Most people said that ordering them was too expensive and that (for some) the bulbs are shipped at incorrect planting times. However, some places do offer very good guarantees--some offer to replace any bulbs that don't come up.
Another problem about ordering bulbs through the catalogs is the time factor. Even though they will replace any bulbs that don't come up you've already lost another year of enjoying them!
At my age, I can't wait that long,
I need to enjoy all I can now!
Then, what if the bulbs they replace them with don't come up either?
I've just heard of too many people having problems with some of the
plants and bulbs they've ordered through the catalogs and the hassle they went through trying to get them replaced.
I figure I don't need anymore stress in my life, so I always get my
plants and bulbs locally.
I bought some Stargazer
lily bulbs this past
spring from Wal-Mart and when I got home I found they were all moldy.
I took them back and they let me get another package. We opened them, right then and there, to see if they were okay, and they were!
I was very satisfied with how it was handled and I didn't have to make another trip back there if they were moldy too!