Thanks to everyone who is replying on this. I'm getting terrific data for the article. And I apologize for forgetting that there are some tiny Nerine species; I used to grow one of them (N. filifolia). Ken Hixson asked, Normally I would start the other way >around, meaning if I have a trough, will it have a grit topping/or bark mulch, >will it represent some kind of landscape or should it be in glorious flower >for a certain period, will it be summer dormant or in flower for a long period >of time, will it have winter protection from frost or rain, or won't it, etc. I was actually envisioning the bulbs as one component of a trough landscape with other types of plants in it that would provide year-round interest, such as dwarf conifers, Daphne petraea and other small species, tiny Rhododendron species, saxifrages, and so on. The bulbs would be a seasonal accent, which is why I specified that their foliage not overwhelm the plants around them. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA