About American Meadows
It's the feeling that washes over you while out in the garden, your senses soaking up all that nature has to offer. The blissful moment when you dig into the earth, and like magic, all the noise and swirl of the world melts away. It's believing you can make the world a better place. It’s an emotion that connects us to a sense of purpose, to the land, and to everyone around us.
That feeling is at the heart of everything we do at American Meadows. It’s our sunshine – the source of our passion that keeps us going and growing to this day.
It's a joy that our founders, Chy and Ray, wanted to share with the world. In the 1980s, they followed their dream and moved their family to the rolling hills of Vermont to start a wildflower farm. Visitors from across the country would meander the farm’s enchanting meadows and wooded paths filled with wildflowers. One by one, they discovered the magic of meadowscaping.
Chy and Ray had the moxie to help others see what could be better. The wildflower farm was their way to share the power of meadowscaping – and encourage gardeners to boldly reimagine what they could do with their own patch of Earth. Where others saw a tidy suburban lawn, they suggested a mini meadow. Where others saw an apartment rooftop, they pictured an urban meadow retreat. And in spacious empty yards and fields, they helped envision a meadow bursting with native wildflowers to nourish bees, butterflies, and birds!
And that's just a better view of our world.
Looking outside and imagining glorious possibilities, then making it better with your own hands. Embracing that hopeful feeling within yourself to benefit your community and the planet. Creating beauty where we may least expect it. At American Meadows, this is what we help gardeners do. We’re leading the Meadowscaping Movement because we know, every bloom brings a smile, every flower we share brings us closer, every plant makes a difference.
When we meadowscape – we dig in. We transform not only the land – we transform our lives. Together, collectively, we nurture and cultivate real change that shapes our world.
Meadowscaping Makes It Better
Meet Mike Lizotte
One early spring day, an unsuspecting high school freshman showed up at a wildflower farm to help unload a large shipment. By the end of the season he was on his way to becoming America's leading advocate for Meadowscaping.
For Mike Lizotte, what started as a seasonal gig turned into a lifetime obsession. By the time he was 18 he could identify 50 different varieties of wildflower - based on the seed alone. His nickname, The Seed Man, quickly followed. In 2009, Ray and Chy retired and Mike stepped up to lead American Meadows’ seed business. Today he is a sought-after expert on the subject of seeds and meadowscaping as well as co-owner of American Meadows.
Join Our Team
We're growing - dig in with us! Review the employment opportunities at American Meadows.
Our Guarantee
When you purchase from American Meadows, you are supported by decades of trusted experience.
American Meadows In The News
Stay up-to-date on the latest meadowscaping news, including the latest from The Seed Man.
American Meadows is one of the most respected online retailers of wildflower seeds, perennial plants, flower bulbs and vegetable seeds in all of North America. Our people have been helping supply gardeners since 1981. We seek to be a trusted gardening partner for creative gardeners —those who are willing to combine new ideas and products with classic favorites. Our customers range from some of the most experienced horticulturists in the country, to those who simply want to add a little color to their life, and everyone in between.
Our Products
Today, in addition to our nationally-known, exclusive wildflower seed mixtures and species, we offer a complete line of flower bulbs and perennials. American Meadows offers over a thousand different plants, seeds, bulbs and associated products throughout the year as seasons allow. Each season we strive to add new and innovative products to go with the tried-and-true favorites that we are known for. This allows you to experience more beauty with less work, as we offer easy-to-grow choices for any kind of property or gardening skill level.
"I have been gardening for years, am a Master Gardener, and work at a famous botanical garden. American Meadows consistently has the highest quality products of any online provider I've used. Your customer service, delivery and the condition of plants/seeds upon arrival are unequalled."
Our Story
In 1980, wildflower enthusiasts Chy & Ray Allen moved to the Champlain Valley of Vermont to fulfill their dream of popularizing wildflower gardening with the wider public.
The wildflower farm the Allen's created was conceived simply as a tourist attraction but quickly grew to be much more. As demand grew, the Allens created a national wildflower seed and gift catalog with an annual circulation well over one million households.
Around 2000, the Allen's recognized that the Internet offered the perfect opportunity to reach the widest gardening audience. Due to its early presence online, American Meadows is one of the most trusted and best-listed gardening websites. In fact, American Meadows was one of the first "Success Stories" featured on Google.
With the growth of AmericanMeadows.com, the Allens sold their wildflower farm and retail gift shop in 2002 to focus on creating a one-stop resource for wildflower, perennial and flower bulb products and information.
The Next Generation: Ray and Chy Allen celebrate the sale of their business to long-time employee Mike Lizotte and his business partner, Ethan Platt.
"I'd just like to comment on the great service I've received from your company. I ordered some wildflower seeds on a Monday, and received them on Thursday! You have a great website--very easy to navigate, and with much helpful information."
In December 2008, Chy & Ray Allen were proud to sell American Meadows to one of their long-time employees, Michael Lizotte and his high school friend, Ethan Platt. Mike has been a part of the wildflower business ever since he painted a fence for the Allens at age thirteen. Over twenty years later, Mike & Ethan are excited to continue to build upon the legacy that the Allens created and the dedicated staff at American Meadows looks forward to serving the country’s gardeners for years to come.
Our expert staff includes friendly, enthusiastic professionals, most of whom have been with us for years. All of our people are challenged to uphold the long-established reputation we enjoy for fine products and individualized, caring customer service. We have grown tremendously, but our standards have never changed. We will always be interested in each and every customer.
Our Website
At American Meadows, we recognize that many of our customers are accustomed to receiving glossy product catalogs. For cost, environmental and logistical reasons, we choose not to fill your mailbox with yet another catalog. Instead, we rely upon the ability of our website to deliver all the required information to both learn about and purchase your gardening needs. Offering our products online allows us to keep our inventory current and we can always quickly react to new products or special promotions. This allows for a cost savings that we are happy to pass along to you. Our prices are consistently some of the lowest you will find for the high-quality products we sell.
Our website offers state-of-the-art security, award-winning photography and clear, concise information as it attempts to do more than just sell products. There is deep, detailed information on all our products for our visitors who want it. We know that intelligent, "How-To" information is all-important to gardeners, and we believe in having it conveniently available online. Our Membership List now numbers over 50,000, and we communicate weekly with this group of enthusiastic gardeners through our opt-in newsletter and sales emails. Receive our Emails.
Where do the bulbs, seeds and plants come from?
American Meadows contracts with growers around the globe to provide the best possible quality and variety available in our industry today, but all our wildflower seed sacks are still hand-packed by our own staff. Much of our wildflower seed comes from the fertile growing regions of central California and Oregon, while other species are produced in Europe, Africa and Asia. Regardless of origin, however, all are carefully inspected and tested. Though acceptable germination rates will vary by species, we are careful to maintain rates which far exceed industry standards. Most of our seeds are grown exclusively for us, and once they arrive at our warehouse each seed package is carefully hand-packed, whether it's a 1/4 lb. sack or enough for a 10-acre planting. All our mixtures are created using our own strict recipes, based on decades of both experience planting the seeds ourselves and talking with many of the million-plus wildflower gardeners from all over North America who have planted our seeds.
"Can I just say I love your all's website? It's more than just flowers, bulbs, etc. for sale— there is a wealth of information and interesting facts and folklore on there. It's like reading a good book! I just want to say thank you so much."
"My dahlia bulbs arrived promptly, even earlier than promised! I opened the package with trepidation because my last order from one of the best-known dahlia growers in the US had been extremely disappointing. I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened the box from you! First of all, the tubers were huge—and in perfect condition; they were also well-packed and labeled. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
What sets us apart from the others?
Most of our bulbs are imported from Holland under a special arrangement with one of the oldest and finest Dutch exporters. This family-owned and operated company is involved in every step of the Dutch bulb supply from growing to sorting, packaging, importing and distribution. Other bulbs are grown in the US and other countries around the globe. Our perennials are grown especially for American Meadows by seasoned experts in Holland, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
American Meadows offers not only the highest quality products, but also over twenty-five years of experience in educating and learning from the horticultural industry. We have helped literally hundreds of thousands of gardeners establish and enjoy abundant fields of flowers that offer years of enjoyment and memories to last a lifetime.
Since we are not growers, we have no financial bias as to what plants, bulbs or mixture of flower seed we recommend for your particular needs. We source our products world-wide in a constant effort to provide gardeners with high-quality products on a budget. Because we are not growers, we never are tempted to rid ourselves of things we grow or may have on hand.
In addition to individual gardeners, we frequently work with large-scale commercial customers, states and municipalities and create custom seed packets for companies and other organizations. (See our Custom Flower Packet Department for samples.)
"I have used your wildflower mixes in the past, and have also used other store brands. Yours win hands up, with joy!"
Questions? Just Ask.
If you have any questions about our products or services, or would just like some friendly advice from our expert staff, simply send us a message via the contact us page or give us a phone call toll-free at (877) 309-7333. We'll be more than happy to help.
