Fill A Flower Bulb Garden On A Budget Thanks To Costco's Great Prices

There is something so grand about bulbs planted en masse. But that vision of a sprawling spring lawn with maximum bloom appeal can feel a bit out of reach when you start to add up the cost of all those bulbs. Growers purchasing large volumes of bulbs are typically flower farmers or professional landscapers with wholesale accounts who can place a big enough order that it drives down the cost per bulb. But what about the average home gardener? Enter: Costco.

Long beloved as a suburban destination for snagging bulk toilet paper and cheap rotisserie chicken, Costco often carries a fair amount of fall-planted bulbs from Longfield Gardens that you can buy at a great price. In fall 2024, the Garden Solutions Collection was comprised of 200 deer-resistant bulbs and included daffodils (Narcissus), allium, and two varieties of scilla for $49.99. For some whimsical flair in the garden, the Allium Perennial Garden collection included 75 bulbs for less than $45. And for those looking for bulbs that can be grown indoors, the Narcissus 'Ziva' Paperwhites collection has been $44.99 and contained 75 paperwhite (Narcissus papyraceus) bulbs that bloom four to six weeks after they're planted.

When professional cut flower growers and landscape designers think about buying in bulk, it's to lower the cost per seed or bulb and thus help with the overall bottom line. But bulk buying spring-blooming bulbs to plant this fall at such a large scale doesn't always make sense to the everyday gardener, who may not be able to meet the minimum order requirements that often number in the hundreds. This is why Costco is such a good deal: it's a middle ground in terms of order size, with prices that stay exceptionally low.

For example, saving money on expensive alliums by collecting their seeds can be too much work for some busy homeowners. To make matters worse, specialty alliums are some of the pricier bulbs on the market, particularly the larger varieties that can be harder to come by. If you were to buy 'Purple Sensation' allium bulbs directly from Longfield Gardens, the cost works out to be about $1.10/bulb, and you would get 10 bulbs. But COSTCO has offered Longfield Garden brand 'Purple Sensation' Allium bulbs at a crazy $0.50/bulb, and you get 100 bulbs. That's about $0.60/bulb in savings. Not bad for a large area! Similar savings on flowers like tulips can be found if you're shopping at the right time, so check back periodically in the fall for good deals.