I do love both of those ideas... I may go with that. Do you know of any bulbs that will bloom in the cold months? I say cold, but here it usually only gets down to about 20-25 for a few nights out of the winter, with a high of about 40. The average high/low for this area is 50/38. We only get a few frosts and only every few years will we get a little dust of snow. I would love to keep it strictly bulbs, but if there are none then I will go with the ideas you gave me. Thank you for the help!!!

Gladiolus callianthus aka Acidanthera

Thanks for the nice words. At some point I would like to buy a nice camera with macro lenses, etc to take pics like I used to when I had an SLR of the film variety, but for now I use my daughters old point-and-shoot which is a big step up from mine that is for sure! I keep thinking one of the new micro 4/3 since they have interchangeable lenses, but that would be a hassle when you are traveling and it is hard to justify 2 cameras I suppose. I am just a hobbyist like most of the rest on GW. Someday I will have a Greenhouse, but not while I have kids in college for the next 7 years that is for sure. I have loved plants/animals since I was very little and got in to classes over the summer 2 years before I was supposed to be allowed to take them because of my interest. We used to collect caterpillars, snakes, turtles, etc. and feed them for the summer before letting them go. I had my first bonsai that my dad got me when I was around 10 (long since gone) and planted/tended the family garden around that same age just because I enjoyed doing it and being outside. In other words; total nerd! Some of my bulbs I get from friends in trade, but the majority are from importing, which I have been doing for a decade now, as that is the easiest way to get large bulbs of unusual species. I typically organize buys from places like South Africa for a group of like-minded people as that way we defray the costs and everyone gets something different. I just put in a group order for some rare Haemanthus, Gethyllis, Crinum, Strumaria, Massonia, Boophane, etc. so hopefully they will arrive before we get too cold. Anyway, that is my story :o) Dan

OK, the snow is gone and we should all be able to start getting into our gardens. The details for this bulb swap are posted at the top of this email -- I'm not going to post them again -- but the deadline date will now be the end of April. I have had mostly sign-ups via email, which is fine, but if you want to participate and haven't yet emailed me for my address, now is the time! I'm looking forward to starting this tradition in the Canadian Gardening Exchange forum, I think a Spring and Fall Bulb Swap would be a really nice way to exchange some extra bulbs that you've divided and a really nice way to try some new ones! Happy Spring!