Dear Amer, I can't help w/the seeds you've ordered because I'm unfamiliar with your climate, but could you please give me address of the nursery you ordered seeds? I'm looking for Tolmiea seeds and can't locate them anywhere. My email address is www.hopefulauthor@msn.com Thanks..Toni

Hello hopeful author.
Youre probably in luck.
They have the following :
TOLMIEA MENZIESII

Company is Chiltern seeds , UK. (www.chilternseeds.co.uk)

The lik to your genus is as below :

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds//pages/moreinfo.asp?Table=Product&RecordID=1513054

Hope this helps.
Amer

I am baaaaaaaad at germinating seeds (well, maybe not germinating, but keeping them alive) but Schizostylus has always been an easy one for me. It's a great plant but watch out! You'll be addicted before you know it. Here in zone 8, they start blooming around July and continue through November. The clumps grow quickly - mine doubled in size the first year I got them. You'll have lots to share. It's one of my favorites.

The other one on your list that I grow is the Colchicum autumnale. Mine are planted with Lamb's ears, which makes a nice combo. The one recommendation I'd make is to plant them en masse. My measly five get a bit lost, but they're very pretty.

Happy Gardening!

Lee Anna

Hi,
There's just really not sufficient space here for all this info, but you can find most of it on the Neoflora database at http://www.neoflora.com/search.html. Click on advanced search at top, and enter Genus name etc. It will give you recommended zones, light, moisture etc for most of these.

Your Camellia should be fine in a shaded location with good moist soil. It is a slow grower, and will probably need a greenhouse to germinate. Vibernum will want light. I don't think your Chrysanthemum will last more than one year there.
The crocus, CROCUS SPECIOSUS 'Conqueror' and COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE, just will not grow in Z11, unless you pot them and refrigerate them after fall bloom. They will disappear in the summer. i would like some of those seeds myself. Same with HELLEBORUS NIGER, plus they require shade.
Hope this helps you a little. Thanks for the link.

You will be pretty safe with Schizostylis. I hold a British National Collection of these with some 35 different hybrids. there are probably some 45 hybrids world wide. Strictly speaking they are the same genetically as habranthus but have a modified root system. They like damp moist ground with lots of sun on it which replicates their home climate in South Africa where they grow by mountain streams and boggy areas. They dislike being rocked by wind so net over them to avoid problems. They will spread rapidly if the are happy and seed freely. Colours range from white through ice pink to deep red. The best variety is probably Welsh dragon but I doubt if that is sold stateside. Good luck

I think the Helleborus niger will croak in the heat. Seed is very tricky and will not germinate at all if it is stored for more than a few months. Needs cold stratification followed by warmth, and may need more than one cold period. Can take over a year to germinate. Try the Hellebore forum for more tips.

The Crocus and Colchicum don't require chilling to flower the way that spring bulbs do, but they do need well-defined seasons with a dry dormant period followed by a moist flowering and growth period. They are both adapted to warm (but not hot dessicating) summers and cold (-ish) winters and I really don't know how they will behave in your climate. The seed for both need warm stratification followed by cold stratification, followed by cool temperatures for germination. The books say 3 months of each, but I have had good germination with only 1 month.

--ian

Where are you located that is USDA zone 11 (outside of Hawaii) and what are your winters like? I seriously doubt many of these plants will thrive for you - most require a defined winter (necessary period of dormancy) that would include at least mild frosts. Also starting shrubs from seed is a long process. The daphne, chimonanthus, mahonia, sarcococca, hellebore, hamamelis and camellia will all defintely need a pretty shady location in the heat of a zone 11 summer. Since the schizostylis originates from South Africa, you will probably be OK with that one, but I've never seen most of these plants ('cept camellia) in S. California other than along the immediate coast and that's only a zone 9 or 10.

pam - gardengal