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- Mar 18, 2026
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Bulb Buyers Beware
This is a rant and warning about some of the major
bulb houses. I know you have experiences as well.
The membership club had boxes of bulbs produced by
“Blank” gardens. I bought the daylily set and the Louisiana
Iris set. Both daylilies were supposed to be eyed and edged,
white and pink with red eyes. Well they bloomed,
one was an average orange and one was an average purple.
Both mispackaged.
The iris was supposed to be a pink one and Black Gamecock.
Both bloomed black. The average gardener will say pretty
flowers, but I paid for specific varieties.
Next, the well known “Family” bulb co. They actually had their
factory here for a while. I went to the UPSCALE (read $$) nursery
and bought a white amaryllis kit they packaged for them. It
bloomed red, Red Lion. I took the blooming thing back to the
nursery to complain, they said keep it and gave me another
white kit. It bloomed red. Forget it I said. I mentioned this to
one of the truck drivers. He delivered to them and knew Mrs.
Blank. He told her, she sent me by him about 12 jumbo Red
Lions, some flowering alliums and some brodiaea, which
are still blooming decades later. I gave the amaryllis away,
one of our migrant workers saw the alliums and said Cebolla.
(Onion) she worked for them spring and fall packaging bulbs.
Last is the current well European country world famous for their
bulbs. I bought an expensive mix of Narcissus,
like 15 bulbs for $20. Oh the variety, I thought. Wrong!
90 percent were King Alfred, I WAS PISSED. At the discount store,
Ollies, I bought another mix bag. EVERY plant bloomed different,
some very charming.
Last, proof. I bought 3 Casa Blancas for a corner of the yard.
I love the huge Orientals with their intoxicating scent.
They bloomed PINK!
Very bad experiences lately with the MAJOR bulb providers.
This is a rant and warning about some of the major
bulb houses. I know you have experiences as well.
The membership club had boxes of bulbs produced by
“Blank” gardens. I bought the daylily set and the Louisiana
Iris set. Both daylilies were supposed to be eyed and edged,
white and pink with red eyes. Well they bloomed,
one was an average orange and one was an average purple.
Both mispackaged.
The iris was supposed to be a pink one and Black Gamecock.
Both bloomed black. The average gardener will say pretty
flowers, but I paid for specific varieties.
Next, the well known “Family” bulb co. They actually had their
factory here for a while. I went to the UPSCALE (read $$) nursery
and bought a white amaryllis kit they packaged for them. It
bloomed red, Red Lion. I took the blooming thing back to the
nursery to complain, they said keep it and gave me another
white kit. It bloomed red. Forget it I said. I mentioned this to
one of the truck drivers. He delivered to them and knew Mrs.
Blank. He told her, she sent me by him about 12 jumbo Red
Lions, some flowering alliums and some brodiaea, which
are still blooming decades later. I gave the amaryllis away,
one of our migrant workers saw the alliums and said Cebolla.
(Onion) she worked for them spring and fall packaging bulbs.
Last is the current well European country world famous for their
bulbs. I bought an expensive mix of Narcissus,
like 15 bulbs for $20. Oh the variety, I thought. Wrong!
90 percent were King Alfred, I WAS PISSED. At the discount store,
Ollies, I bought another mix bag. EVERY plant bloomed different,
some very charming.
Last, proof. I bought 3 Casa Blancas for a corner of the yard.
I love the huge Orientals with their intoxicating scent.
They bloomed PINK!
Very bad experiences lately with the MAJOR bulb providers.
