Thanks Mary Sue and Jay for this latest batch of pictures. My little plant of Freesia viridis is about to bloom in the protected cold frame. This was received in 2005 and has been outside since; I think it's time to move it from the "problematic" column over to the "success" column. Several other freesias were trialed in the cold frame this year and they, too, are doing well. Jay's daffodil pictures brought back some memories. Plants are important to me, of course, but so too are books. A gardening life led without books is not for me. I enjoy my plants through my books, and books as much as anything help to keep it all together. One of the daffodils Jay shows, 'Snipe', is one I've known about for nearly fifty years. It was illustrated on plate XVIII of Patrick Synge's Collins Guide to Bulbs, published in 1961. Back in those days, I never saw it on the daffodil lists from which I bought, although the similar-in-name and somewhat similar-in-appearance 'Jack Snipe' eventually became widely available. Both are cyclamineus hybrids and they have a similar color pattern, but the similarity ends there. 'Snipe' began to appear on the list of one of the big suppliers recently; maybe this year it will finally find its way into this garden. On that same plate XVIII is shown Narcissus cantabricus var petunioides. A plant answering to that description is about to flower in one of the cold frames now. My gosh, it's taken nearly fifty years for this to happen. I'm very happy now, happy as only someone who has known such long denial can understand. Thanks to all who have helped me realize this. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where I'm still waiting for the Romulea to bloom. My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/