Hi all, I am also bowing to the pressure to provide an introduction. Apologies to those who have read something similar recently - I have done a little editing . I am a country general practitioner having worked in Snug south of Hobart, Tasmania on the D'eauntrecasteaux Channel for 19 years. I have daughters aged 20 and 15, a step daughter aged 10 , a son aged 2 and my wife VIcki and I are expecting twins in 6 days or less!!! We have just built a new home on 3 and a half acres at Margate which is slightly closer to Hobart, but our home is 5 km inland from "The Channel". So the garden has been started from scratch . At this stage we have been planting trees and shrubs - plently of Birches, Oak's , Chestnuts as well as Cupressocyparus Leylandii "Leighton Green" for wind breaks. Have also been planting lots of Cornus, Buddleja , Lilac and assorted other shrubs. I have now commenced experimental planting of winter dormant bulbs in the garden to see how they go. The bulbs are mostly still in pots as we have a clayey soil which will need some work done- the major beds in the garden are built up 30 to 45cm. I have had an interest in bulbs for many years - I have been a member of The Alpine Garden Society for over 20 years to further my interest and more recently have joined The North American Rock Garden Society , IBS , the Arisaema Enthusiasts Group and Australian Bulb Association .I am a retired Australian Orchid Council judge- in the last couple of years I have been unable to find the time to keep my judging skills up to date. My orchid interests are mainly Masdevallia and other Pleurothallids and Maxillaria - the small species. My bulb interests are quite broad . I love Crocus, Colchicum, Erythonium, Fritillaria, Galanthus, Iris. Woodland "bulbs" are a great interest Trillium , Arisaema, Polygonatum - even the proud owner of my first Paris this year - they are a bit of a struggle to manage at present as the only shade we have is the back of the house and a newly constructed shadehouse. My interest in Amaryllids is growing thanks to the contacts established through the IBS - Brunsvigia , Boophane, Haemanthus and similar. I have a reasonable number of Nerines as well. Aracea in general I love - I am even breaking my own rules to try and grow the half-hardy Amorphophallus and Typhonium. (The following was written for Aussie readers but I am leaving it in because Essie is such a great old plantswoman who does have worldwide contacts). I have been privleged for the last 19 years of being able to regularly visit Essie Huxley at Longley ( 200 metres from Woodbank Nursery) . For those that dont know of her she is 85 years young and has been growing bulbs for not quite that long. I visited recently when Colchicums were the main thing to stick in my mind - speciosum by the hundreds including the darker selection Disraeli, speciosum album, autumnale album (single and double), Waterlily and variegatum . She also had in flower "Haemanthus katherinae " which I have found should be Scadoxus multiflorus var katherinae- it was absolutely devine. ( Another example of a bulb out of sync with the seasons.) In my spare time I swim with an Aussie Masters swimming club - at least twice a week. Only started at 45 years old and I'm just a plodder, but I really love it. Rob Dr R F Hamilton <robhamilton@trump.net.au>, Tasmania, Australia Temperate Marine Climate (USDA 8/9) Average Garden Rainfall 26.7 inches (range 21-36) Temperature extremes -2 C , 38 C.