FWIW, Mine are planted at the base of oak trees. They grow and multiply, but slowly. I'm not sure I would call them "flourishing", but having never planted them elsewhere, or, for that matter, having never even seen them in anyone else's garden, I don't know how to compare mine to others planted in different situations. Just this year I noticed about half a dozen new plants, a bit farther away from the originals, and they too have seeded - and are growing - under other oak trees. I do believe oaks are easier to plant under than other trees, so I don't know if that should be taken into account. Dee

I have a patch of them next to a gravel path, and they reseed into the gravel constantly. I move some of the seedlings each spring before they go dormant, and I can still find them; and never have had a problem getting them to live. They have a taproot that looks like a carrot. The big ones are hard to move, but the babies are never a problem. Just dig them up and put them where you want them, and forget them. They do like lots of light tho not direct sun, and don't need any special care. It is a good idea to mark where you've put them so you don't accidently dig them up or plant something on top of them, tho I did inadvertantly plant a hosta in the middle of one patch. Both plants are fine, and the bluebells came up anyway. I'm sure they are putting lots of seed out for you, but it may not germinate due to good weeding or cultivating practices. The seed falls into the gravel path here and doesn't get dislodged before it germinates. It does take 2 or 3 years for the babies grow up big enough to bloom, and they are easily mistaken for weeds until then. It's kind of a myth that they need rich woodland soil and lots of moisture. They do like average woodland soil, and moisture in the spring when they are growing, but when they are dormant average rainfall is fine. They even survive a drought without a problem. Sandy

For a native shrub why not try Itea 'Henry's Garnet'? small shrub about 3 ft tall that will bloom within the next 2 weeks with long trailing bottlebrush type flowers and foliage turns bright reddish colors in the fall. Want to go taller? Try clethra or winterberry. Shorter? Ferns!

Hi John! Thanks for the response. The VB were sown in plastic cell packs, kept in an unheated porch for the winter and put outside in March, as by the time I thought of it, it was too late to find the ground here in Western New York. After they died back I left them in the deep shade under big Arborviae trees (had several species there,including Dodecatheon meadia: Midland Shooting Star, growing pretty much the same as the VB except many more of them, and ungerminate woodland species I was planning to second cycle) and mist-hosed them on the rare dry spells, but being above ground they got pretty dry. In the fall I dug little holes and plopped the little plugs into the ground in the pine woods and covered them lightly with pine needle leaf mold. I wasnt going to order new VB seeds and wait to see how the ones I had made out, but now I really want to get some more and try again. But same problem - no ground here and minus 9 wind chill. I am thinking of ordering seeds and waiting to see if an opportunity arises to find the ground in January, or if there isnt I think what I would do differently is sow them all in one larger biodegradable container, in more nutrititious compound/soil, putting it right outside, and sinking it into the ground in the woods ASAP. Then not looking at it *grin*. Little bitty plants like that make me a nervous wreck. Does that sound like a good plan? Then I shouldnt worry if they only make a little leaf and dry up? PAX Laurette