While many of us are old hands at gardening, we don't get much credit for that when we try gardening on the computer. Devilish devices they may be, but they can be wonderful information sources and adjuncts to our well-worn pile of catalogs.
What we have tried to do here is put in front of you a list of websites on various garden-related topics, together with comments about each.
Gardens
What better group to start with than public gardens within a 2-1/2 hour drive of Morristown.
The Frelinghuysen Arboretum tops the list. This showcase of the Morris County Parks Commission is both an exquisite display of landscape and horticulture, but is also a center of gardening education and activities.
Located only an hour away in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden is a world class display garden, education and research center worthy of New York City.
Wave Hill, in the Riverdale section of the Bronx,
Another New York City gem is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Noted especially for its Japanese garden and its cherry blossoms, this is well worth visiting.
Buck Gardens is quite a bit closer, located in Far Hills, NJ. Its creator, Leonard Buck, was a geologist and trustee of the NY Botanical Gardens.
Willowwood Arboretum is a 130 acre site filled with native and exotic plants and trees, many rare. It is located near Pottersville, NJ, south of Chester on Rt. 206.
Further afield in Wilmington, DE, is Winterthur, famed estate of Henry Francis DuPont. It is worth seeing both for the massive collection of American folkart and for the exquisite grounds. Youngsters will enjoy the Enchanted Garden.
Closeby to Winterthur is Longwood Garden. This 1,050 acre garden was created by Pierre S. DuPont.
Old Westbury Gardens is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Charles II-style mansion is nestled amidst 160 acres of gardens.
Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Springs, NY, contains display gardens, a conservatory and an Alpine House, all on a 63 acre, Zone 5 site.
Plant Sources
Heronswood has a fabulous catalog, though with no pictures. Lots of great plant information.
Plant Delights - terrific plants at a reasonable price. Specializes in hosta. Terrific pictures.
Wayside Gardens - good basic catalog. Expensive for small size plants.
David Austin Roses - modern roses that look and smell like old fashioned ones.
The Antique Rose Emporium - terrific roses. Be careful of zones. We are zone 6. Shipped bare root.
Klehm's Song Sparrow - great source for peonies and companion plants -- daylilies, hosta, clematis, woody plants.