You might try Busse Gardens or Ambergate Gardens. The majority of their plants are for colder zones. They have a few others but over-all it's zone 3 & 4.

Well, there's this year's free 60-page Friends School Plant Sale catalog that comes out TOMORROW, but is available right now online --- just take a look at the perennial section. Very few zone 5 plants. Look for the catalogs in libraries and also coffee shops, co-ops, some gyms and grocery stores.

But if I remember right, the friends school sale is on site, not mail order, is that right? Because I am 350 miles from the metro area, and don't think I would make it to the sale!

Thanks
Jenny P

Sorry, I didn't know where you lived! People do come to the sale from Duluth (and at least one from Chicago!) but 350 miles would be pretty difficult.

The catalog is still a great resource for Minnesota gardeners for seeing what is perennial in zones 3 and 4 (and some 5) --- you can download it and print it up, or just look at it online. Many catalogs and the internet will list as zone 6 or 7 plants that I know for a fact are fine in zone 4 --- there really isn't a lot of testing going on.

Also, contact the Master Gardeners in your area.

Good luck!

Here ares some sources.

http://www.prairiemoon.com/ seed and bare root plants. All zone 4 My # one source for seed

http://jlhudsonseeds.net/ seed most are zone 4 there aren't any photos it is my second choice after Prairie Moon. They have some very unusual plants.

http://bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/index.html they have very healthy plants and many are zone 4. Extremely nice plants and good to work wit

http://simplysucculents.com/ all zone 4 I called them to check when I wanted to order and couldn't tell from the catalog.

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/ not many zone 4 but I still order from them. They have some plants I can't find other places.

Have fun

Thanks
Actually it was the High Country Gardens catalog that prompted my question! I was looking at all the wonderful pictures, and it seemed that everything I was interested in was zone 5. THEN I noticed that they were in New Mexico, no wonder everything was zone 5 or warmer. Got to thinking, if there were any places from up here with nice catalogs I could browse through, and actually buy stuff that is supposed to grow here!

I know for some of you guys down in the lower part of the state, zone 5 things will sometimes make it. Up here I am on the edge of zone 3, and I really don't want to waste time and money on things that are marginal.

I will check out some of the other suggestions. I already have the ambergate catalog, not many photos, but a nice selection.

Thanks
Jenny P

I don't tend to push zones, but they do have some zone 4 cacti.