Plants, Seeds, Bulbs

Park Seed Company is a privately held mail-order gardening company based in Greenwood, South Carolina. more...

Home
Bath
Bedding
Furniture
Gardening & Plants
Bird & Wildlife Accessories
Fertilizer, Soil Amendments
Garden Décor
Garden Structures & Fencing
Hand Tools, Gear & Equipment
Other Gardening & Plants
Outdoor Lighting
Pest & Weed Control
Planters, Pots, Window Boxes
Plants, Seeds, Bulbs
Aquatic Plants
Other Plants, Seedlings
Plants Bog
Plants Lotus
Plants Marginal, Shallow
Plants Oxygenating
Plants Water Hyacinth
Plants Water Lilies
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Bonsai
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Cactus & Succulents
Ferns
Flower Bulbs, Roots, Corms
Amaryllis
Caladium
Crocus
Daffodil
Dahlia
Gladiolus
Hyacinth
Iris
Lily
Mixed Lots
Other Bulbs, Roots, Corms
Peony
Tulip
Flower Plants, Seedlings
Annuals
Biennials
Mixed Perennials
Other Perennials
Perennials
Perennials Brugmansia
Perennials Butterfly...
Perennials Clematis
Perennials Columbine
Perennials Daisy
Perennials Daylily
Perennials Hosta
Perennials Iris
Perennials Lavender
Perennials Phlox
Perennials Sedum
Perennials Violet
Flower Seeds
Annuals
Annuals Alyssum
Annuals Bachelor's Button
Annuals Cosmos
Annuals Marigold
Annuals Mixed Annual Seeds
Annuals Morning Glory
Annuals Petunia
Annuals Poppy
Annuals Sunflower
Annuals Zinnia
Biennials
Mixed Perennials
Other Annual Seeds
Other Perennials
Perennials
Perennials Columbine
Perennials Daisy
Perennials Hibiscus
Perennials Hollyhock
Perennials Hosta
Perennials Lavender
Perennials Lily
Perennials Penstemon
Perennials Poppy
Perennials Primrose
Perennials Purple Coneflower
Groundcovers, Vines
Other
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Herbs
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Houseplants
African Violets
Bamboo
Begonia
Carnivorous
Other Houseplants
Streptocarpus
Orchids, Tropicals
Plants Banana
Plants Ginger
Plants Orchids
Plants Other
Plants Palms
Plants Plumeria
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Seeds Banana
Seeds Othe
Seeds Palm
Seeds Plumeria
Ornamental Grasses
Other
Roses
Shrubs
Plants Azalea
Plants Dogwood
Plants Forsythia
Plants Gardenia
Plants Hydrangea
Plants Lilac
Plants Other
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds
Trees
Evergreen
Fruit, Flowering
Nut
Other Trees
Shade
Vegetables & Fruits
Plants Berries
Plants Other
Plants Peppers
Plants Tomatoes
Plants, Seedlings
Seeds Beans
Seeds Cabbage
Seeds Carrot
Seeds Cucumbers & Squash
Seeds Gourd
Seeds Lettuce
Seeds Melons
Seeds Onion
Seeds Other
Seeds Peas
Seeds Peppers
Seeds Pumpkin
Seeds Tomatoes
Seeds, Bulbs
Publications
Seed Starting, Grow Lights
Home Decor
Lamps, Lighting, Ceiling...
Patio & Grilling
Pools & Spas
Rugs & Carpets

As the name implies, Park Seed specializes in garden seeds, offering more than 1,100 varieties of flower, vegetable, and herb seeds, plus a large selection of bulbs, live plants, and gardening accessories. Park Seed Company distributes millions of catalogs every year and maintains an extensive Internet presence (www.parkseed.com). In addition to the core Park Seed retail brand, Park Seed Company also comprises Wayside Gardens, Park Seed Wholesale and Park’s Landscapes. The 500 acre (2 km²) national headquarters site features 9 acres of gardens, including an All-America Selections trial ground, a Rose Garden, a container garden, and numerous other theme gardens.

History

Park Seed Company got its start in 1868 when 15-year-old George Watt Park decided to sell seeds he had harvested from his backyard garden in Libonia, Pennsylvania. Young George bought a hand press and printed a list of the seeds that he wanted to sell. In addition to circulating this list to friends and neighbors, he also bought an advertisement in The Rural American for $3.50. The ad resulted in $6.50 in seed orders. With this success, George Watt Park found his life's work.

Park Seed Company published its first small catalog in 1868. The book contained just 8 pages and used 2 illustrations—wood cuts of an aster and a pansy. In 1871, Park Seed initiated a monthly publication called The Floral Gazette. Definitely more magazine than catalog, The Floral Gazette offered its readers a forum for sharing gardening experiences and a seed exchange column that encouraged readers to trade seeds, bulbs and plants. It also carried a significant amount of advertising, including ads from other purveyors of seed. By 1877, the name had changed to Park’s Floral Magazine and circulation had grown to 20,000. By 1918, that figure hit 800,000.

The growing number of catalogs brought in ever-increasing numbers of orders, and by 1900, it was clear that the business had outgrown the small post office at Libonia. Park Seed Company moved to La Park (now Paradise), Pennsylvania in 1902.

In 1918, George Watt Park married Mary Barratt, a young county home demonstration agent from South Carolina. Mary moved to La Park and became both a partner in the business and the mother of two sons: George Barratt Park and William John Park.

Eventually becoming fatigued with cold Pennsylvania winters, the Park family moved to Dunedin, Florida, and produced a catalog there in 1923. Unfortunately, while the family enjoyed Florida, the heat and humidity proved to be highly unsuitable for storing seeds. In looking for a better environment for the business, they settled on Mary’s hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina, and moved the business there in 1924.

Read more at Wikipedia.org