Ahead of the 2025 gardening season, one of my first posts on the blog was titled “Where to Buy Garden Seeds.” There was a heavy emphasis on the seed catalogs we requested, what we liked about each one, and the ones we purchased seeds from. This year, I’m doing things a bit differently by dedicating a post to each seed catalog. In each post, I’ll review the catalog, go over the things I like and dislike about it, and score the catalog. The first installment will be Pinetree Gardens catalog, but before digging into the review, here’s how I’ll score all the catalogs.
Scoring Criteria
I’m going to be looking at the following areas and applying them to each catalog we receive:
- Number of pages – 1 point per page over 100 pages; minus-1 point per page under 100 pages.
- New varieties – 1/2 (.50) point for each new variety for 2026.
- Total number of seeds – 1/4 (.25) point per seed.
- Selection of “Specialty Seeds” – By “Specialty Seeds,” I mean any specially designated seeds that are separated from the other seeds. Examples are All-American Selections, Italian Gourmet, and Indigenous Royalties. – 1 point will be awarded for each specialty category.
- Images – 1 point if there is an image for every seed; 1/2 (.50) point if fewer.
- Non-Seed Offerings – 1 point for each category (fertilizers, seed-starting items, merchandise, weed control, pesticides, garden gear, etc.)
- How Is it Organized/Ordered? – 1 point if its order is a positive; minus-1 point if it’s a negative.
- Beauty – This is completely subjective, but it’s my way of determining if it’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. Does it include original artwork? Are the images crisp and clean? Is the text easy to read? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
- What Sets it Apart or Makes it Unique? – This is another subjective category. What about a catalog makes it stand out from the others? A maximum of 10 points can be awarded.
Links to Other Reviews
Pages – 21 Points
The 2026 High Mowing Organic Seeds catalog has 121 pages.
New Varieties – 24 Points
The company is offering 48 new varieties this year, which are conveniently featured on the first page of the catalog.
Total Number of Seeds – 227.5 Points
High Mowing is selling 775 vegetable, 87 flower, and 48 herb varieties for a total of 910.
Specialty Seeds – 1 Point
The only specialty seeds offered are the Galaxy Suite Tomatoes, which are tomatoes bred at Cornell University. High Mowing is the only producer of these tomatoes.
Images – 1 Point
There is one image for each seed and item listed in the catalog.
Beauty – 10 Points
The catalog is full of stunning, high-quality images that allow you to clearly see the color differences between varieties. I also love that they place the images beside each other (rather than always beside the seed listing) so that you can compare vegetable sizes and qualities.
Non-Seed Offerings – 9 Points
High Mowing sells non-seed items in the following categories: Seeds and Pots, Potting Soil, Heat Mats, Seeding, Labels, Inoculants, Clips, Harvesting, and Merch.
Unique Quality – 9 Points
High Mowing only offers organic seeds, which is unique in its own right, but that’s not specifically related to the catalog. Their catalog also has thumb tabs that make it quick to find the different vegetables, which other catalogs have. However, what makes their tabs unique is the addition of seed images on these tabs. I don’t know of another catalog that does this. Another unique aspect is the presence of stories through the catalog. These include stories about the farms and co-ops they work with, projects they support, and individuals who are making a difference in fighting food insecurity.
How Is it Ordered/Organized? – 1 Point
The catalog is categorized into vegetables, flowers, and herbs, and each category is alphabetized. The pricing system is very clear and easy to read.
Review
High Mowing is yet another seed company whose catalog we received for the first time last year. I learned about the company through a Google search, and I think we’re both very thankful that we did. Everything about High Mowing conveys how much they care about providing gardeners and farmers with the best seeds possible. But they take it further with their clear mission of helping to educate and provide food security to those in at-risk communities. That is something Magz and I are passionate about, so it’s fitting that we have found seed companies that also care. Their catalog reflects everything they are about: the vegetables take center stage with quality images and detailed descriptions. The pricing tables are also easy to understand, and I love reading stories about farmers, partners, and those who are helping give back.
One Rabbit Riot 
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