Larger local nurseries and garden centers in this area typically sell Eranthis hyemalis, the Galanthus and various species of Leucojum together with other fall planted, spring blooming bulbs. And you can often find the Galanthus available in spring with other already started spring flowering bulbs. In fact, this is a preferred planting method (in the "green") for snowdrops as they are notoriously tricky to grow from bulbs.

If your favorite GC or larger local nursery doesn't carry these in fall, you might have to resort to a specialty bulb mail order source, but I've not found them hard to locate locally.......I seldom, ever, use mail order :-)

Where are you exactly?? I could make a few suggestions for nurseries to look at next fall but western WA is a BIG area :-)

I'm in Auburn between Seattle & Tacoma. I don't shop much, but this fall were at these places with plants for one reason or another: McLendon's, Windmill Gardens, Home Depot, Lowes, and Covington Creek Nursery. Maybe, I just missed them.

Where would you suggest?

I haven't mail ordered plants because I'd rather put $ in my local economy and rarely purchase plants at Lowe's or Home Depot(only when they've been marked down after bloom for $1 or so). My budget is small for plants.

I like to pot up the bulbs (mostly daffs & crocus) in 1 gallon or larger so I can display them on my porch to see them daily. I also sink those 1 gal pots into empty spots in my gardens when they're getting ready to bloom, so drainage isn't an issue with them all winter. Sometimes, I've left them in pots for another blooming season before planting them out. I've done some large layered pots as suggested on a garden center flier, but don't think the bulbs like that crowded space.

I doubt you'd have much luck with any of the box stores or places like McLendons.....they just don't specialize in plants and won't offer the selection :-) I'd try Watson's in Puyallup or Portland Avenue Nursery in Tacoma. Or if you feel like a bit of a drive, Swanson's in Seattle always has a huge bulb selection each fall as well as offering the growing starts in spring. Plus it is arguably the best plant nursery in western Washington, although not the least expensive. Great gift shop and restaurant as well - a true "destination" garden center. The Washington Arboretum fall bulb sale is also an excellent source for a wide range of bulbs, including many less common types.

Today, I found Eranthis hyemalis at Carpinito's, a local produce and garden center in Kent, WA. I have shopped here dozens of times and recall looking specifically for them twice without finding them.

I asked for a greater discount since I could see sprouting on some of the narcissis and scillas and he said, "Yea, $1 a bag. Then when my cart was loaded up he said no matter what size just $1 a bag. Some bags had 32 daffodils!

After I was back in the car I called my husband to tell him about the deal and instead of being upset that I spent another $20 on bulbs, he told me to go back for more. He liked my idea to plant them around the camp and conference center where we work and live.

Back in the store they sold me the large bags of 50 trumpet narcissis for $2 labeled as Dutch Master or Yellow Trumpet. Even if some are smaller bulbs and don't bloom this spring hopefully they'll naturalize here and bloom next spring. For $ .04 each we can definitely wait for them. I brought home 600 bulbs for $24.