First, it is absolutely the wrong time of year to be finding lily bulbs for sale!! Started or flowering lily plants, yes; bulbs, no!!

Lily bulbs are usually offered in spring and sometimes in fall. They never go fully dormant like many other bulbs do and do not store well at all. They should be planted as soon as they come into stores (March in my area). Lily bulbs available now will either be very dry and desiccated or soft and mushy....neither will grow to produce a flowering plant next season. What you are finding now at a dollar store are just some other retailers older cast-offs and not worth any amount of $$, no matter how cheap!

Daffodils, tulips, crocus and other spring flowering bulbs should be available right around Labor Day in most parts of the country and can be planted as soon as the summer temps cool with the start of fall. You might also be able to find lily bulbs available then as well, depending on your location. In general, spring flowering bulbs will be available in stores in early fall....summer flowering bulbs (lilies, glads, dahlias, etc.) in late winter/early spring. Any bulbs you find for sale in midsummer will be stale and not very vigorous, if they even grow at all.

And while it will be a pretty basic selection, the box stores (HD, Lowe's, etc.) and places like Walmart sell them pretty inexpensively if the budget is tight.

Thank you both for VERY good advice/info. Have taken notes. Much appreciated. SNOWDROPS from what I've seen in images make me drool. From what I read, one variety in particular in my zone 8a should bloom in winter, and will work under trees/ dapples sun. Would think, if so, I would have to order online being out here in the boonies. To bloom this winter, would I have time to get and plant bulbs? Again. input is much appreciated.

In my area independent garden centers offer snowdrops both in autumn as dried bulbs for fall planting and as growing bulbs blooming in pots during their flowering season. If you are going to order them to be shipped to you it will be dried bulbs for fall planting, that you have ordered well beforehand. In order to assure best selection and suitably timed arrival.

Yes, snowdrops, Galanthus species, are one of the earliest of the 'spring' flowering bulbs to bloom, beginning as early as January in some cases. And this is one of those bulbs that gets planted in fall so plenty of time to order for planting this season. But they are also not the easiest to get started from bulbs.......many gardeners find much better success by planting them "in the green", meaning as already started plants with foliage (and hopefully flowers buds) showing. My local nursery sells them this way every winter but being 'out in the boonies', you may just have to resort to mail order bulbs. They should work but maybe not quite as easily as if you were planting the starts.

There is one smallish independent nursery in my little town which once visited seemed pricey in comparison to some plants at Lowes I was interested in. For kicks and giggles will visit them in next couple of days and inquire about Snowdrop plants. There is a variety I think which blooms even earlier than Nivalis (sp?) but may not be available in USA. Any thoughts on a companion flower that might look sweet somewhat near the Snowdrops? Lastly, have you bought any mail order bulbs of Snowdrops from a good supplier? Could buy a couple of live plants and also some bulbs to treat myself for an early birthday gift to myself. That's how much I am taken by Snowdrops.

Try planting your snowdrops with hellebores.

I've looked at many a pic online of helebores not knowing still how they really look in a garden. The pics up close are so charming, yet wonder if they flop to not see their beauty. Will have to investigate more.