Get Spring Bulbs Delivered Before the Best Varieties Sell Out

Every autumn, the same thing happens. Gardeners reach for their favourite tulip variety online, only to find a grey "sold out" banner where the listing used to be. The most popular tulips sell out every year, and the window to secure them is shorter than most people realise. If you want a spring garden that genuinely excites you, the time to order spring bulbs for delivery is well before the planting season even begins.

Online shopping across the EU has expanded rapidly, with 77% of internet users buying goods online in 2024, including a remarkable jump of 37 percentage points in Hungary alone since 2014. More gardeners than ever are turning to online suppliers for their bulbs. That is good news for choice and convenience, but it also means competition for the best varieties is fiercer than it used to be. Ordering early, understanding the delivery process, and knowing what to do when your bulbs arrive can mean the difference between a spectacular spring display and a disappointing one.

Key Takeaways

• Order well before planting season: Longfield Gardens advises that high-demand or rare varieties often sell out by the time autumn arrives, so shopping in July or August is a smart move if you have a specific colour palette in mind.

• The best varieties go first: Most specialist retailers begin taking pre-orders in late spring or early summer, and popular varieties, especially unique parrot tulips or trendy peony-style double tulips, often sell out quickly, according to Longfield Gardens' ordering guide.

• Delivery timing is designed to suit planting: Reputable European bulb suppliers send spring-flowering bulbs immediately after the fresh harvest in September, so they arrive in plantable condition at exactly the right moment.

• Storage is straightforward if needed: If you cannot plant straight away after delivery, remove the bulbs from their packaging and store them temporarily in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated place.

• Autumn planting sets the stage: The dormant period before winter usually lasting between 10 and 16 weeks depending on the variety, allows the bulb to develop its flower embryo, and planting in autumn gives bulbs time to establish a strong root system before the ground freezes.

Quick-Start Prioritisation Framework

Use this table to decide which bulbs to prioritise ordering, and when.

Start here if you are:

• A first-time online bulb buyer: Begin with daffodils and standard tulips. Delivery is reliable, storage is forgiving, and the results are almost guaranteed.

• An experienced gardener with a specific vision: Order parrot tulips, double tulips, or named hyacinth varieties as early as possible, these are the first to sell out.

• Planning a balcony or container display: Hyacinths and compact tulip varieties are ideal; order by September to receive bulbs in time for a November pot-up.

Why the Best Varieties Disappear So Quickly

The Harvest Cycle Drives the Calendar

The bulb growing season runs until 1 July. After this, the bulbs are dug up and handled by growers, who dry them and sort them by size and quality so that only the best bulbs reach your garden. Once this process is complete, the bulbs are delivered to suppliers and packed, and by the time all of that is finished, it is already the end of September, according to QF Bulb Gardening's FAQ. That is a tight window with fixed quantities available per variety. When stock is gone, it is gone until the following year.

The Varieties Worth Securing Early

Buying during the pre-order phase is less about finding a deep discount and more about ensuring availability, because rare colours, unique petal shapes like parrot tulips, or popular perennial varieties often sell out long before the planting season begins, according to Longfield Gardens' timing guide.

Some of the most sought-after varieties across European suppliers include:

• Tulip 'Apricot Beauty', a long-standing favourite whose warm apricot-to-salmon blooms draw gardeners back year after year

• Tulip 'Orange Emperor', an early-flowering Fosteriana type with unusually large, bright blooms

• Double late (peony-flowered) tulips such as 'Angelique', fluffy, romantic, and consistently in short supply

• Parrot tulips, with their ruffled, painterly petals, these are decorative showstoppers that disappear from stock lists fastest of all

By combining tulips with different flowering times, you can enjoy blooms in the garden for longer. Starting with early varieties such as 'Apricot Beauty' and 'Orange Emperor', you then let these be followed later in the season by the richly filled flowers of 'Angelique' and 'Akebono', suggests BULBi's popular tulip guide. Ordering a staggered selection at the same time, while everything is still available, is far easier than trying to piece a palette together variety by variety.

Pro tip: When you find a named variety you love, add two or three times as many bulbs as you think you need. Planted in generous groups of 15 to 20, bulbs always look better than the handful you thought would be enough.

Understanding Spring Bulb Delivery in Europe

How Reputable Suppliers Manage Shipping

There are two main shipping seasons for bulbs: spring and autumn. Between late August and December, spring-flowering (autumn-planting) bulbs are shipped, and it is during these shipping months that the bulbs should be planted. The best European suppliers schedule deliveries so your order arrives precisely when conditions in your region are right for planting, not too early, and certainly not too late.

Bulbs sold in retail stores are often kept in warm, dry environments for weeks or even months, which can cause them to dry out or lose energy before they reach your soil. In contrast, online suppliers keep bulbs in climate-controlled facilities until the exact moment they are shipped, according to Longfield Gardens. This is one of the most practical reasons to order spring bulbs for delivery online rather than picking up a bag from a garden centre shelf.

Holland Kertészet operates with exactly this in mind, dispatching freshly harvested bulbs that have been properly conditioned, so they arrive ready to go into the ground.

What to Do When Your Delivery Arrives

Open the box soon after delivery and compare the contents with the packing slip. A healthy dormant bulb should feel firm for its type, with no wet collapse, deep gouges, or spreading mould. Softness or a musty smell are signs of rot; remove any affected bulbs immediately to protect the rest.

You can store bulbs temporarily in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated place. Remove them from the shipping packaging, spread them loosely in an open cardboard box or crate, and check them occasionally for mould or rot, advises BULBi's bulb storage guide. Aim to get them into the ground within a few weeks.

Planting Depths and Timing for Hungarian Gardens

When to Plant by Bulb Type

Hungary sits in a continental climate zone where winters are reliably cold, ideal for spring bulbs, which need that chilling period to perform. Most spring-flowering bulbs are planted in autumn, typically from September through December. Think of tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and grape hyacinths. Planting in this period allows the bulbs to develop roots before winter, and the cold spell that follows is important for many spring-flowering bulbs to ensure good flowering, explains BULBi's planting calendar.

In practical terms for a Hungarian garden:

• Daffodils and narcissi: Plant from mid-September through October for the strongest root development. Plant daffodils in early autumn no later than mid-September, to give the bulbs plenty of time to develop strong root systems, recommends Plant daffodils in early autumn.

• Hyacinths: September to November. They are forgiving and establishment is reliable.

• Tulips: October and November. The best time to plant tulips is late October or early November, around six to eight weeks before the first frost, because planting too early can increase the chance of tulip fire, notes Plant daffodils in early autumn.

Correct Planting Depths

Tulip bulbs should be planted at a depth of 12 to 15 cm, around two to three times the height of the bulb. Planting at the right depth ensures strong roots, upright stems, and reliable flowering, according to Complete Grow's depth guide. Apply this to all your main spring bulbs:

Always plant with the pointed tip facing upward. In heavier soils, mix in some coarse grit beneath the bulb to improve drainage, this is particularly important in Hungarian garden clay soils where waterlogging can cause rot.

Pro tip: For a 'bulb lasagne' effect in a deep pot, place tulip bulbs at 20 cm depth, then add a layer of compost and sit hyacinths or daffodils on top at 10 to 12 cm. You get a succession of blooms from one container, arriving one wave after the next.

Common Mistakes That Spoil the Season

Waiting Until October to Browse the Catalogue

In my experience, this is the single most common mistake. By the time many gardeners think about ordering, half the interesting varieties are already gone. The best time to order is during the summer and early autumn, July through September. While you won't plant them until later in the autumn, ordering early ensures that the most popular and unique varieties are still in stock before they sell out for the season, according to Longfield Gardens' sourcing advice. If you are reading this during the summer months, now is genuinely the best moment to browse and order.

Planting Too Shallow

I've found that shallow planting is one of the main reasons tulips flop or fail to return in subsequent years. Too shallow, and bulbs risk drying out or flopping; too deep, and shoots may be delayed or weak, warns Complete Grow's planting depth guide. Stick to the 2 to 3 times the bulb height rule and use a proper bulb planter to make sure you are reaching the correct depth consistently.

Storing Bulbs Near Heat Sources or Fruit

Avoid direct sunlight and warm places such as next to a radiator. Warmth can cause bulbs to sprout prematurely, according to BULBi's storage guide. Equally important: keep bulbs well away from apples and other ripening fruit. Ethylene gas produced by fruit can damage the developing flower embryo inside the bulb, a detail most gardeners never consider but that can ruin an entire delivery.

Choosing Only One Flowering Time

After years of planning spring gardens, I can tell you that a garden with only mid-season tulips has a very short moment of glory. Combine early bloomers such as snowdrops and crocuses with daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and later-flowering alliums. That way, one wave of colour follows another and you can enjoy months of colour in the garden, suggests BULBi's planting calendar. Plan your order so that you have something flowering from February through to May.

Pro tip: Write your planned display on paper before you open the online shop. Know your colours, your heights, and your flowering sequence before you browse; it prevents distraction by beautiful varieties that don't fit your plan and stops you under-ordering what you actually need.

The Growing Appeal of Online Bulb Shopping

The European urban gardening products market was estimated at USD 6.9 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.9% between 2026 and 2035, according to GM Insights' European gardening market report. This growth is being driven partly by the shift towards online purchasing for garden supplies. Furniture, home accessories, and gardening items ranked among the top online purchase categories in 2024, with 19% of EU internet users buying in this category, according to Eurostat's 2025 online shopping report. For spring bulbs specifically, this shift is a genuine advantage: online catalogues carry far more variety than any physical shop could stock, and delivery brings the bulbs to your door at the optimal moment for planting.

The growing popularity of balcony gardening and apartment-based plant culture is driving significant market growth, with the balcony and terrace gardens segment dominating the Europe urban gardening products industry due to their accessibility and practicality in urban spaces.marketreportsworld.com/market-reports/online-plant-nursery-market-14722117). Even if you only have a balcony or small terrace, ordering spring bulbs for delivery is a practical and increasingly popular route to a colourful spring display. Therefore, if you have been hesitating between an online order and a trip to a garden centre, the convenience, variety, and quality argument points clearly in one direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I order spring bulbs for delivery in Hungary?

The ideal time to order is between June and early September. By August and early September, the tulip season is in full swing, this is when the widest selection of inventory is available, and you will find everything from classic Darwin Hybrids to elegant lily-flowering types. Ordering earlier than you think you need to is the single most effective way to secure your preferred varieties before they sell out.

How do I know my delivered bulbs are healthy?

Open the box soon after delivery and compare the contents with the packing slip. A healthy dormant bulb should generally feel firm for its type, with no wet collapse, deep gouges, or spreading mould. A slight papery outer skin and a firm weight in the hand are both good signs. Reject any bulb that feels hollow, spongy, or has a foul smell.

Can I store bulbs if I am not ready to plant them immediately?

Yes, keep bulbs temporarily in a cool dry, dark spot with good airflow. A cool garage, shed, or an unheated cupboard can work well. Avoid direct sunlight and warm places such as next to a radiator. Do not store them for longer than four to six weeks, and plant them as soon as your planting window opens.

How deep should I plant tulip bulbs in my Hungarian garden?

The easiest rule to remember is to plant tulip bulbs at a depth equal to 2 to 3 times the height of the bulb. For most standard tulip bulbs, this means a depth of 15 to 20 cm and a spacing of 10 to 15 cm. In heavier clay soils, ensure good drainage beneath the bulb to prevent rot over winter.

What happens if I miss the ordering window entirely?

If you find yourself ordering in September, October, or November, you are in the middle of the traditional planting season. This is a great time to buy because bulbs are ready to go into the ground immediately. While some specific varieties may be sold out, there is usually still a wide selection of beautiful options. For next year, set a calendar reminder for July so you catch the full selection before it goes.

Sources

1. When to Plant Spring Bulbs, Crocus UK. Planting depths and seasonal timing guide. Plant daffodils in early autumn

2. When Do You Plant Daffodil and Tulip Bulbs for Spring Color, Longfield Gardens. Why autumn planting is essential. https://www.longfield-gardens.com/blogs/tulip-care/when-do-you-plant-daffodil-and-tulip-bulbs-for-spring-color

3. Where Can I Order Tulip Bulbs?, Longfield Gardens. Best time to order and variety guidance. https://www.longfield-gardens.com/blogs/tulip-care/where-can-i-order-tulip-bulbs

4. When to Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs, BULBi. EU-wide planting calendar. https://bulbi.co.uk/blog/when-to-plant-spring-flowering-bulbs

5. Storing Bulbs Before Planting, BULBi. How to keep bulbs healthy after delivery. https://bulbi.co.uk/blog/storing-bulbs

6. Discover Our 8 Most Popular Tulips, BULBi Netherlands. Best-selling tulip varieties that sell out annually. https://www.bulbi.nl/en/blog/buy-tulip-bulbs-most-popular-tulips

7. Can I Buy Tulip Bulbs Now?, Longfield Gardens. Timing advice and variety availability. https://www.longfield-gardens.com/blogs/tulip-care/can-i-buy-tulip-bulbs-now

8. When Do Tulip Bulbs Go on Sale?, Longfield Gardens. Seasonal cycle of bulb sales. https://www.longfield-gardens.com/blogs/tulip-care/when-do-tulip-bulbs-go-on-sale-a-timing-guide

9. How Deep to Plant Tulip Bulbs, Complete Grow. Metric depth and spacing guide. https://completegrow.com.au/garden-plant-care-home/how-deep-to-plant-tulip-bulbs/

10. Buying Bulbs and Plants Online, Farmer Gracy. Delivery seasons and shipping guidance for Europe. https://www.farmergracy.co.uk/blogs/farmer-gracys-blog/buying-bulbs-and-plants-online

11. Frequently Asked Questions, QF Bulb Gardening. Harvest and dispatch calendar. https://www.qfbgardening.com/frequent-asked-questions

12. Online Shopping in the EU Keeps Growing, Eurostat, February 2025. EU online shopping statistics including Hungary. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250220-3

13. Europe Urban Gardening Products Market, GM Insights, 2025. Market size and CAGR projections. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/europe-urban-gardening-products-market

14. Online Plant Nursery Market, Market Reports World, 2026. European online plant and bulb sales data. The growing popularity of balcony gardening

15. 10 Best Places to Buy Flower Bulbs Online, Leafy Pixels. Delivery and quality inspection guidance. https://leafypixels.com/guides/best-places-to-buy-flower-bulbs-online/