Am I too late to buy bulbs?

[ClaudiaWankleman]

I've only just got around to planning my first spring with a revamped garden and I'm a bit concerned I've missed the boat on bulbs. Thompson Morgan, Dobies and Suttons don't seem to have anything available for delivery this season, at all.

I'm not too fussy about colour schemes or types, but I'd like a nice mix of tulips, daffodils, maybe crocus. Is there anywhere online you can recommend that I can order for delivery this week?

It is too late now really, unless you buy potted bulbs. If you did manage to find spring flowering bulbs they would either flower very late or not until next spring.

You can still find tulip bulbs in the sales on a couple of websites if you Google. They will flower much later than usual, but you should have a reasonable chance of success.

If you like Alliums, you can still find a good range on sale. I like J Parkers for bulbs as they're always reasonable and good quality: https://www.jparkers.co.uk/search.php?search_query=allium&page=1&limits=12&sort=RELEVANCE

B and Q had lots potted up this week

Due to my mum being in hospital I never got to plant my spring bulbs, is it worth doing or wait till autumn?

Yes, plant them ASAP. As long as they're showing signs of life (still firm, maybe sprouting) you're in with a reasonable chance.

The bulbs will die if you don't plant them, so you have nothing to lose.

J Parkers had Snowdrops in the Green in their catalogue but I'd already bought some bulbs when I saw this .
Snowdrop bulbs are planted in pots and stubbornly refusing to do anything !

Snowdrop bulbs are planted in pots and stubbornly refusing to do anything ! Snowdrops are notorious for being difficult to re-start from dormancy, hence advice to buy “in the green “. I wonder if it’s all about how dry they are before getting to you - bulbs that you dig up and replant immediately seem to have no problem.

Thanks for all responses. I have bought some for late planting, and also bought some potted bulbs from the garden centre this morning.

A follow on question - I have done work to mitigate some significant winter flooding in the garden. It shouldn’t recur in such a large amount but I still don’t want to risk leaving expensive bulbs in the ground over winter.

In this case, is it best for me to pot them up over next winter and then replant them when the flood risk has passed? Or should I try and store them dry and replant and just expect late return?