I hope this hasn't already been discussed. I've been a bit busier than usual and may have missed reading some messages. I have just discovered The North American Plant Collections Consortium, run by the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. The description of the aims and the process is at http://www.aabga.org/ Collections must be supported properly by an institution, and individual collectors or plant societies may participate through such an institution. It costs $500 to apply, which seems to be to pay travel expenses for an inspector to examine the collection. "Documented, wild origin plants, sampled from throughout the natural range and genetic variability of the species, have the broadest utility for NAPCC goals and demand first priority. The NAPCC is also designed for the collection and conservation of current and historical cultivars, although this is not a requirement of participation. " Most of the collections are of woody plants: Date palms at Arizona State University, Cycads at Lotusland, but there are a few collections of smaller plants: Dudleya at Santa Barbara, Wild Ginger and Trillium at Mt.Cuba, Hosta at Toledo. No bulbs. Oh, I should have mentioned the Mesoamerican Cloud Forest at Strybing. Doesn't that sound lovely? and San Francisco can practically guarantee regular low-lying clouds. -- Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada maritime zone 8 cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually) sandy soil