Welcome to the list, Marilyn. Where in Pennsylvania do you live? I'm in Montgomery County, Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C. Although I've been growing and enjoying bulbs all of my life it seems, I'm a relative newbie with respect to the plants of southern Africa. I grow a small selection of Lachenalia, Nerine, south African Oxalis and others. My particular focus now is to learn which of these plants can be grown using a cold frame (I don't have a greenhouse and just about every plant I bring into the house dies). I'm still feeling my way with these plants. You'll fine that there is an amazing depth of knowledge and experience within this group, both with respect to the plants of southern Africa, bulbs and plants in general - and sources! If you're wondering about something, chances are someone in the group has already wondered about it, too, and has some experiences to share. I think those of us in the east have certain problems we have to work out on our own. I hope you will post your successes and failures freely. And if you have a digital camera, please consider posting images to the wiki. And do look over carefully Mary Sue's instructions for searching the archives: I have not been a member of this list since its inception, and by searching I've run across a lot of older posts in the archives which are really interesting - and which I would otherwise have missed. I hope we will be hearing from you again soon. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where today it not only looks a bit like spring, it sounds and smells like it, too. My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/