably more. Anyhow, the good thing is Brian Campbell, the company's resident on all things seed and bee-related has marked bee-friendly flowers with a little graphic of a bumblebee. Eh Voila! It's easy to plan your pollinator garden. There's also a little ladybug graphic for plants that attract beneficial insects, which is also extremely helpful.

Have I mentioned how seeds make great Christmas presents? Don't tell anyone, but this year I am giving packs from the Hudson Valley Seed Library because they are exquisitely designed. You can find them at West Elm Market in Vancouver.

Here is a shortlist of some of my favorite seed companies. For a longer list, check out Empress of Dirt's blog post with the companies broken down into regions.


But first, a photo of a Golden Northern Bumblebee (Bombus fervidus), taken at the Glenbow Ranch Park in Alberta.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

www.rareseeds.com

The catalogues are packed with luscious eye candy for gardeners, offering some really interesting heritage seeds.

Prairie Moon Nursery

www.prairiemoon.com

Great source of information for growing

 native North American plants.

Richter’s Herbs

www.richters.com

Canada’s most extensive retailer of herbs,

with an informative website.

Salt Spring Seeds

www.saltspringseeds.com

Small company created by seed-saving activist Dan Jason.

A good selection of unusual herbs attractive to bees.

Seedhunt

www.seedhunt.com

Interesting hard to find California wildflower seeds

West Coast Seeds

www.westcoastseeds.com

Company based in B.C. with an informative web site and resident bee expert Brian Campbell.

Wildflower Farm

www.wildflowerfarm.com

Ontario-based wildflower company (owned by the author of Taming Wildflowers, Miriam Golderger), with a helpful seed selector tool.