> Please recommend some bulbs/geophytes for beginners for California's >Central Valley. These should be Meditterranean climate type bulbs which will >receive no or little water during the summer and natural rainfall in >the winter. > Summer days are usually above 100 degrees, with summer nighttime lows in >the 70-80s, and winters are cool and damp, 35-45 degrees, but rarely freezing. > > My daughter is buying a new home there in a tract development in Selma, >near Fresno, California. The soil appears to be well drained and was >probably an old Thompson seedless grape vineyard. I have many >bulbs I can share >with her but my Medit. climate is coastal northern California, with >cool, wetter >winters and cool dry summers, rarely above 80 degrees day, usually in 60s at >night. I doubt if Lachenalias would be successful in Selma, but many >Agapanthus >are in the area. > >Richard Richard: I grow callas of all kinds, amaryllids, watsonias, acidanthera, crocosmias, some lilies, some species tulips and many alstroemeria with pretty good success if I make sure that everything gets at least 30% shade (I use shade cloth) or I plant them in locations more protected from the afternoon sun. Of course, when the north wind blows with ambient temps near 100 F everything takes a beating, shade or no. Roy Davis, Sacramento Valley..not quite as bad as Selma but close.