Jim Waddick reported on his success keeping hybrid alstroemerias in the greenhouse for setting out after frost. Last summer I decided to trial some of the new "Princess" series of alstro hybrids, which are short-growing bedding plants. I bought half a dozen forms (a considerable investment) and planted them in what should be a perfect site. Unfortunately, not a single one made it through the winter, during which the low was 17 degrees F without snow cover. I think these pretty plants have A. pelegrina in their ancestry (the bright green, glossy, rather succulent leaves of most forms suggest this), and that is a very tender species that grows right on the coast. Thus, Jim's management technique may be the only way for those of us in cooler regions to enjoy "Princess" alstros. I did keep a piece of one gorgeous purple one (I suspected the color alone indicated tender ancestry, e.g. A. paupercula) in a pot indoors and it's now flowering. Fortunately there are hardier species available, some of which I've grown outdoors for 4 or 5 years, but they tend to be big and lax in habit. I don't know if there are hybrids exclusively from these tougher ones. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA