Hello, This fall I'm going to be constructing a fairly large rock garden with extremely well-drained soil and boulders. I'm looking for suggestions as to bulbs to plant, especially species Tulipa or others from Asia Minor and the Middle East, which I suspect may have a climate similar to here. There is almost no information available about growing Tulipa in hot summer climates. Summer rain occurs between early July and mid September and falls as deluges in thunderstorms. The ground dries in a few days. Daytime highs are routinely above 105F for months on end. Night lows are in the upper 80s to low 90s during this time. About 60% of our annual average 8 inches of rain falls in the summer. Fall is dry and temperatures decrease. By November nights are in the 60s or lower. Winter rain starts sometime in November. Gentle, steady rains begin. But, they are spotty. Daytime temperatures are in the 70s or perhaps 60s, and nights in the 40s to 50s. Here, I get 5-20 nights per year with a few hours below freezing, usually between 20F and 30F. Winter rain stops and spring starts between February and April. Temperatures begin rising. I live next to some periodic streams and my soil consists of fist to eraser-sized rocks with a little dust in between. I will be filling the proposed beds with more substantial soil, but it will still drain fast and have very little organic matter. Mediterranean climate plants (bulbs, mesembs) do exceptionally well here in the winter with supplemental watering. I have grown them in pots and brought the pots under cover or into the house for the summer. I guess the main concern will be the summer rain. Typically I will get 4-6 thunderstorms at my house. Each will wet the soil to about 2-4 inches. I think all but the most fastidious bulbs wouldn't mind such a small amount of summer rain. Bulbs that have done well here in the ground with little care include paperwhite narcissus, Amaryllis belladonna, red Lycoris, common Muscari, Calochortus (some native), Brodiea (B. pulchellum is native), common Tulbaghia, Rhodophiala, and something with broad strap-shaped leaves that grows every summer but never blooms. (Not Hippeastrum, not Agapanthus.) Those that don't make it long include 'Chinese sacred lily' yellow narcissus, Dutch iris hybrids, and any hybrid tulips, which are annuals here. From reading it seems some of the species Tulipa might do well here. Suggestions? Thank you, Leo -- Leo A. Martin Phoenix, Arizona, USA Some must watch while some must sleep-so runs the world away. Shakespeare