Howdy All, I'm not very active on the list now-a-days due to continuing ill health but I thought I'd chime in with a "What's Blooming Now" report for here in Canberra, Australia. We're still suffering badly from drought with around 2 months since we had any registerable rain (we had 8mm on the 6th of March). Normally our autumn rains would start in late March or early April but there has been a complete failure of them this year which is devastating given how bad our water situation is after the last few years of lower rainfall. If we don't get rain soon then we're going to be in serious trouble next summer, so here's hoping for some decent rain soon!! On to what is blooming now ..... The first of the Galanthus are flowering now which is wonderful. G. peshmenii has been out for a couple of weeks and G. reginae-olgae has started this week as well. Numerous Crocus species are in flower already such as goulimyi, hardiaticus, speciosus 'Oxonian', longiflorus, laevigatus, nudiflorus, erotinus ssp salzmanii and pulchellus (which is a full 2 months later than normal this year). Also flowering now is Crocus sativus (the saffron crocus) which is wonderful as it has skipped the last year or two. Quite a few flowers this year in both pots and the ground which is lovely to see as the bright saffron threads stand out so well. There are also a few otehr autumn and early winter crocus starting to emerge but not close to flowering as yet. The nerines have all been putting on a good display this year. The species N. bowdenii is starting to open a few early flowers right now (which N. bowdenii 'Manina Forest Form' has already been open for a fortnight and is 113cm tall which is pretty amazing) and N. filifolia is in full bloom. Various hybrid nerines are in flower or bud now but there are a few that don't appear to be going to flower this year which is a shame. N. undulata is just about to open its first flowers (second year of flowering for me from seed I purchased from Rachel at Silverhill a few years ago) and is a delightfully delicate nerine that I just adore!! <grin> N. flexuosa 'Alba' is sending up buds and will put on its usual display shortly. The last of the dahlias are still in flower (pretty badly hit by the heat and dry, even with regular watering it just isn't the same) and the tree dahlias (imperialis, excelsa and cultivars) are just about to open just in time to be destroyed by the first frosts which are due any time now. Last year our first frosts delayed until June so you just never know what will happen this year. If current trends continue though I'd expect our first frost within the next week to 10 days or so. Various Cyclamens are in flower or bud. Late C. hederifolium are still blooming as well as some persicums, plus there are buds on some of the coums, purpurascens and the odd flower still holding on on intaminatum. So many other cyclamens are shooting as well though, so I figure there's buds down amongst the leaves on a lot of them as well (mirabile, parvifolium, cyprium, libanoticum and cilicicum to name a few. The leaves on most of these are worth it even when not in flower, so this time of year is a joy both from seeing things shooting and knowing they'll flower soon and having the assorted wonderful leaves on so many of the cyclamen. There's still a few of the species geraniums in flower which add a bit of colour, plus a number of different salvias, annual morning glory, Dicentra macrocarpum (still holding on with a few flowers now having been in flower since around November). Clematis cirrhosa varieties such as 'Lansdown Jem', 'Freckles', 'Wisley Cream' and 'Balearicum' are all in flower to varying amounts and a few very late flowers are still around on some of the jackmanii hybrids as well (they've flowered at odd times all summer long due to our strange weather). Hypoxis stellata is just opening its first few buds (VERY late this year) and Polyxena longituba is putting on the best display it has ever done (Mary Sue I think I can finally understand why you actually like it..... it has never flowered like this for me before with virtually a solid mass of flowers just above ground level with leaves poking through. Very pretty I have to say for the first time ever about this species and I definitely have to re-evaluate my thoughts on it. I figured you'd be happy to hear this <grin>). Haemanthus albiflos is flowering now and I am carefully applying pollen I saved from my H. coccineus when they were in flower a month or so ago (harvesting seed of them at the moment) and I am hoping to successfully manage to get seeds and end up with varying shades of pink hybrid offspring (one can but hope!!?). Massonia depressa is starting to think about budding at the moment so it shouldn't be too long now. Trillium noses are sitting at ground level, awaiting the correct time to come into growth. They may only still be there at ground level but they're a nice reminder of the fact that they're there. Hellebores are just starting to send up their first buds on some of the earlier plants, but they're all a way off flowering yet. I'm sure there are numerous things I've forgotten but it gives you all a pretty good idea of what is in flower for me here at the moment down in this part of the Southern Hemisphere in late autumn. It has been great to hear what everyone else around the list has flowering in their various parts of the world. Cheers. Paul Tyerman Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9 mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus, Cyrtanthus, Oxalis, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!