I’m on a bit of a gardening kick lately—if you read my recent Victory Garden Post, you’ll know what I mean! Today, I thought I’d share some delightful vintage flower catalog covers I discovered from the 1920s-1950s. They’re perfect for sparking inspiration for your spring and summer garden plans. The illustrations, colors, and of course, the flowers are absolutely fantastic—anything but boring. Let’s take a look!

All covers are from ‘Archive.org‘ and if you click the highlighted links, you can see the FULL catalogs. Please note that many of these catalogs also feature vegetables you could of purchased and grown.

Vintage Gardening Catalog-1950s vintage catalog from 1952 from Spring Hill Nurseries featuring illustration of flowers you can grow.

Vintage Flower Catalog Covers (1920s–1950s)

Raise your hand if you are a fan of GLADIOLI’s? If that is you then this 1926 magazine is for you and its filled with everything you need to know about every variety of Gladioli.

1920s vintage flower magazine from 1926 featuring an illustration of Gladioli's in front of a Tudor style house the background.

BULBS 1929. Fantastic Art Deco illustration of the Tulip on this catalog cover (and typography) from ‘Hosea Waterer, Seedman and Blub Importer’.

1920s vintage flower catalog for Bulbs in 1929 featuring an Art Deco Illustration of a Tulip and typography.

Hardy Plants for New England Gardens, 1937 / Gray & Cole.

Kellogg’s Garden Beauty Book, Spring 1939.

Well isn’t this the most romantic gardening book you have ever seen? If this “harlequin romance” like cover does not catch your attention in a sea of catalogs, I don’t know what will!

Here is another from Kellogg’s featuring Miss Joan Payne, the 1940s Blossom Queen (how fun!).

Kellogg’s Garden Beauty Book, Spring 1941.

Okay one more from R.M. Kellogg Company (I just love these covers) but this time, I spy the SAME flower garden but with different ladies and different years (1943 & 1946). Someone was getting sloppy and did not think we would notice.

1940s vintage Garden Catalog from 1946 featuring a 1940s woman with a 1940s hairstyle posing in front of a white picket fence with a flower garden in front.

Geraniums : Spring and Summer 1951 / Wilson Bros.

This is my favorite catalog of all the ones I featured today. I just love the charming illustration of women tending to their geraniums in the garden—it’s so sweet and nostalgic. Even the Mid-Century house in the background adds to the appeal. Such fun gardening fashion inspiration!

1950s vintage gardening catalog from spring summer 1951 for how to grow Geraniums featuring an illustration of two women in 1950s workwear including fun 1950s hat and a hairscarf.

Geo. J. Ball Plants and Bulbs 1953-1954 catalog featuring a woman arranging Easter Lilies on the cover.

1950s vintage flower catalog for bulbs and plants from Geo. J. Ball Inc 1953-1954 featuring an image of a woman with lilies on the cover

Spring 1955 Germain Seed and Plant Company catalog cover featuring a floral arrangement of the Queen Elizabeth Rose, as well as her image.

ABOUT: Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’ is a pink Grandiflora rose cultivar, bred by rose grower, Dr. Walter Lammerts in the United States in 1954. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II when she ascended the British throne in 1952. The stock parents of ‘Queen Elizabeth’ are the hybrid tea, Rosa ‘Charlotte Armstrong’ and the floribunda, ‘Floradora’ (Source).

1950s flower catalog featuring on the cover a floral arrangement of the 'Queen Elizabeth Rose', along with her picture in the bottom (the 2nd).

“America’s Newest Rose. 1955 All American Winner in Regal Splendor-The Queen Elizabeth Rose”.

1959-Spring Hill Nurseries Spring Catalog (Tipp City, Ohio).

I love a good Clematis. My mother grows them and they always look so nice in her backyard garden.

1950s vintage catalog from 1959 from Spring Hill Nurseries featuring illustration of flowers for your garden and a Mid Century House garden with roses

Plant fans! What is your favourite flower or plant? Do you have a green thumb or no thumbs (hehehe)? Share any thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.

Further Reading: Vintage Advertising 1920s-1960s (archived) & Vintage Magazine & Catalog Posts (archived).

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz (actual image of me below HA!)

“Gardening for Happiness”

1940s vintage magazine cover from Better Homes & Gardens in June 1940 featuring a woman standing in her garden reading a magazine about how to garden in overalls and 1940s hairstyle.

As the temperatures rise and the sun shines brighter, it’s time to start thinking about your summer wardrobe (Summer officially starts June 20th). And what better way to get inspiration than by flipping through the pages of a Sears 1955 Spring / Summer catalog?

From flowy sundresses to high-waisted shorts, this catalog is filled with timeless pieces that still have a place in our closets today. So grab your lemonade, put on your cat-eye sunglasses, and join us as we dive into the world of summer fashion in the 1950s.

(NOTE: click the link above to visit the entire catalog. IT’S HUGE!)

1950s Vintage Fashion as seen in a 1955 Spring / Summer Sears Catalog featuring an image of two women in 1950s full swing skirt floral dresses.

All images from ‘christmas.musetechical.com’

The 1950s Spring / Summer Fashions for Women

“This is the year for dresses with matched accessories”. Parasol & dress for only $8.98.

1950s Fashion / Vintage Summer Outfit as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring / Summer Catalog. The 1950s dress fabric has umbrellas on it that matches her parasol

“This is the year to look smooth. The smooth, slim dress looks smartest in navy or black”. You can also call this style “the wiggle dress”.

1950s Vintage Fashion as seen in a 1955 Spring / Summer Sears Catalog featuring an image of a woman in a 1950s Wiggle Dress

1950s fashion a womens wiggle dress or slim dress as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog

” This is the year for the Petticoat Dress. Ours are the finest, fullest and most flattering we’ve seen for only $10.98″.

The dress on the right is gorgeous and very on trend for this year as floral dresses are being seen all over town.

1950s fashion - The Petticoat Dress / a 1950s Fit and Flare dress style as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Catalog from Sears

1950s Fashion: Petticoat Dress / Fit & Flare Dress Style. One of the 1950s dresses is a Floral dress. All dresses seen in a 1955 Spring / Summer Sears Catalog

“This is the year for new elegance in dresses that wash” & “This is the year for pleats and these wash!”

1950s fashion for Spring Sumer 1955 featuring women's 1950s fit and flare dresses and housedress in stripes, polka dots and floral

1950s fashion for women as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog featuring women dresses with pleats

“This is the year to go formal”. Women’s 1950s evening dresses. AND “This is the year

1950s fashion: Women's 1950s evening dresses as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog

1950s Fashion: Women's 1950s party dresses in the full skirt style of the 50s as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog

“This is the year get more for $5.98” (Like a floral swing skirt dress, coat dress or a stripped flare skirt dress). AND “This is the year for Caribana cottons. They’re washfast…won’t shrink over 1%..wrinkle resistant”. LOVE the patterns on the skirts (the one in the middle is drummer boys and they are calling it a ‘dirndl skirt’).

1950s Fashion: Women's Floral Swing Skirt dress, coat dress & flared dress as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog

1950s Fashion: Women's Full Skirt Patterned Skirts & Patterned Summer Dress as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog

In these 1950s dresses, you will be able to take them from Spring right into Summer. What one is your favourite (I like the top middle floral dress with the bolero cardigan)?

1950s women's fashions for Spring & Summer as seen in a 1955 Sears Catalog. The catalog page features 1950s dresses in stripes, florals, polka dots and more!

“Skirts & blouses that go together” and “Fashion Separates add up to a versatile wardrobe for city and country wear”.

Love all the combinations of floral full skirts with blouses, blouses with shorts, blouses with capri pants. How fun and a great way to haves o many fun combinations for summer!

1950s Fashion: Women's Fashions for summer that go together and interchange. 1950s skirts with blouses and blouses with shorts or capri pants and jackets. Fun!

“New Junior Cottons” for young Women’s 50’s dresses.

1950s Fashion: Junior Women's Dresses for Summer as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring / Summer Catalog.

‘California styled separates of sportswear denim’. “Sun and fun fashion in brilliant colors to mix or max in the fashion fabric of sportswear…a superior quality denim with new depth and brilliance of color”

These fashions are SO FUN!! Bermuda shorts (love!), pedal pushers, culottes (can I have 2?!), matching bra and shorts, Italian pants and shirt and blouse. You will 100% be the best dressed at your Summer BBQ.

1950s fashion-1950s summer fashions for women featuring Bermuda shorts, pedal pushers, culottes, matching bra and shorts, Italian pants and shirt and blouse. as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog

The “Sensational New TAB SHIRT” is what caught my eye on this page of fun 1950s tops and blouses. I love the jacket-style look that you can wear open or closed with a belt.

1950s fashion-women's tops and blouses for Summer as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog

To have a standout Summer dress or skirt, you 100% need to start with a stunning novelty print fabric for your Butterick Pattern design. The “Signed Originals by Famous American Artists” is just what you need!

I love the boat print on the dress at the bottom. What is your favourite?

1950s Fashion: Women's 1950s cotton novelty print fabrics for your 1950s dresses and 1950s skirts as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog

Women’s 1950s skirts-pleated, tiered, & patterned.

1950s Fashion: Women's 1950s Skirts-Full Skirts with pleats, patterned & tiered as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog.

Women’s 1950s swimsuits-‘Kerrybrooke Sea Stars’.

Fantastic Women’s 1950s summer shoes (Oxfords, espadrilles & sandals). “Luscious Color!” “Breeze-cool Cotton Play Shoes to wear wherever your summer fun plans take you. Stay-bright colors was as easily as your nylons”.

Further Reading: “Kedettes”-Keds Stylish Women’s Shoe Division

1950s fashion: Women's summer shoes as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog -Oxfords, espadrilles & sandals.

“Winsome Wedgies”. These wedge Summer shoes will be perfect with any outfit you chose to pair them with.

1950s Fashion: Women's 1950s shoes for Summer-Wedge Shoes as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog.

1950s Men’s Summer Fashions

“OUTDOOR WEAR for Leisure Hours”. Men’s sports shirts and shorts.

1950s fashions for men-Summer fashions for men shorts and men's shirts from a 1955 Sears Spring Summer Catalog

1950s Men’s Short Sleeve Sport Shirts….”Cool as a Summer breeze”.

‘Sport Style Knit Shirts & Soft, Knit Cotton Terry Cloths shirts for men’.

1950s Fashion: 1950s Men's Sport Shirts for summer as seen in a 1955 Sears Spring / Summer Catalog

It’s swimming time! Summer Beachwear for men. Cabana beach set & swim trunks.

1950s Fashion: 1950s Men's Beachwear-Swim trunks and Cabana sets as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog.

The “California-Styled Casual Coat & Tropical Slacks” are the perfect look for stylish men in 1955 Summer (and today!).

1950s Fashion: 1950s mens casual jackets, shirts and slacks / pants for summer as seen in a 1955 Spring Summer Sears Catalog.

Thanks for dropping by! Share what your favourite Summer fashions were in the comment section below (or anything else about this topic).

Further Reading: Vintage Summer Blog Posts & Vintage Catalogs (Archived Vintage Inn Blog Posts)

VINTAGE SHOPPING: If you like what you see and you would like to own your own vintage summer fashion piece, I highly recommend Etsy , eBay to do your shopping.

Enjoy your Summer Friends!

Liz

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase

Tag: Catalog