What are your favourite places to order Hips?

Hi all,
Wondering I could could take a poll on what your favourite places are to order Hips from? I;m always looking for new ones to add to my growing collection! Thanks and Happy Spring!

Funny that you should ask that! Until this year, I would have said Royal Colors in Holland. But after this season, and their mislabelled bulbs, I don't know. In the past, they were the one company, where I never doubted the quality or the identity of the bulbs. At least they were willing to credit me for next year. I've actually done quite well with White Flower Farms, at least I didn't have any mislabelled bulbs this year. Parks and Wayside carried more of the African cultivars, that are hard to get. Another pleasant surprise for me was Tulip World. They carried a few bulbs that I hadn't seen anywhere else, and they were correct in the ID.
The overall quality of the bulbs wasn't as good as it should have been, this year. At the beginning of the season, there was a lot of complaints about soft bulbs, that seemed to abate as the season progressed. I had 3 companies that I wouldn't order from again: they were a disappointment in terms of too many mislabelled bulbs: McClure and Zimmerman, Brent and Becky's Bulbs, and National Gardening Association. And beware of The Lily Lady: the company was happy to take my money, but failed to fill the order, with no refund. John Scheepers, Jacques Amand and Amaryllis Bulb Company did OK.

I just saw this new thread. Thanks litmusician, I think it's a good idea, a sort of Consumers' Buying Guide for hippi junkies! I'll keep watching it personally and then if anything looks interesting I'll contact the company to see if they ship to Costa Rica, and for how much extra, lol.

That is so funny about our wonderful "sponsor" Royal Colors. I assume everyone got that "form e-mail" about how they will throw in a free packet of Sunflower seeds now. Most likely you'd end up with Dandelions or Clover or something else than what the seeds were supposed to be!

vm

Actually, I'm surprised at the new free seed offer from RC, which I also received. They must have a lot of bulbs left. They've never resorted to this type of "free" offer before, which is common with the USA mail order catalogs.

my fave place: any that has bulbs I don't already have. RC has been disappointing but they have also told me they will make amends. I am lucky that the owner of a fave nocal nursery has become an amaryllis nut and each yr is carrying a better and better selection. Van Engelen has been a good source. I got a papillio from B&B and it is yet to bloom. Somebody told me that they make take more than one season to do so, I dunno. Has anybody had that happen w/ their papillio?

WM is also a good source if I feel like planting a cluster of Red Lions or whatever pretty they have. I must say though, their selection was rather skimpy this past Christmas.

I have even seen bulb gift kits at Marshalls. I tried to negotiate down because they were sprouting but manager wouldn't budge. The name was one I've never heard of--probably Apple Blossom with a fancy name, lol