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« Last post by Guff on November 03, 2024, 04:54:16 AM »
Maggi, thanks.
I looked back in the thread, Summer 2014 is when I planted a ton of bulbs on the grass bank, all grown from seed. Ten years in the making.........
It's been worth the effort, have some really beautiful seedlings from crosses over the years. This Spring, need to start digging up the special seedlings.
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« Last post by Guff on November 03, 2024, 04:16:32 AM »
Update on my biggest Yoga Man X EKSB seedling. Was put into a bigger pot, and some of the older leaves removed.. Thinking it might flower during the Winter.  DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT X Yoga Man seedlings  Have eight Asgard x Sharply Focused seedlings growing now, and two of the Yoga Man x Water Drops seedlings. Seeds are back in the fridge.
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Here are a last few from October:
1) Babiana spathacea
2 & 3) Dichelostemma volubile is now in flower
cheers
fermi
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« Last post by Maggi Young on November 02, 2024, 07:15:15 PM »
Lots of hard work for you -but with a real bonus to come!
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« Last post by Maggi Young on November 02, 2024, 07:03:51 PM »
Thanks to Frazer Henderson, two shots from the SRGC at the Scottish Botanists Conference at RBGE today. Frazer was good enough to prepare the SRGC Stand.   https://botsoc.scot/
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« Last post by annew on November 02, 2024, 06:47:49 PM »
Our new autumn snowdrop seedling AW 4819 caused a bit of a stir at the recent AGS show at RHS Harlow Carr, and along with some very nice silverware, was given an Award of Merit by the Joint Rock Garden Committee. When this happens, it is required to give the plant a name, so I would consequently like to introduce DRYAD REGINA.
This queen among snowdrops was named in homage to her parent species, G. reginae-olgae, but also as a nod to our other Autumn Aristocrats group, to which she is related through a common mother species, and yet with a slightly different heritage – the other Aristocrats have G. peshmenii as pollen parent.
DRYAD REGINA is a seedling from G. reginae-olgae ‘Blanc de Chine’, a much sought-after albino variety of the familiar autumn-flowering species from Greece. Dryad Regina’s shapely flowers are not completely white, retaining two faint green spots at the apex of the inner segments, and a green wash on the underside. The two varieties converge, however, when you bear in mind that ‘Blanc de Chine’ occasionally shows green on the inners, and Dryad Regina’s flowers mature to almost completely white (if not pollinated – that makes the flowers go over too quickly to show the change).
The outer segments of Dryad Regina are fuller and more rounded than Blanc de Chine, giving the flower more impact. It also seems to be more vigorous, Blanc de Chine being known for its miffiness and slow increase. Both cultivars flower before the leaves emerge.
G. reginae-olgae DRYAD REGINA description:
Ex G. reginae-olgae ‘Blanc de Chine’, sown 2017. Flowering in October at 140mm high, before the leaves emerge. The spathe is curved, and slightly shorter than the pedicel, while the ovary is egg-shaped. The outer segments are 27mm long, and 17mm wide (when flattened) and rounded, with a 6mm long ‘claw’. The inner segments are 12mm long by 10mm wide and bear two faint green spots at the apex, fading as the flower matures. The underside of the inners shows pale green shading between the veins. The flowers are scented with a fresh grassy or citrus-like perfume.
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« Last post by Guff on November 02, 2024, 01:16:05 AM »
This is how I did this years crocus seeds on the bank. Decided to spend more time, then just tossing them about............... Can only do so much at a time, it's a killer on my back and legs. Raked out all the moss, took a screwdriver and made groves. Dropped the seeds in, cover with compost. Grass will all regrow by next Summer.   
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« Last post by Robert on November 01, 2024, 05:15:25 PM »
Hi Fermi,  This is a photograph of Salvia sonomensis growing in its native habitat in El Dorado County, California. This is a low elevation, summer/autumn xeric ecosystem. Summertime high temperatures are extremely high and precipitation during the summer rarely occurs. This species prefers growing in full sun in openings in its native chaparral habitat. In our local chaparral ecosystems, Salvia sonomensis is generally found growing with Chimise, Adenostoma fasciculatum var. fasciculatum and White-leaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. viscida, however these are very complex ecosystems where a wide range of plant species can be found growing, often in specific ecological niches.  This photograph is of Salvia sonomensis blooming in it native chaparral habitat.  Here is another scene of Salvia sonomensis blooming in its native habitat. Most plants in the wild bloom with light lavender-blue flowers, however plants with deep lavender-blue can be found. On rare occasions, pink flowering forms can be found. The pink forms would be well worth cultivating. In the past I was unsuccessful with the pink form, however I do know where this plant is growing in the wild. My personal observations and experiences indicate that Salvia sonomensis can inbreed, however the species appears to prefer outbreeding and will do so readily. I have only a single specimen growing in our Sacramento garden. It produces seed reluctantly. Most of the seed is not viable. The few viable seeds that are produced develop into weak, poorly performing plants that frequently die after a few years. Gathering wild seed has other challenges. For example timing. One needs to be at the right place at the right time to gather seed. I suspect that the seeds are quite edible and enjoyed by the wildlife. If you have an opportunity to obtain seed from a seed exchange I would give it a try. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that the seed will be of high quality. Based on my observations, seed obtained from a single, isolated plant that has selfed will be of poor quality and bring disappointing results. During the late winter, stem cuttings root very quickly and easily. It is important to get seedlings or rooted cuttings established in the ground quickly in the site where you wish to grow them. Growing plants in containers is extremely difficult and requires special conditions and a great deal of attention. This species dies easily with too much summertime irrigation. I never water the plant in our Sacramento garden or the plants growing up at our Placerville farm. I never water newly planted seedlings or cuttings except at the time of planting. The plants always develop well without additional watering. I cannot say enough praises for this species. For those that garden in difficult summertime hot, dry climates with limited water for irrigation it performs extremely well. The foliage has a strong but very pleasant fragrance. Good forms bloom profusely. This species combines well with other xeric bulbs, annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Anyway, may you have good fortune with this species. I am always interested in learning how our interior California plant species perform in other areas. If you care to share your results, this would be invaluable to my research.
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Hi Robert,
I like the look of that salvia! Hopefully it's on the seedex for SRGC or NARGS!
Here are a few more flowers from October:
1) Pinellia cordata
2) Scutellaria indica
3) Ornithogalum thyrsoides
4) Tritonia crocata peach shades
5) Tritonia deusta
cheers
fermi
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« Last post by Vinny 123 on November 01, 2024, 09:01:37 AM »
Neonic's with a very few exceptions, are banned in the EU and UK and have been for several years. The exceptions have been primarily non-flowering crops, such as sugar beet. With only 4 beet processing factories still operating within the UK, beet is a realtively uncommon crop now as it is uneconomic to transport it far to be processed.
That said, recent research suggests that despite neonic's being used in minute amounts and also readily broken down by soil microbes, enough does survive in the soil to be problematic (including via run-off and uptake by wild plants ("weeds"), which do flower and pose problems for insects).
The big agricultural problem is aphids, not so much in themselves, but as vectors for virus diseases.
What class of compound is the pesticide of choice for field crops now, I don't know, although a browse of a UK/EU agrucultural supplier would answer that.
If weather is poor, insect numbers plummet, or more accurately, never build up.
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