Michael Mace wrote that certain "Mediterranean" bulbs do better when watered some in summer. I think there are not too many bulbs that should get "bone dry" in their dormant period. If you look at how they grow in the wild, they are often deep in the soil, or next to rocks, where some residual moisture remains. This is especially true of bulbs that grow in the deep desert, such as Hesperocallis undulata of the N. American Southwest. They may also grow under shrubs which, admittedly, take up a lot of water (like Michael's Japanese maple, which is probably using enough water to moderate the soil moisture around its bulbous neighbors. Moreover, the shade cools the soil. And then, look what happens when we have a series of unusually wet years in native bulb areas: they bloom very well. Giving summer water is crucial, I believe, if you are growing your bulbs in pots that are above ground. (I keep all my pots plunged in sand, except for those in the frost-free room, and the latter are placed under the benches where they get a little water from time to time.) I have two "unwatered" sections, but even here I give them a bare sprinkle every 3 or 4 weeks in summer, just so the humidity of the soil does not drop too far. When I lift them from those sections, the soil seems dry, but it is cool. (The summer nights here are quite cool, even after hot days.) Michael mentioned using peat (called "peat moss" in the USA) in the potting mix. I use it in seed mix for its relative sterility, but I don't like to use it in potting mix for bulbs. Once it dries out, it is very hard to get it evenly moist again without working it physically. It is of course difficult for the gardener who has no access to compost (UK, leafmold) to find a good substitute for it. I'm fortunate to have an alder woodland on my property, and also some blackberry thickets; blackberries are am utter curse, but once they have been cut down and the canes removed, the soil underneath is a rich, almost weed-free humus. $50 to the tractor guy, and I have a leafmold mine for 2 or 3 years. Jane McGary Northwest Oregon