Introduction

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.