If you want a display similar to this year's you probably need to get some fresh bulbs. Not because there's anything wrong with the 'old' ones. It's just that they tend to produce daughter bulbs and those won't be big enough to flower and give the mass of red you might be hoping for. You might want to consider leaving the bulbs in the ground - unless you know they'll face gourmand rodents . They seem to bulk up better when undisturbed.

I made a start, I'll take pics tomorrow...I had my husband chainsaw through those prickly things..3 of them are GONE!! YAHOO!! Next weekend I'll shoot for taking the three by the garage out and probably putting in either otto luyken laurel or densiforma yew if I can make sure there's enough drainage....luckly I don't have the thick red clay...this house was built on pasture that is nice light brown and very good soil...I'll add in some organic material... I replaced those thorny things with Sweet Box...it'll fill in the space and in spring have a wonderfully fragrant smell right by the front steps...in front of those I planted a few dark liriope...placed a fall display of Cinderella pumpkins and on the side where the other thorny thing was I planted a striped maiden grass that won't grow too large but will add enough contrast so as not to over whelm the corner of the foundation. Years down the road I plan to take out half the hollies and completely rescape everything..but for now-trimming what I have and sprucing it up a bit did wonders....I'm going to be adding the bulbs in a bed alongside the back of my house where there is much more sun... Thanks for your help, and I'll put some pics on there to show some improvements! Tara

My two cents, a lot of your water comes from Lake Lopez and Lake Naciemento, both in SLO county. While our lakes are being tapped dry from both the north & south, we're being infiltrated by more people. Our dwindling water supplies cannot support a couple hundred thousand people migrating to the small towns wanting to change them with big city ideas & government. I agree too many people, and poor management are the problem. Agriculture is suffering statewide because of all these water laws. People are being taxed per head for cattle and other livestock in the name of emissions control, grow up! We used to have the largest agriculture producing state in the nation, and 6th in the world, we had plenty of water even in drought, but now everyone wants that tract of land with manicured lawn & vineyards in the desert, no less! When the agriculture industry dies in CA, so will the population. But then the land won't be usefull any more. Old vineyards are no good for anything other than housing, nothing else will grow on the land afterwards. well it ran into more like a dime, but you can keep the change.

Purchased my last one's of this year during the past week, also. 'Brother Stephan', 'Hanky Panky' & 'Seducer' That was my story until today! Went to a local nursery early this AM for bulbs that just arrived from Holland; Amaryllis, Crocus, Daffs & Tulips. They had second year TC Hostas in 5" pots, for $1.50 or 7/$10. I couldn't pass those up, could I? Not many different cultivars were available, but I managed to find some nice 'Fire Island', 'Whirlwind', Patriot' & 'Earth Angel' I have a very small "lawn" area left for conversion to raised beds, which are necessary for perennial plants/shrubs, because of the red clay, but a side benefit will be, no more lawn mowing! I will be able to keep it trimmed with a "Weed-eater"!