You can but try. What else to do with them?! Worthy

Plant them you have nothing to loose they will die if you don't.Try and avoid a lot of water on them otherwise they will rot before they root .

ok, I will try! Many thanks both.

You might want to plant it pots for this year and then plant in the ground after they have died back...

If nothing else, you will get blooms in 2012.

The information gleaned from the Crocus web site would support you being able to plant now although earlier would have been better. A well insulated pot of the prescribed soilinasunny spot should give you flowers. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/bulbs/other-bulbs/eremurus-stenophyllus-/classid.2000011003/
Foxtail lilies need to be planted in fertile but well-drained soil with the crown not far below soil level. They start to grow in late winter and spring, gathering their strength before they produce their towering flower spikes in summer. Each flower spike has hundreds of flowers which open from the bottom upwards, creating a stunning effect. They thrive in the sunniest spot in the garden, especially if the base of the plant isn't shaded as this can decrease the number of flowering spikes produced. They flower June and July.

Tulips don't get planted until October/November so they too should do well in a pot. Discard any that are soft or have fungal growths on them as you will only introduce problems by using them. Neither bulb likes to sit in the wet so make sure you use plenty of drainage in the bottom of the pot.

Carol Klein (she was talking about her new prog. on Friday eve) was talking on TV this morning prog. and she said 'plant up any bulbs that you have NOW, they might suprise you!'
That is providing you can get a spade into the ground Lol.

that's brilliant advise everyone thank you! Thanks for all the detailed info Scotsgran, much appreciated... Now I know this sounds a bit silly (but i'm new to all this!)... I have my foxtail lily bulbs - do I just literally plant the 'bulb bit' under the ground leaving all the 'wiggly twiggy bits' above ground?!? I've never come across a bulb like this before so thought it best to check!

I think your wiggly bits will be the dried roots and the bulb end should have a growing point but I may be wrong. A photo would help if that is possible or someone else may know. I googled Eremurus tubers and came up with an ebay site selling them I copied this description for you from it
Eremurus are herbaceous perennials growing from fleshy roots, with rosettes of strap-shaped basal leaves and a dense racemes of small star-shaped flowers on erect leafless stems.
Mixed pastel colours cover these very tall and striking foxtail lilies.
Plant them in full sun so that the tubers bake and are well drained.
Protect from strong winds and mulch in winter.
H&S 66" x 24".
Cultivation:
Grows well in fertile, sandy, well-drained loam with protection from wind. May need support and in cooler areas the crown should be protected with a dry mulch.
Sellers details were :- WorldGardenPlants.com

Hope this helps.

Here's a good picture of Eremurus tubers:

http://stephenwarrington.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/eremurus-ruiter-cleopatra.jpg

From the looks of them, the wiggly parts are the roots, and therefore go down.

thanks so much for all the info- i've just looked at 3 different sites on 'how to plant foxtail lily' and they are all saying different things! I think I will start a new question and see if anyone has any ideas! Thanks again.

Had trouble getting on to that link but got there via http://stephenwarrington.com/2009/12/eremurus-like-octopus/
The roots are amazing.I bought some last year and planted them but have not seen anything yet. They were very dried and shrivelled compared to these beauties. When I planted mine I noted that you have to leave the leaves on although they start to die sometimes before the flowers appear. Let them die back before cutting away.

yes the photo looks like my bulbs but mine seem to have more roots that are more tangled up. So I've now established that the 'wiggly bits' are the roots but do I plant the bulb bit (crown?) under the soil or leave it exposed- one website says under by 10cm and the other website says you must leave it above ground? All very confusing.

I think the different depths advised by different sites may well be because there are numerous variations of Eremurus. Also depends on where the authors are in the world. It may be necessary to protect the bulbs from the cold by planting deeper or nearer the surface if you have a wet site as they don'tlike to dry out but equally do not want to sit in water. All I have read seems to indicate that the top of the bulb should be approx 2" under the surface. Also that they should be mulched over the winter, be in the sunniest spot in your garden and leave the top growth to die back naturally. Having looked at those pictures I can see why they are described as tubers rather than bulbs. Somebody may be able to clear up a confusion I have re bulbs versus tubers. I think when you buy and plant bulbs the flower you can get the following year will already be stored in the bulb. Tubers eg. paeony roses can take a few years before they flower. The foxtails are so tall they need to be staked. Another reason for planting deeper if you have free draining soil which will not harm them. Let us know how you get on with them. I look forward to seeing some photographs later in the year. I would also follow the advice on digging out a planting hole and refilling it as specified in the sites because preparation is the key to succes. Good luck..

thanks again for all your help. Amy from this site has sent me a message with some good advice- she recommends planting the crown and roots just under the surface, so just a sprinkling of soil over the whole lot, just enough to cover everything. She also plants hers on gravel. I can but try! if they ever flower I will be sure to post a photo...

Your welcome. That is the beauty of GOY we all learn from each other. I love the range of colours available. I had unsuccessfully looked for photographs of bulbs in the past and seeing healthy bulbs on the site suggested by Tug. was a real eye opener. I think I probably lost mine because they were too dried up when I bought them. We'll see they might pop up this year.