> Georgie a *crit I start asking myself why bulbs have so much of an easier time in the Cape Province than in Western North America - and yet I've seen the comparative circumstances, and on some level it starts to become obvious. I then tend to pass over the specific circumstances of each. . . Thanks for raising this question, which intrigues me for years without really finding a suitable answer. Some limited places around the méditerranean have similar climatic and geological conditions as the Cape and nevertheless many south African species do not spread with the same ease (mind you, some do Freesia alba, Oxalis pes-caprea etc) It surely depends on many factors which maintains a given species naturally in its natural habitat such a rainfall patterns, pollinators, some protection from predators (or inapt conditions for them to evolve) and diseases etc etc. It is a huge interesting subject which merits our attention and helps enormously to improve growing methods. Georgie, please, go into details to let us know your experience in this matter. Kind regards -- Lauw de Jager BULB'ARGENCE, 30300 Fourques, France Région Provence/Camargue; (Climat zone 9a Mediterranean) Site http//http://www.bulbargence.com/ "GUIDE POUR BULBES MÉDITERRANÉENS" 116 pages, 400 photos, prix 10 E EXPEDITION bulbes a terminé fin octobre (espèces à floraison automnale et printanières sont replantées) CATALOGUE D'HIVER (WINTERCATALOG) sera disponible janvier -