How you have given the containers the protection you did should work....as long as the cardboard doesn't draw a lot of snow which then melts which then turns the cardboard to mush....never mind the bulbs. As long as the containers can drain, the surface not freeze which takes temperatures down to freeze the bulbs before they develop roots, they will do fine. Bulbs by the way, once having roots can take 40 below..and that's celsius or fahrenheit. For our U.S. cousins, when Seacat quotes temperatures, they represent, when mentioning minus figures, that's minus from the freezing point....which is 32F. The true formulae is ...the C. figure X 9/5....+ 32. Since 9/5 is 1/5 away from twice the figure, we use that and subtract the fifth....or 10%. To anyone wishing to convert...its simple...take the C..celsius temperature.....double it, (X 2) subtract 10%...which is move the decimal point, and add 32º. The trick is to remember that 32 is always a plus number. So if the figure such as minus 30....becomes 60...minus 6....= 54....now subtract 32 from it....that's 32 as a plus #. So - -54 subtract 32 = 22....that's minus 22 C. Conversely, 10 C....double...= 20...minus 10%..2...= 18.. now add the 32º.....and that becomes 50 F. There are two numbers in Celsius that can be just turned around....16 C is 61 F.....and 28 C...is 82 F. Most temperatures are not exact...because in converting you end up sometimes in fractional figures. But, you're never much beyond 1 degree difference. With numbers ending in 5.,,,and 0......the end result is always true.....30 doubled...= 60...minus 10%...6..= 54...add 32....86 F. Many newer Canadians, never having to deal with fahrenheit temperatures are confused by people who still convert. But fahrenheit does give a truer, more concise view of the weather. For most of our late fall and winter and early spring, the whole country is forever in minus temperatures. This to me, weighs on the syche...always saying minus does leave a sour note in our wishing it to be milder. Like last winter, it didn't start until mid January...I was golfing on this date last year....shot a respectible 85. I think eventually the U.S. will join the rest of the world by using the metric system. It does in most scientific and manufacturing processes....only in temperatures does it hang on to the old ways. And you too can learn to appreciate + numbers.

I agree about Springhill and Michigan bulb. I just looked through their catalogs and was burned to see the prices they charge for bulbs and bare root plants. I can pay the same or less at my local fancy nursery and get a much bigger plant in terrific health. Since comparing bulb prices a few years ago, I no longer buy bulbs from anyone but Van Engelen's. Their quality, customer service, and prices can't be beat. Their catalog doesn't have photos (because they are wholesalers), but their sister (retail) company, John Scheepers, does have photos, so get their catalog and see everything Van Engelen's sells.

I know nothing about medevilla, but could it be something that was grafted? I know on some plants one variety is grafted onto root stock of another. So if the top dies and new growth comes from the roots, it would be of the variety used as root stock. Lori

Thank you all. Mary Alice, I think, is probably the prettiest and most elegant daylily in the yard. Its blooms are also consistent. Another bloom today is as pretty, but a little more ruffled than yesterday's. I remember its initial blooms as not being so ruffled. I guess the rebloom causes the ruffling, or, perhaps actually blooming when the temperatures are higher. And its performance is amazing for being new this year. Face Paint's performance is very good. Its blooms are on strong scapes and it is also very pod fertile, in addition to having a real stunning face. Bj