The whole "spring bulb" and "fall bulb" labels can be confusing. Tulips/Daffodils/Crocus/Hyacinth and the like, for example - planted in the fall, but people generally call them spring bulbs because that's when they bloom. However, the bulbs you see for sale in the fall are the hardy plants that generally want a cold period and will survive the winter and come back year after year, like those I mentioned above. What you see for sale in the spring are the non-hardy bulbs and bulb-like plants that will not survive in the ground over winter, such as Dahlias, Caladiums, Elephant Ears, Glads, Cannas. Some people treat these as annuals, and others lift the roots and store them from year to year, replanting each spring. Of course, as you move further south, eventually you reach a zone for each of these things where it will be hardy outside through the winter, i.e., they will be perennials - for Glads and Cannas, we're probably talking US zone 7, a little further south for the other things mentioned. Still, they are traditionally sold in the spring because the merchants want to cover the whole range of both cold and warm zones with one sales period. The confusion comes because there are a lot of things you see packaged bare-root like bulbs which are for sale in both fall and spring - such as the Astilbe and Bleeding Heart you mention above and lots of other perennials. As you say, the packages look identical with the same contents and one shows fall planting and the other shows spring planting. These are the things that are successfully divided and transplanted any time they are dormant, which is from fall until they start to grow in the spring, so they are sold at both times. Lilies are a true bulb that is also in this category - the bulb never goes completely dormant, so they can put out new roots any time you transplant and will do well either spring or fall planted. As Cranebill mentions above, the best results for any given growing season will come if you get them in during the fall before, but I have always had success with them in the spring. Also, as Cranebill mentions above, if in doubt when spring comes, plant it anyway. The worst that can happen is that it won't grow, which is ASSURED if you don't plant it. - Steve

It will be a little while yet, but I will be enjoying the honey scent of the Tithonia before the summer ends! I just transplanted the little guys into a community pot... there are about half a dozen seedlings. As they outgrow this pot, I'll move them to the garden. Our weather has been so goofy, that things I would normally already have in flower are just now beginning to grow beyond the 3" and 4" pots I place them in as seedlings... it's been a weird year, weather-wise! I just hope everything makes it to bloom size before fall! I know I don't have to send you anything, Cindee... you constantly tell me that! But I like to return favors, and you've been so wonderfully generous, and you've got me started on such wonderful new hobbies, like orchid growing, for instance! You know what they say... "Do Unto Others As You'd Have Them Do Unto You!" And by gosh, I'm going to do unto you... so you at least can open a gift box and smile, knowing the person who sent it chose it and wrapped it with friendship and care! Opening care packages and seeing the surprises within, sent by my dear friends, is something I enjoy so very much! How can I not return that favor?!! :-)

I want to be in your exchange too, just not until the fall. I just moved and have yet to plant my new garden beds. Never move in the winter! Every plant I own is in containers. I have lots of irises, daylilies, columbine(I know not a bulb), daffodils, bluebells and other various bulbs. I am also getting several types of fall bulbs this spring so can participate next spring if the exchange happens again next year.

OK, the snow is gone and we should all be able to start getting into our gardens. The details for this bulb swap are posted at the top of this email -- I'm not going to post them again -- but the deadline date will now be the end of April. I have had mostly sign-ups via email, which is fine, but if you want to participate and haven't yet emailed me for my address, now is the time! I'm looking forward to starting this tradition in the Canadian Gardening Exchange forum, I think a Spring and Fall Bulb Swap would be a really nice way to exchange some extra bulbs that you've divided and a really nice way to try some new ones! Happy Spring!