Hi, I love Diane's format and her descriptions so here are mine modified slightly. Also I found it excruciatingly painful eliminating a number of things that bring me pleasure without any attention every year. I'm remember people's best movie lists and how they mention some almost made the list so I have that too. September to December Gladiolus carmineus -- This delightful Gladious starts popping up without leaves even before it starts to rain reminding me that the whole new flower season is coming. I've let it seed itself about so am always pleased to find some new ones in bloom Iris unguicularis -- This one blooms for me a very long time between rains. It sometimes looks a bit bedraggled, but there is nothing like taking a walk around your garden in winter and spying it in bloom March to May Although I have a lot of wonderful things growing in pots and blooming in January and February those things in the ground really start to take off in March Freesia alba -- This is definitely weedy in my garden, but it is so delightfully fragrant that it makes the list since it makes walking through the garden delightful Moraea aristata -- This species is almost extinct in the wild, but is naturalizing all over my garden and for the last several years I have quite a display for a week or two. I don't see seed pods so am not sure how it expands to new spots, but it also produces a lot of cormlets so each display gets better every year Sparaxis hybrids -- I once tried to dig these all out, but I've given up. They are delightful colors and combinations. Delphinium nudicaule -- I've planted this out, but some of those spots are gone now, but since it reseeds, it has found new areas it is happy including in the middle of gravel pathways Babiana ssp -- Long ago I had seed of mixed species and planted it without ever trying to figure out what they were. Could be hybrids. Definitely too happy in my garden, but when they are in bloom, I have to confess they are very colorful and charming Moraea (Homeria subgroup) -- Very weedy in my coastal garden, but they bloom for months in wonderful combinations of orange, yellow, and gold, mixing nicely with many of my shrubs and other plants Iris douglasiana -- Native to this area and never planted in my garden. Mine are a nice rich purple June, sometimes earlier or later Three more native to where I live Lilium maritimum -- a rare and protected plant that I am encouraging, such a nice red exterior Zigadenus fremontii -- long blooming and very pretty I think Chlorogalum pomeridianum -- nice wavy interesting leaves and lovely white starry flowers opening in late afternoon in time for a walk before dinner Dierama pendulum I think. Planted by previous owner in my garden. Has reseeded to new areas of the garden finding sun as some of the other areas get too shady and is very dramatic in bloom and seed Almost making the cut: Amaryllis belladonna,Crocus imperati, Dichelostemma capitatum,Gladiolus carneus, Ixia dubia, Leucojum aestivum, Lilium pardalinum, Orthrosanthus chimboracensis, Nerine pudica, Triteleia ixioides, Tritonia deusta Mary Sue Mary Sue Ittner California's North Coast Wet mild winters with occasional frost Dry mild summers