On 23 Jun 05 at 18:29, Leo A. Martin wrote: > This fall I'm going to be constructing a fairly large rock garden with > extremely well-drained soil and boulders. > > I'm looking for suggestions as to bulbs to plant, especially species > Tulipa or others from Asia Minor and the Middle East, which I suspect > may have a climate similar to here. There is almost no information > available about growing Tulipa in hot summer climates. Consider the various irises from the middle east: oncocyclus and reticulate ones. These are the very devil to grow in a damp climate -- impossible, really. I've seen oncocyclus irises for sale in the bins of fall bulbs at a garden center in Santa Rosa, California (an hour north of San Francisco). I *think* they're hybrids raised in Israel. From your description of the Phoenix climate, the real barrier to success with middle eastern bulbs may be the lack of adequate winter chilling. I doubt your hot summers are an issue at all for such bulbs -- as long as you plant them deep enough. I'm faintly surprised that the hybrid tulips don't do well for you. What might be the issue? -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate on beautiful Vancouver Island