My full attention is focused on a Nerine bowdenii raised from Archibald seed collected at 3000m that is beginning to bloom. Granted, the flower seems a little squinny but it is early days. The seed was sown in 2002 inside, germinated and was grown on until 8/03 when it was planted out and promptly dove under the radar. And now here it is! It's up against the greenhouse foundation in full sun and looks entirely healthy. Also, I can report that Crocus speciosus is having a particularly good year. (I won't even mention the various oxalis in the greenhouse.) Jim Jones Lexington, MA -----Original Message----- From: M. Gastil-Buhl <gastil.buhl@gmail.com> To: pbs <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Sat, Oct 19, 2013 9:54 am Subject: [pbs] What is blooming mid-October In mid-October most of my bulb garden is bare but a few recent acquisitions are currently in bloom. The Hyacinthoides lingulata opened its first blooms yesterday morning, a month after the leaves emerged, just as predicted on the wiki page http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… The Oxalis livida from PBS BX 318#25 made only leaves last year but this year flowers precede the leaves. It has been blooming now for about a week. Mine looks just like the one on the wiki: http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… And the Oxalis "fragrans" from Telos has doubled in its tiny pot to make a fragrant bouquet, although I only get to see it on weekends as it opens late afternoon and early evening. I keep it on the porch to stop and inhale on every trip in and out of the house. http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… My own photos of these blooms from the past week are here: http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/… It is nice to have some bulbs in bloom during this digging and re- planting time. - Gastil Santa Barbara, approximately zone 9b or 10a