I would like to start a bulb from scratch. How do I go about doing that? I have some amyrillas that bloom. Is there something on it that I can start another bulb?

There are three solutions to the shade problem: 1.) Plant things that bloom early. They will do their thing before the tree sprouts leaves. (Eg. Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth/Muscari). That's actually a major reason plants form bulbs...to get a head start and go through their entire life cycle before the trees shade them. 2.) Buy big bulbs and resign yourself to them dying in a few years...a big bulb has enough energy stored to survive a couple years with minimal sun. 3.) Buy bulbs that thrive in shade. Eg. Jack in the Pulpit, Lily-of-the-Valey (although that isn't a bulb), wild Ginger. It's a bit late to mail order Spring bulbs. You can buy potted plants at garden centers and plant them. What is your Zone? I make a point to not plant any bulbs that can't overwinter in my climate. If you are experienced with vegetable gardening, bulbs shouldn't be a problem. It's just like planting onions. (Actually, onions ARE a bulb, and the Nodding Onion is a relative) Yes, gophers eat tulup bulbs. Most animals will. You can ward them off by covering the tulip with hot pepper. Daffodils are less popular with rodents. I like Bluff View Nursery and American Meadows. Local Native Plant Societies and Lowes.

I am looking for some type of unusual plant that make a pretty plant that is not over powering that is a perennial. It can be a bulb, tubular, or plant. I have red pinecone ginger tubular (this is NOT a ginger lily) and giant red presidential canna bulb to trade. I am in zone 8, Southeast Georgia. Lets talk.

It looks like Walter Andersen Nursery has at least a few interesting bulbs in stock at the moment, and I would recommend the Scilla peruviana, Ledebouria socialis and Veltheimia as good choices, as long as you aren't in a truly tropical part of Mexico, but have a gardening climate more similar to southern California. The Veltheimia bracteata are already blooming here in San Francisco, and make an excellent shade or container plant with exotic blooms. You might also try seeking out Nerine bowdenii for containers of mass planting, it is still blooming here as well, having started in November, and the shocking neon pink flowers are an interesting twist on fall color.