Hello All, I have grown Nerine sarniensis hybrids and for past two winter in the open garden and they seem to be doing fine. Just to be on the "safe" side, they're planted in the sunniest part or the garden and mulched with salt marsh hay for the winter. So far, so good. I have Nerine bowdenii and it's hybrids growing for more than 15 years without a problem. I even moved them from their former location to a new spot a year and a half ago and last fall they rewarded me with a record number of scapes (big yeah!!!!!). Warm Regards, Fred Biasella Cambridge (Boston ) MA USDA Zone 6b ...and finally warming up!!!!! -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Jim McKenney Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 8:22 AM To: 'Pacific Bulb Society' Subject: Re: [pbs] frozen Nerines So sorry to hear about your friend's Nerine collection, Diane. This issue of Nerine cold hardiness is of growing interest to me because against seemingly daunting odds (such as occasional air temperatures below 10º F for hours and periods where the daytime temperature did not rise above the freezing point for days on end) I have been able to keep two Nerine sarniensis cultivars outside all winter in a cold frame through two winters. At the risk of being redundant, let me emphasize that it is an unheated cold frame. As John Grimshaw’s experience with snowdrops suggests (and as similar experience here with lilies suggests) pot culture may be part of the problem. My Nerine grow in the earth which forms the bed of the cold frame, they are not in pots. But there must be more to it than that: my plants show absolutely no sign of cold damage to the foliage. Is anyone else growing Nerine sarniensis outside in cold winter areas? Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7 My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php