Flowers On-Line The "Dirt" On A Few Top Name Sites - gardening Web sites - Brief Article

Flower & Garden Magazine, Sept, 2000

With the advent of the Internet came many choices for the gardening enthusiast. Sites were created for education, chatting and/or purchasing your favorite plant or garden product.

Most progressive garden sites are on the cutting edge of what's hip and now. From new plant introductions to the latest 'I gotta have it' tool. There are innumerable sites to research for the latest and greatest in information.

Many have links to garden companies, which literature on-line catalogs and full-color pictures of the products they sell. You can purchase just about anything from live grown plants to the basic seed. If browsing is your thing, gaze at beautiful garden destinations or the garden you wish you had.

We reviewed some sites that we believe have the gardening aficionado in mind, emphasizing the easiest sites to navigate and why and sites to avoid so as to not waste your valuable time. (Opinions based solely on the author's views)

Our test computer is a Compaq Presario 1800 with a 600 Mhz Pentium III processor and a 56K modem, and we use a standard telephone line to connect. Your results may differ based on modem type, time of day, etc. If you do go on-line, be aware that sites on the Internet come and go, move or shut down altogether. With that in mind, let's dig in....

PLANETGARDEN.COM www.planetgarden.com

PlanetGarden.com features over 20,000 of the most popular lawn and garden products which are available for purchase via their secure and easy-to -use E-commerce system.

Authoritative content is provided by over 50 regional opinion leaders, radio and TV personalities and well-known authors, organized by state and completely searchable.

A wealth of information, quick load times and full-color photographs make this site a favorite of many gardeners. Grade=A

PLANTSTOP.COM www.plantstop.com

PlantStop.com is loaded with information. The site loads quickly and is easy to navigate. Zone maps are offered to assist in your search to locate the perfect plant for your neck of the woods. Specials are available and discounts am given, while ordering is safe and secure. Grade=A

GARDEN.COM www.garden.com

Graden.com is a well-designed site. Loading time is fairly quick, and many options exist. Searching the site for products, stories and more is easy, and the plant finder feature is also helpful. Choose either full sun, part shade or shade, and your zone--and off you go. Feel confident in ordering, as Garden.com offers a 110% secure ordering procedure. All in all, plenty of information and lots to keep you busy. Grade=A.

GARDENCRAZY.COM www.gardencrasy.com

Gardencrazy.com is a well-organized site with many features. Browsing or searching for products is fast and easy, while featured sale items are displayed prominently. Everything from annuals and herbs to home and garden :accents are included. Every product is guaranteed, and the ordering is secure and sate. Quick loading times and pretty pictures makes Gardencrazy.com one of my favorites. Grade=A

mySEASONS www.mySeasons.com

Formerly gardensolutions.com, mySeasons features products from Breck's, Springhill, The Vermont Wildflower Farm, Stark Bros., Gurney's and Henry Field's. Order from your catalog or browse the site--it's your choice. Secure ordering is offered and guaranteed. Loading time is last due to text and small graphics.

Exclusive to mySeasons.com is InfoDigger. Search the National Gardening Association's database for documents to aid in answering any plant questions which you might have. Grade=B

GARDENWEB www.gardenweb.com

GardenWeb is labeled as 'The Internet's Garden Community.' By offering many forums and message boards, it lives up to its name. A new contest is offered monthly with prizes awarded. Many merchants sponsor gardenweb so shopping is as easy as clicking the mouse and linking to the various sites. Not many graphics makes navigating a breeze, and with content being added regularly, it is always fresh. Grade=B

BOTANY.COM www.botany.com

Botany.com is basically an encyclopedia of plants. Search by common or botanical name, and information is offered, such as description, potting, propagation and varieties. As of this writing, the store is under construction, but check back in the future for out-of print books and rare plants. The site is basic in nature with minimal graphics and loads of text. Grade=C+