Dear All, I always like hearing what is blooming in people's gardens and am pleased that the Narcissus (originally from Bill Dijk and a BX) is doing well for Kathy. I used to grow a lot of Narcissus in my Stockton (California) garden and they returned well and expanded, but have not had as good luck in my coastal garden. Perhaps there isn't as much sunshine. But a few of these bulbs from Bill I am growing in pots are absolutely wonderful. The one Kathy is talking about had its first bloom in September during one of our heat spells. It looked a bit stressed, but bloomed in October, took a break in November and sent up more buds in December and January. There is another one he labeled N. monophyllus which I understand is N. cantabricius ssp. monophyllus which has been blooming since October. Two pots of N. romieuxii (also BX survivors) from him have been in bloom since early December. I just love their soft yellow blooms. In the ground this week Narcissus pseudonarcissus is in bloom right next to Iris unguicularis which has been putting out its gorgeous huge flowers for months now. There are buds on a pot of one of the detective series Narcissus from Dave Karnstedt, Narcissus 'Smarple'. I've very excited about this. This little corner of California has escaped unusual rainfall. We've only had about 25 inches of rainfall so far which is below the amount we had last year at this time. I think my bulbs have done much better with less as the last two years we had so much all at once that it was difficult to avoid disease. Since it hasn't really been cold yet (we had frost one night on the roof only), a lot of bulbs are blooming earlier than usual. We've had a week without rain which is supposed to change soon and new Romuleas have opened every day. Romulea hallii has finished. In bloom now are R. tortulosa, R. luteoflora, R. kombergensis, R. tetragona, and two European Romulea bulbocodiums, including a new yellow one that Jane McGary gave me (syn. R. crocea). The Romuleas have such bright colors that they definitely lift your spirits. I'm happy to have that new R. from Jane as I tried to grow it before, but eventually figured out what I was growing was really R. hirta. Also in bloom from seed from an early BX (#7) is a yellow Romulea (labeled, large yellow flower in the BX offering). I think it looks like R. diversiformis, but will have to remember to look at the corm when it is dormant to be absolutely sure. R. sabulosa has buds and a lot of other Romuleas as well. I avoided R. sabulosa seed because I had read it was hard to grow even though it could well be the most beautiful Romulea of all, but then Bill Dijk sent me some seed and it has been absolutely faithful, returning every year. I guess we all have to find out for ourselves what works in our environments. Speaking of bright colors, this lover of Oxalis has been enjoying the Oxalis obtusa now blooming and joining the Oxalis versicolor, O. goniorhiza, Oxalis glabra, Oxalis purpurea (white), and Oxalis luteola which have been blooming for months on those days it was warm enough for them to open. There are two forms of Oxalis luteola that I have never been able to get to bloom which is such a contrast to the two that do bloom for me often for 4+ months. There are two oxalis I got from Uli that are yellow that are very floriferous and wonderful in bloom. I'll try to get pictures to the wiki soon to see if Diana, Andrew, Robin Attrill, or David Victor have any clues about what they might be. I didn't get the habitat information from Uli, but I think they are both South African. My little collection of Cyclamen I've grown from seed is getting to take up a whole bench now. I've got so much that I am planting more and more of it out even though so far they seem to dwindle away that way. The one exception seems to be a couple of Cyclamen that I assume are C. coum but need to key out to be absolutely sure that came up in a pot of Brunsvigias to my surprise. I haven't wanted to disturb that pot I put in the middle of my raised bed octagon where it gets a lot of sun and no summer water and very little fertilizer. This year peeking out of either side of the Brunsvigias are pink and white flowers and Cyclamen leaves. C. coum in many forms, C. repandum, and C. persicum are all in bloom in pots as are some hybrids. I have a couple of Muscari in bloom: M. neglectum from an old Mike Mace BX and M. botryoides from NARGS 2001 seed (and a very nice blue.) My Gladiolus caeruleus has escaped the rain this year. Usually just as it starts to bloom in January it get pounded by the rain as does Ixia rapunculoides which is another early bloomer. I've had to stake both of them as they flop a bit, but am grateful for the lull between storms. Not so lucky were the Lachenalia viridiflora and L. bulbifera that have pock marks in their leaves from our hail storm in early January. The ones I protected look much better and my first L. carnosa is doing its slow dance. This bulb is so large I should have planted it one to a pot as it is overwhelming its companions. The leaves on this plant are lovely and as each flower opens I just find it so fascinating. In my unheated greenhouse I have 3 Cyrtanthus mackenii in bloom. A friend of Rhoda's gathered up a bunch of seed from various colored forms to give to me on our first trip to South Africa and in this pot one is white, one light pink, and the third an orangy pink. Before I've usually just had one in bloom at a time. There is also a Phaedranassa in bloom. I don't think I've ever had one bloom in January before. I'm sure I won't remember all the others, but I have Crocus, Babiana, Androcymbium, and my first Tecophilaea too in bloom. Native Cardamine has been blooming since December and Allium hyalinum and the dwarf form of Triteleia hyacinthina are in bloom too. On my hike this week I spied the first Scoliopus bigelovii in bloom in the wild and then once I saw it looked around and they were everywhere. I didn't have Bob's camera with me, alas. My own Scoliopus plants are breaking dormancy. Last year I watered them all summer when they were dormant on Ian Young's advice, but don't know yet whether that helped enough for them to bloom this year. If there are still any of you reading another long post from me you will note that I love my geophytes and greatly appreciate all the contributions I've received (knowledge, bulbs, seed) from the bulb community even if I am out of room and still starting seeds! Mary Sue Mary Sue Ittner California's North Coast Wet mild winters with occasional frost Dry mild summers