Dear Mary Sue, I have almost the same climate, but we don't have that much rain. Plants hardy in Z5a is a good clue is hardy here and there. Nectaroscordum is a wonderful plant will grow happily there. If there is a one time shipping with no value you might try to send it as a normal pack, as EMS. I have received one time a sample pack of bulbs from outside the EU. They didn't stated anything on the pack, so it didn't went trough any phyto check or customs, and it came to my house. It was quite price efficient. But if you state living plants the address have to pay a phyto check, a customs check and additional costs for the post office (by opening and closing the box). This seems to be silly but all of the costs together can reach 100 euros. Of course CITES plants will cause even more problems. Customs officers do not know anything about plants. One time a friend of mine ordered Paeonia plugs from Canada and they kept the plants in a warm room in the weekend, needless to say the surviving plugs became very expensive for the grower. Post officers are the same. It is not good to "cheat" but if it is valuable and needs a fast shipping... Well you have to decide this. Dutch collegues told me that the situatiuon ther is quite different. They can order a phyto check in the weekend even on sunday, and they can call the customs too. Well for a much bigger price, but at least they have the opportunity. Here customs close at 12 o'clock friday, and on the post they have phyto check only on mondays. Bye, Janos Hungary, Z5a