Some Good Places to Purchase Spring Bulbs
In general, purchasing bulbs by mail order produces better results than purchasing them locally. Most bulbs will bloom the following spring unless they are visibly moldy or soft, or eaten by squirrels. The real question is whether they have enough health and vigor to return in future years. Since mail order companies have more control over temperature and humidity than any retailer (retailers have to please people, not bulbs!), their bulbs tend to be in better condition than those sold off the shelf locally. They are therefore more likely to keep blooming in future years.
For quality, price, and variety, the best I’ve found is John Scheepers and its sister company, Van Engelen. They sell the same stock, but Van Engelen sells it in larger quantities so its prices are generally a tad lower. Looking through the John Scheepers catalog is a delight, and the results are too. You can get cheaper bulbs somewhere else, but the resulting plants probably won’t be as vigorous and long-lasting.
If you are considering a mail-order source not listed here, check them out first in the Watchdog section of the Dave’s Garden website, which provides invaluable user feedback on more than seven thousand garden companies.
Fedco is also a good source for bulbs. Their quality is top-notch and their varieties are well-selected. Their options are more limited than what you’d find at John Scheepers (which claims to offer the largest selection of Dutch bulbs of any company selling in the U.S.) and their prices are generally, but not always, a little higher. But if you want to support a workers’ cooperative in Maine instead of a big company, I’d suggest Fedco.
Want to explore the world of heirloom bulbs? Old House Gardens has lots of tantalizing options.
Where to purchase: