Jerry Flintoff wrote: I grew Muscari armeniacum ' Saffier ' in a previous garden and it bore > racemes of florets that remained closed-- an oddity of curiosity value only. I find this a slightly harsh judgement: 'Saffier' IS a curiosity, but it is a charming plant with elegant long racemes. Amongst the ordinary blue Muscari armeniacum cultivars it has the advantage of being long-lasting in flower and not seeding, which I think are valuable properties. It is true that there are more exciting and attractive Muscari, and to Jerry's list I'd add M. 'Mount Hood', with white sterile flowers above darker blue fertile ones in a compact raceme. I also enjoy the monstrose Muscari - the old M. comosum 'Plumosum' and the newer derivatives of M. armeniacum, 'Blue Spike' and, especially, 'Fantasy Creation'. They appeal to my love of the bizarre and curious, although they are not to everyone's taste. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Garden Manager, Colesbourne Gardens Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP