I've been out recording what's blooming (I keep (erratically) a garden diary and two little bulbs win the prize every year. One is Scilla bifolia; the other is Hyacinthoides reverchonii. They're quite small, 3-4 inches and both blue, S bifolia with lavender tones and H reverchonii distinctly medium blue with a small white center. Both are super good and reliable. The Scilla is in a trough although it clumps up a bit too quickly, and right now it is a mass of color. H. reverchonii is taking its time and it's in pots as well as a clay planter. They should both be used more in the rock garden or troughs but don't seem to be very common. I did discover the Fritillaria uva-vulpis purchased from a local store similar to Target is beginning to bloom and is clearly much happier outside than in the greenhouse, plus it seems to really like the cold winter we've had. Scoliopus bigelovii is a huge big clump with its pollinator flies dancing around and given the right conditions is quite reliable, not hardy below Zone 7, at a guess. Just maybe the seedlings I sowed last spring as soon as they were ripe will not be killed by yours truly and will survive. I was afraid I'd lost my S hallii, but, fingers crossed, I see a half inch of green leaf tightly furled coming on. S hallii seems always to bloom a bit later than its sibling for me. Mary Sue has some excellent photos on the wiki of Hyacinthoides reverchonii and Travis Owen's photos of S bifolia look the same color as mine; Rimmer deVries' photo looks far too dark a true blue with no hint of purple in it. That could be the film/camera though. Sometimes it can be hard to tell. I hope you'll all enjoy the Colchicum issue of the Bulb Garden. Dr. Zubov grows these himself in the Ukraine. I would have liked to get into more detail but was limited by space, so please refer to the new Colchicum book that is now available. It's excellent and, as with Ruksans' Crocus book, devotes at least a page to each species. The sun is shining, finally, so I must take advantage. Robin Hansen Southwest Oregon inland coast _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>