Marilyn, the good thing is tulips benefit from hot, dry storage, and other bulbs don't really seem to mind it. A lot of spring bulbs are native to environments where they receive summer baking in sharply drained, gravelly soil. The daffodils that I separated in late spring are in onion bags @ room temperature, where they'll remain till fall planting time. Any that I pick up in the mean time will join them.
Carolyn, you could certainly benefit from getting them early in your zone. They should be hitting the shelves there first!
