The appearance of winter-spring crocuses and the need to verify their identity reminds me of the special delight of geophytes that flower just as winter snowbanks recede above them. Other alpine gardeners already know about the challenges of growing shrubby or herbaceous plants that spend a long winter dormancy under snow, and bulb growers face some similar challenges. Curiously, many species of Crocus are standard subjects in gardens with widely varied climates, even those that receive only a few brief snowy periods. High-elevation Tulipa, Gagea, and Romulea species can also adapt well. Snowmelt meadow genera such as Puschkinia and Muscari are perfect bulb-lawn plants here too. In contrast, such snowmelt plants as Galanthus platyphyllus, Fritillaria latifolia, Rhodophiala rhodolirion, and Lloydia serotina have defeated many lowland growers, including me. If any readers who don't live in high latitudes or altitudes succeed with these, I'd like to learn how! I don't want to carry them in pots into and out of the refrigerator, as I once tried to save a failing Androsace bryomorpha. And I don't want to move back to Fairbanks, where Diapensia lapponica did fine in the rock garden. What are your comments on geophytes that emerge under the lip of the snowbank and flower before they are overgrown by grasses and tall perennials? Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>