Scilla bifolia is very widespread in Europe, and can grow in surprising places. I've seen it emerging from under melting snow with Crocus pelistericus in the Greek mountains at the end of June and in March flowering in the verge of a German autobahn lay-by with Corydalis solida. One might be a more exalted situation than the other, but I think the surprise of seeing it in the unpromising German site gave the greater pleasure. The trade form is rather small and dull, as Jim McKenney mentioned, and the trade 'Rosea' is one of those sad jokes perpetrated by the bulb growers. At least they are so innocuous as to be no problem even if they do spread a little. The version really worth growing is S. bifolia 'Praecox' (this name may not be strictly correct). As the name suggests, it is early, usually with the snowdrops, but it's advantage is that it is about 3 times bigger than normal and has many more flowers of a particularly rich blue. The stems are also usually dark red. It's a really choice plant but not commercially available, which is a great shame. When happy it self-sows quite freely and occasionally can be seen making carpets in older gardens. It occasionally varies to a frankly dull amethyst colour and there is a gorgeous clear pink version, but this is desperately slow to increase. As for Scilla sibirica, this seems to be variable in its persistence and spreadability. There's a patch here at Colesbourne that has evidently persisted for decades, and is now spreading slowly with the amelioration of the mowing regime. I have never seen this species more at home than in Massachusetts; there are huge drifts at the Arnold Arboretum and around some of the houses in Concord, to the extent where it looks like an invasive menace. I have never seen seedlings from Scilla mischtschenkoana, but am fond of it for its glacial blue. There are some good patches of it here now, from bulbs planted in 2003, looking glorious in the turf at the moment. The main herbaceous border here has been infested by Chionodoxa forbesii for over 100 years, apparently derived from the bulbs introduced by Henry John Elwes in the 1880s: he wrote about the it in his horticultural memoir and the display continues to this day: it will burst into flower any day now (the temperatures having finally risen). It's a 'weed' nobody could really complain about, being above ground for barely two months and soon disappearing under any taller plants. I'd like to get it going in the wood here to emulate the March Bank at Winterthur. The hybrid xChionoscilla allenii is often perfectly fertile and can sow itself abundantly, as it does in my parents' garden, with seedlings varying quite a bit. There are named clones, such as 'Fra Angelico' which seems to be sterile and is a nicely proportioned compact plant. James Allen (1832-1906) must have had such an interesting garden - just think of the things named after him: Galanthus x allenii, Anemone nemorosa 'Allenii' and the xChionoscilla, and the products of his selection work such as Galanthus 'Merlin', 'Robin Hood' and 'Magnet'. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Garden Manager, Colesbourne Gardens Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Spring open days 2006 Mothering Sunday 26 March Easter weekend 15-16-17 April May Day Bank Holiday Plant Sale 1 May Website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/