Elliott points out one significant bit of information that needs to be understood by any gardener using bulbs in an open garden. This pertains specifically to those bulbs originating in the Mediterranean growing zones.
The Mediterranean areas of Greece, southern Spain and North Africa are hotter and drier, and their bulbs have similar requirements to those from the Middle East. Most of this region, including Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, has hot dry summers, and extremely cold winters tempered by a heavy snow cover. It supports the greatest population of bulbous plants in the world, especially of irises, tulips, cyclamen, and fritillaries, and hybridization and development of these species in the past has led to the present enormous trade in 'popular' bulbs. In theory these bulbs need to be kept dry in summer except in countries or areas that have a similar rainfall pattern.
This information is of major importance to any grower of bulbous plants. Too often, the bulbs are interspersed in our perennial beds. This is completely contrary to the growing conditions they prefer! Technically, if these bulbous plants are to thrive, the area they grow in should not be watered over the summer. All too often, these plants bloom nicely one season and then tend to disappear due to rot problems (or maybe, the local squirrel population). It would seem that bulbs should only be interspersed among low-water plants. Elliott does point out that over a few generations, the bulbs may develop the ability to adapt to normal growing conditions. Based on this thinking, bulbs may thrive with those rock garden plants demanding quick draining soil.
The next chapter, 3, discusses several means of propagating bulbs. Both amateurs and experts will find this chapter valuable. The chapter contains specific information for propagating several species of commonly grown bulbs. Nursery owners should study this information and attempt to grow more of these bulbs rather than just collecting them from the wild. Unfortunately, it is difficult for the average gardener to know just where the bulbs they purchase come from creating some serious issues for those that are concerned with conservation of wild plants.
The following chapters (4-7) cover bulbs which are Autumn blooming, winter and early spring blooming, late spring blooming, and finally, summer blooming. This arrangement of the species discussed makes it easy for the gardener to choose the appropriate bulbous plants based on their time of bloom. The pictures throughout these chapters show the much of the detail of the flowers, something that is often lacking in other books. Line drawings show the entire plant, thus making it easier to identify the plants outside the bloom season.
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