They're very local to me as well! I waited since last year to do my amaryllis order from them this year. It was my first time ordering from Easy to Grow Bulbs.com. The box was sent out immediately via Fed Ex Ground (came the next day sent) and the bulbs were beautiful. No red blotch on ANY amaryllis bulbs. Some sizes like Melusine were smaller than I expected but they certainly were the measurements given on the website and some bulbs were much larger than what I'd expected. [My freebie bonus bulbs were ranunculus. Fyi.] Their amaryllis prices are 'top of the line' but the bulbs I got were excellent so I feel ok paying that price for now. This was a splurge I'd saved up and planned for. Normally I'd expect these bulbs to range in price from $9-13 dollars in a store like Armstrongs, and probably the exotics I got on the high end so the pricing was fair to me. Especially since the bulb HEALTH was GREAT. PLUS I knew the bulbs would have minimal transport time and its a local company so again-- happy to do business with them. [I don't know if you remember but a couple years ago, local Home Depots and Lowes were ordering bulbs from an operation called "The California Bulb Company". The most incredible bulbs came packaged under those labels and for low bottom pricing too. Great bulbs for our area AND the cheapest and best quality amaryllis bulbs locally. They would sell Papillo bulbs under $6 at Home Depot. Well.... its all changed I think 2 years ago. I think HD went with a dutch production company for cheaper prices and now only has been carrying the boxed 'common color' bulbs. All their other bulbs are imports through a dutch owned company as well. To make a long story short, I did ask Easy To Grow Bulbs if they were the new incarnation of the California Bulb Company and they said they are. Its just a shame they are no longer in our stores. At least as far as I've seen up to last year. I'm just glad they're still HERE and selling us some more unusual bulbs.] As of Sunday, none of the Walter Andersons nor Mission Hill Nursery had gotten their amaryllis bulbs in. They usually carry slightly more unusual bulbs so I can't compare what they will be carrying with what was sent to me. Crop quality seems to vary year to year I've noticed. I really want a giant Rilona and maybe a Black Pearl if they have it at WA so I'm very curious as to their order coming in... I call every couple days because it will be in any day now most likely. Armstrong's has gotten their amaryllis bulbs in and the two I visited were not carrying any (what I term) 'exotics' this year besides some basic doubles. Last year was a big surprise when they had Chico and La Paz and maybe one other ...but I guess they didn't sell well since I scooped up a number of lovely bulbs at half off late October (that store was closing for remodeling though...) Those bulbs did very well for me certainly! As spectacular if not more so than their photos. I am really enjoying these 'spider type' (my own made up word) amaryllis. Today I made it to a Walmart and for some reason they had a box of the 32+cm amaryllis jumbo bulbs marked half off for 3.50 each. I scooped up five nice looking ones. I have NO idea how they have their bulbs in and it looks like that bulb box had been there a while!!! There were only a handful left on clearance. And yet some of the nurseries haven't even gotten theirs in. Different distributors I guess. These have a little red blotch on them but I'm keeping them away and will toss em once the season is over with. I couldn't pass by that pricing though on those jumbo bulbs and they looked decent too! If you're interested in hyacinths I think the best deal going is Home Depot who is carrying a fabulous variety 'Lady Derby' which is not as fussy about her chilling as some others. I easily chill these (potted up and moistened soil) in the fridge and they were ready before the 12 week recommended chilling time and did fabulous. Some hyacinths are a tad more sassy and don't force as easily but even Old House Gardens rates this one as easy to force and you can't beat Home Depot's pricing on the 10 packs at under 7 bucks (and they will go on sale. No one buys hyacinths at home depots anymore and their boxes are all still pretty full as of this weekend.) However to enjoy them in January you do want to get them in the fridge NOW for their 3 month siesta. I haven't tried anything except amaryllis from Easy to Grow Bulbs (and the box was well packed too.) I think he has some good tazettas but I REALLY like the selection for our coastal So Cal area from Old House Gardens because they buy (as I believe so does Easy To Grow Bulbs.com-- they just don't carry as big a selection,) from "Bill the Bulb Baron" who is an institution in No. Cal. and has been doing his own hybridizing and maintenance of fabulous fabulous hardy easy no-maintenance for us multi-flower narcissus (actually I am not sure if they fall in the category of 'tazetta'... I mean varieties like ErliCheer (the best and most spectacular comes-back-with-no-care-for-us) When you read the Old House Gardens catalog or website, look for listings on the multi flowering narcissus that say 'fat bulbs from California' and its likely a Bulb Baron product which means fabulous quality and likely a great naturalizer for us. Surprisingly-- and I've played around a lot with every variety catalog or local, with your 'basic larger daffodils' like single blooms whites to yellows, full trumpets to open faced shallow trumpets, the Home Depot classic bag of daffodils is the earliest bloomer and will come back for several years if planted in an area which gets good summer water and stays a tad shadier and tad moister (excellent drainage needed of course.) I can't tell you how much money I feel I've wasted on other big single daffodils that say they're earlier or better for our zone but the Home Depot or generic yellow trumpet really just beat them all out. Ice Follies probably coming in second, very common here and elsewhere. Oh-- I noticed Easy To Grow Bulbs is now selling Giant White Squill. This is from another somewhat local grower (farther north and inland but still... I think their website is giantwhitesquill.com Google it...) who is FABULOUS. Gentry Experimental Farm I believe their name is... I can't recommend this bulb enough for coastal So. Cal. It is SPECTACULAR. It has brought me such joy-- I have about 2 dozen now and I would have more if I had better space for them. They're sold locally at Walter Andersons and Armstrongs have even been carrying them in the past. Or if you order a mess you might even be able to drive up and pick them up yourself. LOVE LOVE LOVE. We are soooooooo lucky to have them here. Also I highly recommend Watsonia if you haven't tried it and Easy To Grow Bulbs has the best selection of colors I have seen ANYWHERE. They are a spectacular bulb for our climate. And impossible to find with this kind of selection. It breaks my heart I couldn't fit them in the yard this year. I have them down on my calendar to get next year because I LOOOOOOOOVE them. Better than gladiolus in my opinion for keeping on the stalk outside and the hummingbirds love em. My favorite is Ablaze which has a subtle purple throat and a nice tomato red color. Really neat combo you can't tell in the photo. That is available in stores too (but usually the first to sell out) if you want a handful to try first. If you haven't tried Watsonia and you're local-- go for it. Mine come back with no care whatsoever and get stronger each year. Sorry for rattling on!

Please check my recently updated trade list. Hope you still have daylilys left to trade. I cave Cape Fucias (pink)Gladiola bulbs (peach and some red) pink stilbe (loves the shade) red leaved cannas with red blooms(tubers) Red spider daylily that has no name and a peach/pink daylily that needs a name and a new home.. Have a lot of Sammy Russel and Franz Hal and At First Blush daylilys. Let me Know, Shar2926

Exactly... a lot of times, they'll declare the item a "gift", trying to avoid inspection and all the necessary certificates that go along with importation... I'm all for saving money, myself, but not at the risk of illegally bringing some rare fungus or insect into the country. I also don't like the fact that such bulbs are in transit for so long, and at the mercy of unknown shippers and handlers... I just prefer my risk in smaller doses, which falls within continental North America... Canada included. In fact, I just ordered some Sprekelia bulbs from within the States... and I don't anticipate any problems receiving them. I was hoping to find them locally again this year, but no one seems to have gotten any in. I wonder if they were a poor selling item last year? I'm sorry your Hercules was bug eaten... so far, the word around here is that we don't have the bulb flies, so it's looking like a go for bring everyone out for the summer! I'm very hopeful, anyway!

I've been lurking but felt I had to post. This is a great thread! I couldn't agree more that the bulb forum is dominated with daffs and tulips WOW JimmB, what a fantastic pic of that Ferraria. I am fairly new to South African bulbs and pics like that really help me. Now I want one! I managed to find one Watsonia plant last year at a garden centre (orange flower and produces bulbils). I planted the bulbils straight away and 1 month later they are coming up. I have Sparaxis which comes up every year as does my Tigridia. I grew Anomathica Laxa from seed this year and at present it is in bud (outside). Not bad for Irish weather. Agapanthus appears every year too. There are so many wonderful South African bulbs out there that people like me would love to know about. And as someone else mentioned, bulbs are easier to post for swaps etc. I have posted on another thread to ask if anyone knows anything about Cape Bulbs and Seeds online company in South Africa. They seem to have a good selection but need to know if they are reputable. Once again, this is a great thread and much needed. All the best Sue