On 10 Dec 04 at 3:00, Burger, Steve wrote: > Can anyone tell me about my chances of success with this plant here > in the hot and wet SE USA. I have placed it in my "dry" garden with > the best drainage I can provide it. It has already put out its > first bloom for me. I just want to see it again next year bigger > and better. I'm also considering planting much more of it in less > ideal locations. Kevin Preuss suggested raised beds. In addition, you might want to try putting glass over the planting during the summer. This would keep the rain off and the extra heat trapped under the glass might dry out the soil. NB: *might*. Mind you, I'm only guessing! It may be that even with glass overhead, the overall humidity is just too high for the bulbs to survive. It's very difficult to grow plants under conditions radically different from those they are native to. C. laevigatus does okay here in Victoria because of our very dry summers, but I wouldn't say it's a star performer. It still needs siting with care so it gets adequate sun, esp. in winter. At my previous house it managed not too badly just under the dripline of a golden cedar with the lower limbs taken off. The position was to the SW of the tree and got what winter sun we had. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate on beautiful Vancouver Island