On 11 Sep 2011, at 9:32, Peter Taggart wrote: > The actions of responsable conservators not 'keeping all their eggs in one > basket' That's a well known principle even amongst mere hobby gardeners. E. A. Bowles makes a point in one of his books that it's a wise gardener who shares his special plants freely, so that when *his* specimen dies, others will be in a position to replace it. Example, though not geophytic: There's a lovely pink, 'Salmon Clove', famous for living up to its name with its salmon-colored flowers and their strong scent of cloves. I acquired this plant a good 30 years ago from one of the Old Dears™ in the local horticultural society. Somewhere along the line I lost it, though whether from an overly wet winter, simple neglect, or failure to renew it via cuttings I can't say. Last year a long-time gardening buddy asked me if I'd like a start of it. My eyes went wide and yes yes yes was the answer: I'd clean forgotten about it with the passage of time. He must have had it for over twenty years, keeping it going. My plant is flourishing, has been flowering all summer long, and I've had the gumption to start a bunch of cuttings: pinks gradually go woody and peter out so restarting them from cuttings is essential to keeping them going. Moral: be generous with your plants, especially the rarities that it took a long time to acquire! Sub-moral: but not indiscriminately generous. There are plenty of hobby gardeners with a gimme-gimme attitude who think they are entitled to a start of anything and everything, but who do not have the skill, experience, and conditions necessary for successful growth. *That* type deserves a fishy-eyed gaze when they beg for things they don't really appreciate. Ida Bennett, in her book "The Flower Garden", offers some amusing advice on handling the gimme-gimme type: when they "accidentally" break off a twig and ask if they can have it as a cutting, reply, "Oh, gee, I'm glad you reminded me. I've been meaning to take cuttings of that. Here, let me have it." And then dibble it directly into the ground. So spread your plants around; that way, when your garden is flattened by a meteorite or a rampageous dinosaur, you won't lose your treasures. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada