On 2015-01-08, at 4:08 PM, Gordon Hogenson via pbs wrote: > I also am in the PNW and am interested in South African bulbs, although for outdoors, > I would love to see a list of the easier subjects to start with The ones from summer rainfall areas are ones that are hardiest here, and widely grown, though they need to be watered during the summer. (I killed them for years, not knowing this). I would choose ones from high elevations in the winter rainfall areas, on the Roggeveld Escarpment. There were incredible differences in temperature there around Middelpos when all the flowers were blooming in early September. At night it was minus 8 celsius, and the next day it would be plus 22. Those are the temperatures of an unusually cold winter night in Victoria B.C. Canada, and an ideal summer day - all within 24 hours. Amazing! I think the plants flowering there should be able to cope with anything here, especially since a number of the bulbs were growing in flooded areas, including many spectacular species of Romulea. Take a look at them on the wiki: http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… I decided to choose just one of them, as many look similar - like bright red or pink giant crocuses but I must have chosen the wrong one. I will try all the species this year. Easy ones for me are ones the Australians consider weeds, like Gladiolus tristis and undulatus. They are both native to marshy areas, and this may be why they do well here. Diane Whitehead Victoria, B.C., Canada cool mediterranean climate mild dry summers, mild rainy winters