Hi, I know lots of exceptions to Jim McKenney's remark that "Most plants bloom at the beginning of the growing season, and their developing seeds have the advantage of clement conditions. " How can you assume that the best conditions for developing seeds is in the beginning? Climates around the world are so varied. There are Amaryllid species in the winter rainfall of South Africa that bloom before their leaves or with their leaves which works as the seeds start to grow right away and need the winter rain to keep them going. But some seeds need a long dry period to season or would rot if they were formed during the wettest time of their growth period. And there might not be any pollinators about in that kind of weather either. In California, a lot of the native bulbs I grow bloom after their leaves have withered when there is a better chance for them to be pollinated and when the seeds won't be ruined by the weather. There are winter rainfall South African Irids I grow that bloom at the start of the growing season, in the middle, and in the end. Most of the ones I grow show up from September to October. Some bloom before their leaves, but most of them don't start blooming until February or March. Others bloom in April. Many Tritonia and Ixia species aren't in bloom until May and there are Gladiolus species just opening now. Where I live most native plants don't bloom at the beginning of the growing season. The peak wildflower season here is late April to May extending to June some years if there are late rains. But if you count the growing season as starting with the first rains, that would be late fall, and there are very few native plants that are in bloom then. Maybe this is just typical of a Mediterranean climate and Jim's rule applies to other climates. How about some of the rest of you around the world? When in their growing season do plants bloom where you live? Mary Sue