Greetings and salutations, everyone; yes, once again it is I, Mani the purebred border collie, filling in for the guy I live with, and here to bring you the latest news from our garden, in this case very sad news. You may remember me from such posts as “For Whom The Bedclothes”, among so many, many others.
Here I am in a characteristic pose. 
The guy I live with has been very sad. He got news last night that one of his pen-pals had died, after a long and terrible illness. You may remember “Marcus from Down Under”, if you’ve been following the blog for a while.
Here is one of the iris seeds germinating; one of the ones that were in the salt shakers. (The brownish tip is okay; that’s where it was cut. It’s the tip of the root.)
The guy I live with is crazy about bulbs, as you no doubt know, and about getting these irises to grow, and so was Marcus, who loved crocuses especially, so I’d like to dedicate this post to his memory.
Crocus korolkowii ‘Lemon Tiger’
Crocus vernus Uklin Strain
Crocus rujanensis
Crocus paschei
Crocus korolkowii ‘Golden Nugget’
Iris reticulata Kuh-e-Abr
Geranium charlesii
Geranium transversale var. linearilobum
Fritillaria stenanthera
Fritillaria sewerzowii
Nectaroscordum tripedale
Gladiolus atroviolaceus
Crocus cartwrightianus ‘Marcel’
Crocus asumaniae
Until next time, then.
the miserable gardener 
Oh, sad, sad news. Marcus was a Very Important Commenter, good humored, intelligent, curious. An all-around All Right guy.
Your news, Mani, joins sad news of my own: dear Bonnie, president of San Diego Floral Association, has been gone a week now.
I mourn both these vibrant personalities. We have borne with much, we will bear more — let us raise a glass to memory and absent friends. Or raise a photo. They are truly lovely and fitting tribute.
Thanks; yes, the guy I live with cried when he heard the news, because he corresponded with Marcus. His partner Susan is a very fine botanical artist, so there was that connection, too.
I am sorry to hear this sad news. I think Marcus enjoyed your blog very much even though he was sick. It’s good to remember him through the flowers he loved.
It’s one of the best ways, don’t you think?
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear it. Even though I didn’t know him, the world is emptier. The flowers are very beautiful.
Thanks; at first the post just had lots of garden pictures, but then showing these pictures seemed best. The world, especially the gardening world, is indeed emptier.
Beautiful bulbs, beautiful pictures, beyond beautiful memories.
Thanks.
A beautiful photo gallery of your bulbs, many of them very rare I think!
Yes, some are. They seem to do quite well here.
Oh yes, I’ve been reading long enough to “know” Marcus from Down Under. I’m very sad to hear that he’s gone; I’m sure he also, like your readers, thought of your garden as a little bit his own, and would love your bouquet of the crocuses he loved so much.
Thanks, that’s really sweet. Marcus had a seed business, Hillview Rare Plants; he offered wild-collected crocus seeds, things like that. He was very highly regarded in the world of bulb collectors, especially the “croconuts”.
Hi Mani. As a regular reader from down under I’m saddened to hear this news as well. I will miss his comments on your blog and his Ramblings from his website from far flung countries that he visited. I will cherish the 3 lots of seed that I purchased from Marcus in the last couple of years and hope I can do them justice. A little poem was added to my orders “as inspiration”. I didn’t know Marcus, but I feel that after only 3 or 4 emails between us that I’ve lost a truly great friend. By the way, Mani! you’re looking well!
Thanks. The guy I live with didn’t know Marcus, either, but they began to correspond. About bulbs, some, but mostly not about them.
It’s good that you have those memories.
I’m sorry to hear this. I enjoyed his posts. A beautiful tribute, Bob. Nicely done.