Hello all, The subject interests me a lot. Two years ago I created a new garden just to test out which ground covers suit méditerranean bulbs. The choice was made keeping in mind the follwing constraints. Not higher than 10-15cm (4-6"), no need to water during the summer, if possible summer flowering, not too dense to allow bulb leaves to pass through, decorative value during the summer.. The following species proved to be competible with mediterrean bulbs: Achillea coarctata (with Crocus in a lawn),Artemisia lanata, Centaurea bella, Aster ericoides Prostrate form(winter dormant), Delosperma aberdeenense nain rampant, Phyla nodiflora (can be invasive" and must trempled on), Phlox subulata,Teucrium ackermanii (partly frozen this winter),Thymus ciliatus (now in full flower),Thymus hirsutus, The following bulb species were planted in the ground cover: Crocus, Sparaxis, Narcissus, Scilla , Moraeas, Zeophyranthes candida, Anemone, Allium. But two years is too short to make long term conclusions. Bulbs which need high temperatures during the summer can be mulched with gravel, But I can think of very few which should be planted very shallow in order to benefit of high summer temperatures (Agapanthus, Amaryllis belladonna ??) Anyway here is somefood for thought. Kind greetings Lauw de Jager http://www.bulbargence.com/ South of France -----Original Message-----Among the many wise things he had to say was advice NOT to plant ground covers over Mediterranean bulbs, as they kept the soil cool and interfered with the bulbs' summer ripening