First Time Bulb Grower

Yorkshire Girl

I am thinking of buying some bulbs...recently received the Sarah Raven catalogue. Two questions.
1. Are Sarah Raven bulbs any good...they do seem expensive. 
2. Any hints and tips for growing bulbs for the first time?
Thank you.

amancalledgeorge

I'm sure they'd be good enough. Personally I'd go with a bulb specialist like Peter Nyssen as can imagine Raven must outsource the bulbs to a company like them and just add their own mark-up. 

Lyn

For many years I’ve been very happy with Bulbs from J. Parker.
https://www.jparkers.co.uk/
If you subscribe to the Gardeners World  magazine you can get 10% off or you can look online where there’s always an offer to be had. 

josusa47

If you're thinking of buying and growing tulips, be warned that many only flower well in the first year.  In the second year, you get maybe half as many, third year none.  Look for the ones that are sold as species or perennial tulips.  The flowers are smaller and less showy, but they keep going for years.

Fairygirl

It's easy to generalise about bulbs, but they do have different requirements - depth of planting, location, soil preference etc, depending on the type, so it's best to do a bit  of research before buying. The specialists offer that advice.

I'd personally never buy anything from Sarah Raven because of the price. You'd get twice the amount of plants/bulbs from someone like Peter Nyssen, as @amancalledgeorge has already mentioned. 

JennyJ

I started adding things to my basket on the Peter Nyssen site yesterday, then I had to pop out to the shops and BM had bulbs in, so I bought loads! 40 Thalia narcissi, 30 tete-a-tete, 15 nectaroscordum, 24 allium Purple Sensation, £20 for the lot

They're most likely smaller than the ones from Peter Nyssen, Sarah Raven etc but are a lot cheaper too, and look to be in good condition (they weren't there on Monday so are new in).  Horses for courses.  I also regularly buy bulbs from DIY sheds and supermarkets if I'm not after anything special/unusual.

Ceres

I've bought bulbs from these people a couple of times. https://www.kissmygrass.co.uk/

To be honest I just found the name really funny but they do have a good selection of bulbs on offer.

Lyn

Wilco and Morrison are good.
J. Parker  have their bulbs in now.
https://www.jparkers.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwqNnqBRATEiwAkHm2BFmr-AZWQkYFD-m7HSrmLFr67tDSTGJUyWIJd14YrlFshY4DsDHpQhoCvyMQAvD_BwE

Yorkshire Girl

Thank you all. Does anyone have any tips when planting to ensure a good success rate?

Dovefromabove

Make sure you plant them deep enough ... at least as deep as the guidance on the pack. ✅