A little more about re-blooming. Earlier I said a bulb can bloom as many as three times a year. That is a general statement and how many times a bulb will bloom will depend on the genetic heritage it has. plant guy reports that none of his large-flowered Dutch hybrids has ever bloomed more than once a year. That is usually the case with most modern hybrids. One reason is that they will send up 1, 2 or 3 scapes at a time depending on the size of the bulb. In sending up 3 scapes, for instance, the bulb needs a year to prepare the next scape for blooming. If a medium sized bulb sends up only one scape, in 3-4 months (but sometimes less--it's not a hard and fast rule) a second scape may be ready to go. You may have seen this happen--just as the first scape has finally dried up, a second emerges. Sometimes it's 2 at once then a 3rd later, kind of in an extended blooming period, not so much like well-separated ones. Some years they may do one thing and the next they do another. If it doesn't happen, it's not necessarily anything you did or didn't do--you really can blame it on the bulb! They may lack that particular disposition due to genetic heritage. I wasn't specific enough when I said a Hippeastrum *can* re-bloom, it seems and it sounds like I meant *any* of them can. That's not what I meant you to get from that. Not all of them can re-bloom and should not be expected to. It *can* happen, a second or third blooming--but it depends on the specific bulb. Grow them all as best you can anyway! Cultural handling can vary from year to year and any combination of factors can play into this, as far as known re-bloomers goes. If I had a striatum that *didn't* give me at least one re-blooming after 3-5 months--something is wrong. Striatum is one species that regularly blooms 3 times a year under good conditions. Only one blooming a year--you could do better.....If you get a second blooming, you're doing better, but cultural conditions could still be improved.....3 cycles of bloom--that's the way to do it! Commercial breeders are interested in bulbs that *don't* offset prolifically and will send up multiple scapes all at once, *one time* a year. That is to benefit the cut flower trade as well as the home grower--one big show or one good "crop" of flowers is what it is all about. So many people are happy with a holiday Hippi blooming once--its scary how many people just toss them after that. That's all they want. As far as breeding good multipliers goes--this is counterproductive and the last thing commercial growers are interested in. The offsets pull on the mother bulb and slow it's increase. They are not needed in large commercial ventures: they section or chip the bulbs for rapid increase and do not rely on offset production. So anyway, some modern cultivars *will* re bloom. In my small collection, this year I had a second flush from Rilona, Dancing Queen, Piquant and as I said, H. striatum. Right now I have a third flush on one of my striatums. This is my first season with the three named hybrids, so I don't know how reliably they will re-bloom for me, but I'll be expecting that it is quite possible based on what happened this year. Is it possible that the re-blooming was due to their being newly planted bulbs? Could be...I just couldn't say. Next year will be interesting....... Robert.

I did some budcounts on Thomas intros. Some might be off as these are all blooming and its difficult to get an accurant count until you have empty scapes and budscars. So they might be low, but they are deffinately at least what I have counted. S. Sunset 18 S, Friendshp 10 Flamboyant Promise 15 S. Campfire 12 S. Carnival 22 Dancing With Sandra 35 Normans Folly 21 Tomorrows Heartbreak 23 Apache Way Dance 13 Hello Helen 16 Harlans Pride 18 We had that dry spell here of 6 weeks with rain before they started blooming. But since then we have gotten decent rains. So with more water maybe more blooming?

If the color on Plant it Back (really?) is wine, it has a lot of potential. It doesn't look like a muddy color. Polys are definitely "in." I like the white pineapple lily. The container really shows the little variegated plant better on larger size, and that plant (polka dot?) is great with the dark colors.

Cote d'Or on Labor day! Hi Mike, Thank you! I think we both have late inflos and these should last us through fall. Many more pictures to share until the winter blues kick in haha. Laura, Thank you!! You have lots of beautiful blooms as well! The weather has been unseasonably warm and humid this summer. I think we're very lucky to have so many blooms to share! Fantasia is great! I love the fragrance as well. Also, Robert gave me the gardenia you sent. A big THANK YOU!!! to you! One of the few "gifts" from GW that I will cherish! Hope to see this plant take off! Lynn, Thanks! I will definitely post pictures when my inflos bloom! Hope you have a great growing season! I know you have lots of flowers at your gorgeous new home! Allan, I have a gardenia from Laura for you! Taj Mahal is a great bloomer, it has been blooming for over 2 months! Kenny