Think very carefully about the needs of bulbs: next year's bloom hinges on this year's care of the leaves which make the food necessary for another blossom. They are depleted by the energy that it takes to bloom. To renew this energy, it is necessary that the leaves stay green and healthy and receive enough sunshine, food and water to renew for another bloom. If you can provide that, you could possibly see another bloom in a year or two. NO to cutting back, until the leaves naturally yellow and die, which should take six weeks or more as in nature. If the soil and gravel mixture they're growing in is heavier on soil rather than gravel, they MIGHT be okay with feedings of plant food. (Some kinds of narcissus grow naturally in scree.) When the leaves die back, you can let the bulbs go dry, cut off the dead leaves and store the bulbs. Next fall, repot in better soil and hope for the best. It may take years for them to recover, so if you don't get blooms, repeat the whole process. Another facet of bullbs is that they tend to divide, so instead of one fat bulb you started with, you may have two or more little bulbs that have to grow for a year or two or three to produce another blossom. North Carolina State University has the best information I've seen for growing bulbs. Do not confuse growing paperwhites with the information on growing regular daffodils requiring chill. Nell

Wow! talk about a man with a plan and tenacity to make it real! I love your construction. I'm assuming azaleas and caladiums mean you are looking for fairly low growing color in shade or part shade. That's my challenge too. If you are willing to start from seed and make annuals you might look at torena. Some begonias are easy to propagate from one hanging basket and would look great here and there. They might be hardy for you...I don't know. They are pretty tough. I have one variety in my greenhouse where other plants froze all around it and it is still covered with its fuzzy green leaves that have burgundy brown undersides. It bloomed all summer for me haning from the branches of a big old pecan tree. Persian Shield is one of my favorites, but it can get about 2 ft tall. I did mine up and haul it in for winter. Inevitably my greenhouse gets too cold and I am transplanting what looks like dormant roots in spring. They come back beautifully. Soooo, it may be happy to live in your landscape year round. I love the lollipop or shrimp plants. Again I have to haul them in and out...but they come out looking like sticks and come back to life. Again, they aren't really low growing but they may have relatives that are. pink polka dot plant is in the same category for me...might be hardy for you. I plant anemones and pansies and tulips in the fall where I had caladiums in summer. They need sun but I have sun until the trees leaf out. Don't forget amaryllis! They aren't just for Christmas anymore and they make a great show in spring while the soil warms for the caladiums. Certain daffodils and crocus return for me too. ranunculus are tubers and you can lift them when they are done blooming, allow them to dry and replant. Same with anemones. Some return on their own if unlike me you aren't always digging. I plant Sun coleus in part sun. It stays smaller an less color, but they root easily and one plant makes many if you're willing to take the time. I also plant pentas in several hours of sun. of course there is turk's cap, a returning staple for me is salvia black and blue and argentine skies. (I want to say that are gargantua...or something like that). Yes, you get more flowers in more sun but they are lovely with the tall red turks cap behind them and yellow lollipops in front. All this for a few hours of sun. what else...purple peppers are less purple in less sun but are surprisingly interesting with black to red ornamental peppers. Easy to save seeds or allow to reseed. Again a little sun goes a long way. rambling on as usual. If you've never seen Persian Shield search for it online. It loves the shade. will you promise you will keep posting pictures as your passion evolves???? Oh check out the Texas Garden forum if you haven't already.

Ok, thanks everyone! I tried to plant them Saturday and only got 5 in the ground, because I could only dig down 4 inches with the bulb planter. So I thought I'd wait for my husband to get home and find his drill/auger thing he has been looking for. I looked at Paghat's website and she recommended planting that particular tulip at about 8 inches. Boy, my neighbors had a laugh at the sight of me out there in the snow. We're the only ppl in the neighborhood who haven't raked up their leaves. :0) Phyl

I know nothing about Serenade - I swear I'm still a newbie even though this is my 5th year gardening! Does the label indicate that it works against early blight? If so, go for it. I know that Daconil is the standard for early blight though. I've used it for powdery mildew too. Another product I have used is Neem oil (Safer brand), not for early blight but for other fungal infections on other plants. Don't know whether it might help with symptoms on your other plants... Carolyn on the other board mentioned that she used to post here a lot and that some others who were very knowledgeable had left gardenweb. It's too bad, b/c this board really doesn't get enough attention. Don't feel bad about posting on the tomato forum. People there are very helpful and won't mind your questions.