How to order

For information on bulbs "in the green" please scroll to the bottom of the page

All prices include postage and packing, except where ordering bulbs like Snowdrops 'in the green'. Please send Cheques or PO's payable to Shipton Bulbs We now accept card payments

Order Forms. You may notice there is no official order form. In our experience these either get lost or are simply not big enough! Please feel free to write an order on any kind of paper. If possible please add a phone number as this may help when arranging delivery.

When To Plant

Bulbs are despatched from August to October with some exceptions, which are indicated,e.g. Autumn Crocus. Where appropriate, bulbs are sent freshly lifted just before despatch. This is an important point as it ensures that they do not dry out, too long drying out being a common cause of failure in some species. With Snowdrops and Winter Aconites planting freshly lifted bulbs in their dormant period has all the advantages of transplanting 'in the green', a traditional method, but without the disadvantages of interrupting the plant in its growing season and dealing with delicate foliage. However we do send these in the green if needed,from February to April.

Despatch is possible anywhere in the EU. Please add 15% extra for orders outside UK to cover extra postage.

Visitors are welcome but please telephone first to make sure we’re in.

Advice and Delivery

It is hard to give planting instructions in a few lines for each species, so if you have any questions please do not hesitate to write,phone, or email. Please remember that we aim to deliver plants in good condition. If not satisfied please let us know within 14 days. We cannot be held responsible for performance after safe delivery.

IN THE GREEN?

Snowdrops, Winter Aconites and Snowflakes are traditionally planted in the green in spring after flowering and for these species it is generally successful. For one thing gardeners can see where their clumps of snowdrops etc can be divided and transplanted. But the more prominent reason for the development of the practice is that one is at least assured of planting a living plant. Too often snowdrops, aconites and snowflakes sold in the autumn are in fact dead, having been badly stored, dried out in the manner of Tulips and Narcissi, a regime which they resent and often succumb to.
However lifting and transplanting the plants whilst still in full growth is not necessarily best practice. The plants die back much quicker than they would otherwise, as the roots, built up through autumn, never really get re-established. If storage is carefully managed, or better still if the bulbs are freshly lifted, then bulbs are better planted when dormant in the autumn as with other spring bulbs. This has the advantage of not interrupting the plants in the middle of their growing period and avoids having to deal with delicate foliage while lifting and planting.
The practice of planting in the green has, in the last few years, started to be applied to other bulbs as well, and this really is bad practice. Apart from lifting and splitting established clumps in a garden after flowering, there is no reason for bulbs such as Bluebells, Fritillaries and Narcissi, to be subjected to this tradition. Indeed the risk of damage to the bulbs is much greater when they are growing. It may be more convenient for large bulb growers to deal with them at this time of the year, but it does the plants no good at all. There is no gain in earlier flowering, or having the plants establish better, and is just a fashion after all.