Just a couple points to add to that Alberto and to my own comments. I suspect shade may be a problem with growing subsp. azurea in the UK; it may be weak due to the lower winter light levels during its growth period here, as it tends to be early here, and flowering for me as early as February. I was on the western edge of high ground also so had long periods of cloud build-up from the prevailing south-westerly winds, which didn't help matters. It's certainly not an ephemeral as F. laxa, which always flowered for me during Chelsea week. Unless I timed my plants differently, it flowered from seed in just five months, six on the outside. I found F. viridis a good deal hardier but have had it replenish itself from seed after being frosted. If azurea is hybridised with the other forms of laxa or with grandiflora, the progeny are quite vigorous; the colour range can also be quite stunning. As seen with the following Anomatheca. I use Anomatheca here as a group name from within Freesia, and to distinguish them from other Freesia species. Freesia 'Naticoke' - A reported American hybrid (intermediate between F. grandiflora and F. laxa subsp. azurea; and I expect will be the interspecific hybrid between the species due to performance of progeny) http://theafricangarden.com/freesia_naticoke_anoma… Freesia (laxa x grandiflora) x laxa 'Plum Scrumptious' (bred my myself, seedling of the above) http://theafricangarden.com/freesia_plum_scrumptio… Freesia 'East of Eden' (bred my myself, seedling of the above) http://theafricangarden.com/freesia_east_of_eden_a… Freesia 'Shelly' (a chance seedling in my old garden that had flowers nearly three times the size of Freesia laxa) http://theafricangarden.com/freesia_shelly_anomath… If someone wants to put some of the images from the links above on the PBS Freesia page please feel free. Similarly, Dirk Wallace produced some very fine hybrids between Freesia grandiflora and laxa in Australia; but with laxa as pollen donor, my own hybrids were of F. laxa. I think a lot more could be done horticulturally with this group. One of my aims was to produce polyploid hybrids, but I never had the time before becoming ill. It would make a fantastic project for someone and given how quickly Anomathecas can be flowered from seed.. Best Wishes, Dave (Penxzance, UK)