Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Where to buy bulbs?

24567

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I like J. Parkers Wholesale for bulbs in big-ish quantities. Cheaper than the retail website/catalogue (and for what I've wanted they've been cheaper than Peter Nyssen of Farmer Gracy).
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Fire said:
    No, it should be fine to add just the code. You can only use one code at a time. You add it to the 'discount voucher' box


    I do find people on this forum spend an an inordinate amount of time slagging off good companies and plants. We are in the business of offering options to readers, not shutting them down. Sarah Raven, Nyssen, Gee Tee, Famer Gracy, Avon bulbs, they are all fine and offer different options. Whether I had a SR raven that didn't come up ten years ago is neither here nor there.


    I don't see anyone "slagging off " good companies and plants.  When someone asks for advice re suppliers, people respond with their personal experiences - good or bad. If you want to be helpful, that is all you can do. You only have to look around to see that some recommend certain suppliers whilst others suggest otherwise.
    I remarked on Gee Tee Bulbs but also allowed that they could have improved - I did not slag them off and find the inference somewhat OTT.

  • @Fire Thankyou for that I will make sure I double check in future. I thought I needed to buy from the sundries too. I have always found plants and bulbs alike of a high quality from Sarah Raven. I often buy Tulips and every bulb arrives in good condition and flowers well.
    The other items are not for me because they do seem expensive. Maybe the problem is I am only really interested in the plants.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've always used P. Nyssen and never been disappointed, and their customer service is excellent. Farmer Gracey is good, but they tend to be expensive - all that fancy packaging.  ;)
    I wouldn't use Sarah Raven for that reason - too pricey, unless there was something very unusual I wanted that no one else had, which is highly unlikely. 
    Broadleigh and Avon are good outlets too, from what others have said. I've used GeeTee in the past but they were a bit hit and miss. 

    It also comes down to what you actually want to buy, as @JennyJ says. Some things are as common as muck, and some are more specialised. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • If you are looking for quantity as well as quality Boston Bulbs are good.  They sell to councils for their displays,  but do have unusual varieties too. They start with 25 bulb packs and go up from there, and they are a reasonable price, with plenty of choice @City_balcony_gardener 😁
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    I'd have a look at Lidl if you can which will be similarly priced as wilko . Online I prefer Anglia Bulbs for quality and farmer gracy for the real sales which are usually Late November / December if I remember right. 
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited September 2023
    I just bought from Amazon as I did last year which gave me a great display and I've bought from the same company as last year through Amazon . Its a British Nursery known as Millthorpe Nursery ( I think there in Derbyshire).

    There at £16.99 for a 100 mixed Triumph Tulips Bulbs.  Plus free delivery.

    Triumph Tulips Bulbs - 100 Mixed - Create a Stunning Spring Display - The Great British Bulb Company


    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Millthorpe Nursery is about 4 miles from us, run by a very nice couple.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2023
    If, as the OP’s name infers, the need is for a smallish quantity with big impact, to be grown in pots, rather than buying in bulk,  I’d go with Sarah Raven. I’ve always received really good quality large bulbs which have performed just as they look on her website … in that respect I think they’re good value. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Thanks all for your suggestions, much appreciated! Gardening on a small London balcony so bulk buying not as worth it for me. Will have a good look at all the recommendations. Perhaps Sarah Raven for a special pot and then p.nyssen, milthorpe via Amazon and Anglia Bulbs 😊 
Sign In or Register to comment.