Catalog names and covers have changed over the years. Varieties have come and gone. But catalogs have always been interesting and informative Wish Books. The 1995 catalogs currently arriving in my mailbox reveal that plant breeders and explorers from around the world are continuing to provide gardeners with exciting new varieties of flowers and vegetables. One cataloguer alone has added 150 new varieties to their listing for 1995.
Many plants being introduced today do represent significant improvements over older types.
Increased insect and disease resistance, larger, more tasty fruit, greater productivity and more compact growth habits are just a few of the modern improvements you will find. Keep in mind, however, as you browse through the colorful mail order catalogs, that not all varieties depicted in the beautiful color pages will be adapted to your Austin garden. Even though the plants may be hardy to nothern cold climates, they may grow poorly or not at all in the Austin and Central Texas area. However, it can be interesting and fun to try a few varieties from the pages of the new introductions and check them out under your backyard growing conditions. If you decide to order from catalogs, exercise a bit of caution and restraint.