Bulbs

[LaundryIsNotmyFriend]

I’m going to plant lots of spring bulbs and was looking for a recommendation for a website where I can buy reasonably priced bulbs and also a website where I can buy a few very special ones.

I’ve had success for the last 5 or so years with tulips, alliums and daffodils from Crocus online.

I know it's not everyones favourite but I find JParkers good and a reasonable price range and selection.

When you say special, how special? Jaques Armand is one, Farmer Gracy is another I've used with good results but if you want really special https://www.rareplants.co.uk is still going and I've had really good bulbs from them. A lot of the really specialist nurseries have sadly died out.

I've found J Parker is very well-priced, had a fantastic display from their bulbs this year. This spring a few irises and fritillaries from there didn't come up and they gave me a refund, good communication via WhatsApp, I was impressed.

Thanks for all the fantastic suggestions. I’ve had an enjoyable evening placing many orders and can’t wait for spring now

Broadleigh Gardens for anything special. But this year only - they’re retiring and selling up

I like peter nyssen, some special bulbs there.

I made an order on wowcher for 80 tulip bulbs for £9.99! They look similar in size to the tulip bulbs I got from my local garden centre. I suppose I will find out next year if the price difference was worth it

If you're on Vodafone they currently have a reward for £200 bulbs for £10 via Thompson Morgan. Not fancy but I've got them to fill a big new planter.

Another vote for Farmer Gracy!

But for the 'normal' ones, Lidl and Aldi can be surprisingly good and excellent value, if you get there before everyone else has rootled through the cases.

J parkers wholesale Dutch bulbs is good for larger quantities and I've found the plants, bulbs etc to be a bit healthier than from the other J Parkers website.

I agree that J parkers is good about refunds, but I'd still rather have healthier bulbs in the first place.

Farmer Gracy is great and often do free postage days/weekends (today actually) so it's worth signing up for their newsletter to get those notifications.

I usually order from Farmer Gracy but they didn't have Louvre orange tulip bulbs I wanted so I thought I'd order from Peter Nyssen this year. I waited as I didn't want to plant them yet, then they went out of stock so I ordered from J Parkers.
Have people not had a good experience with them?

Just seen some people haven't found J Parker bulbs good quality. Hope mine are OK.

All my tulips, narcissi, hyacinths and alliums from them were excellent this spring, had a lot of comments on how great my display was. One lot of irises were perfect, another none came up. One of 3 frilliaria persica didn't come up. They gave me a refund no problem. Re the tulips, I looked on Sarah Raven for great looking combinations, then bought the same bulbs from J Parker for half the price.

Parkers for bulk.
Farmer Gracy for better.
Sarah Raven for special (20% off tulips today)

Likewise. I’ve just ordered from there because I was ordering some plants from them

That's good you had excellent tulips from them. Fingers crossed mine will be OK. I might buy some cheap back up bulbs from a shop or garden centre. I only want a few for a pot on my front window sill

Just ordered some back up Aphrodite tulips from Farmer G. Farmer G always send big, fat healthy tulip bulbs that grow really well. If the J Parker Louvre orange ones end up being fine, the FG ones can go on the back window ledge.

Just a thought, but if you live somewhere with particular weather conditions, it might be an idea to buy from a local nursery who have raised plants locally. I've bought WAY too many plants that can't cope with our northern conditions!