Dear all; I hate to add to the confusion originally spawned by Joe's inquiry about easy bulbs for India. No one will make money selling the same old stuff you can get from Holland for $ less. This flood of quality cheap products was at least partly responsible for the closure of thousands of mom-n-pop* nurseries across the country in the last few decades. This is also at least partly due to the rise of Wal Mart and mega garden centers, there's another topic here. I think it also due in part to the lack of 'skills' or insight by mom-n-pop The now fewer mom-n-pop nurseries are specialty nurseries, often offering regional specialties such as Telos and Pacific Rim Native Plants, other have pursued rarities such as Plant Delights and there are more models. And some have gone to plant specialties ( Seneca Hills and Cyclamen comes to mind) Any mom-n-pop contemplating a new nursery in India or the US has lot to consider. Growing a rare and desirable variety of plants suited to your own growing conditions, culture and climate is of primary importance. I doubt anyone can make money growing common daffodils, tulips and grape hyacinths anywhere. It is hopeless to start a cactus nursery in a cloud forest or a tropical garden in Alaska. And you must know what you grow. So here's my thoughts... why aren't there more new mom-n-pop nurseries that sell specialty plants really well? I think there is a demand for species Hippeastrum, but why isn't there a nursery devoted to these? Many South African bulbs have become readily available, but what about the South American bulbs? Isn't there a site in S. CA suited to growing a variety of sp well? And there's other plants/groups that come to mind- Worsleya, Lycoris, Peony species, Iris species. Add to this the real danger of common plants getting black listed for entry to the us as 'invasive', but could be grown and sold here in the US from existing stocks. Joe mentioned Homeria collina as one example. I am inclined to say the basic reason is greed - too much work and not enough profit. But there used to be lots of folks willing to do this before. I don't know where this all going, but I do decry the lack of more specialty nurseries whether it is bulbs or shrubs or vines. Starting any business from scratch is a financial danger, but if you love the plants isn't that more than 1/2 the reasons? I'll stop blathering and thank the really brave, struggling moms and pops; Diana, Paige and Pat, Tony and Michelle,Ellen and more. Thanks Jim W. * mom-n-pop - I suppose this needs some explanation for out of towners. There used to be many small businesses owned by a husband and wife (sometime including reluctant children and often father - and -son or mother and daughter). These are small local operations reliant on their own hard work and buying plants wholesale from specialty growers. Few would have more than an employee or two and they made a comfortable 'living', nothing wealthy. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +