thanks for responding to my original message---modjadje, concerning the melianthus, container planting would probablly work but i am interested in how plants perform in the ground under my conditions so as to build a palette of reliable landscape plants so will perservere. you might want to consider some of the succulents that i mentioned in the earlier message for your garden as they were selected for survival in less than perfect conditions---perhaps similar to where you live. you may be aware of the success that the denver botanic garden has had growing many s.a. natives in the ground under their even harsher conditions. bahia, the only s.a. proteaceae i have tried in the ground is leucodendron eucalyptifolium (?) which has been satisfactory for 2 seasons. related proteas from other lands like telopea, embothrium, lomatia, grevillea, and hakea do well here so there is hope---am growing protea subvistita from seed outdoors in flats but very slow. anyone in the states have experience with brabejeum stellatiflorum (wild almond)and does anyone have any seed or plants to share???? other plants in the ground doing well are bulbine frutescens, aristea macrocarpa, and tulbagia violescens. some plants that have grown outdoors all winter in containers are dombeya rotundifolia (have got seedlings to share with interested parties), acacia heroensis, and greyia sutherlandia. the s.a. gunnera known as river pumpkin has survived outside and is sending up new shoots. aristea ecklonii flowers well but no spontaneous seedlings detected---perhaps the same relatively cool conditions that make the schizostyllis look well keeps the aristea from seedling. nerines are sold here fairly commonly as bulbs but i have never seen any in peoples gardens who knows where they end up??? best wishes to growers and lovers of s.a. plants everywhere.