Paul wrote: > data had been lost or mixed and worse,many of the bulbs had been eaten by rodents or if alive, mislabeled. We have what's left. Paul, it was good of you folks to undertake that rescue. Sorry it didn't work out better. > most proved of limited value to us If you want to get rid of them, you know where to reach me ;-) Kirby wrote: > Oh, so that's what happened to the UCI collection The backstory I heard was that there was a change in management, and the collection was no longer watched carefully. Rodents supposedly got into the shade houses and ate much of the best material. That would tend to be confirmed by the condition of the remnants Paul received. The mice, rats, and gophers in California have a voracious appetite for South African bulbs (other than Amaryllids). I think it's one of the reasons why those bulbs are generally not invasive here. Diane wrote: > What about UC Santa Cruz? Not a lot of bulbs there on public display. They might have some back in the lath houses, but the public's not allowed in there. Santa Cruz has an amazing collection of Mediterranean-climate trees and shrubs, in particular Eucalyptus, Proteas, and South African Ericas. They have a lot of acreage but a limited budget. I think the shrubs and trees do well because they don't require intense maintenance. I love both places, but they're very different. To me, Berkeley is a true botanical garden, while Santa Cruz is more like a tree zoo. Mike San Jose, CA