Well, as far as garden tools, it depends on what you are looking for, imho. If you are looking for top of the line and unusual, try Lee Valley Tools. For seeds, I tend to look at Stokes and Richters. I'm not sure where you are located, or what you are looking for - specifying these might help others to make suggestions.

Nancy.

Can't help with the tools but for annual & perennial flower seeds as well as tomato seeds, Diane's Flower Seeds in Ogden, Utah is tops. That's not just my opinion nor based only on my own experience--she's a Top 30 company on the Garden Watchdog website with nearly 100% positive customer feedback.

For a more extensive selection, Hazzard's is a wholesale seed supplier but they will sell to individual gardeners as well as commercial nurseries. They sell annuals, perennials, heirloom vegetables, ornamental grasses and starter plant plugs. Their customer feedback is also tops.

Swallowtail Garden Seeds and Botanical Interests are also good sources for perennial & annual flower seeds. Botanical Interests has 100% positive customer feedback on the Garden Watchdog website.

Lee Valley Tools is a fabulous company. I purchased a heat mat from them a few years ago. It did not work, so I sent it back for a new one. They reimbursed all the postage and apologized for my sending it before they could tell me there is no fee for returns! Their prices were very low for the mat, and I've purchased tools for my Mom there.
At our church garden we purchase at A M Leonard.
I need tools too, I'm hemming and hawing as to buying them online or just shopping locally. I would love to hear about other mail order tool companies too.

I really like Crosman Seed for their prices. Not huge amounts in the packet but they are under a dollar per packet. I usually download the order form and just mail it in (they like that) it is very easy and they are quick. Just basic seeds.
Summer Hill Seed also have lovely seeds, and I also buy a lot from Swallowtail. They are not the cheapest but have a huge selection and are also quite fast.

And for seeds, 2BSeeds has such reasonable shipping cost and very nice and nicely packaged seeds.

I second Lee Valley for tools, and Lehman's has some of the nicer time proven tools. I look and often buy from Gardener's Supply and Plow and Hearth when I am wanting garden decorations and statues.

kay

Thank you for your suggestions, everyone! We are in CA, zone 9. The plants and seeds will be in garden beds and edging around a white picket fence.

Obviously I don't know what is available to you but I would recommend sticking to basic tools to start with. There are lots of gimmicky things out there which will not stand the test of time. Also I'd get the best quality you can afford. Stainless steel if possible. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: The basic 6

For seeds, I like these online sources:

Diane's Seeds
Renee's Garden
Swallowtail Garden Seeds
Botanical Interests
locally -- Ace Hardware sells Livingstone Seeds which I find to be excellent with a lot of seeds for the price.

For mail order plants, I like:

LazySsFarm
High Country Gardens
Bluestone Perennials (though I've had to get replacements--which they did)
Plant Delights -- for collectors and rare and unusual. Go elsewhere for common, popular plants due to price.

Cameron