Thank you to Lee Poulsen, William Aley, and others who have clarified, or tried to clarify, this topic. All I have to say about it in public is that this is yet another reason to grow your bulbs from seed. 20 years ago I used to order bulbs from overseas -- fortunately, many of them are still with me -- and did not have an import permit, but obviously the situation has changed. If you have a kind friend who has a nursery and an import permit, perhaps you can look at whatever list he or she is ordering from and ask that your wants be added to their order, offering of course to share shipping cost (which can be greater than the cost of the bulbs). From time to time the PBS board has discussed obtaining seeds and/or bulbs from outside the USA for offer in the BX/SX. I think this was done for seeds in the past; they would have been plants I don't grow, so I don't remember much about it. The problem is that the BX manager would have to anticipate the demand for particular items and order them months in advance, and then live in hope that the parcel doesn't get held up at the inspection station so long that the material becomes non-viable. Another work-around for import restrictions is already in place with PBS: sharing knowledge of the really vast range of plants members grow in their own countries. This does expose you to a little annoyance if you mention a great rarity of which you have three bulbs, but it's worth it. (Maybe someday -- /not this year /-- I'll have enough Tulipa regelii to share.) Our website not infrequently gets questions from non-members in Australia or New Zealand, countries with very strict import regulations, about where they can get certain bulbs. I post these on this forum in the hope that some reader in their country will contact them with the information, and in doing so, expand our community of practice. Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA Showiest bulb in flower today, Crocus laevigatus _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…