December in the Southern Hemisphere

[Joakim B]

David
Dachtylorhiza is not known in Europe to be a mass invader and after what I know from Sweden we are fighting to keep it.
Many of the other plants You meansioned are known already from Europe to be invassive and in Seden we are fighting to get rid of Rosa rubiginosa from the coast. I have not heard of any place where dactylorhiza have managed to push other plants away.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Maggi Young]

I was so taken by the charms of Miss Piggy that I went searching..... I discovered that :
"The Turopolje pig is without doubt the oldest in Croatia and can therefore be considered one of the oldest in Europe"... and looks very like Miss Piggy !

Then I found out about this race of New Zealand pigs, admittedly bigger than Miss Piggy and, allegedly, very fierce, which miss Piggy is not... but there could be a connection, don't you think?
"The exact origin of the feral pigs of Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, is not known, and has given rise to much speculation. It has been suggested that they are descendants of animals released in the Marlborough Sounds area by James Cook in 1773 and 1777. A far more likely explanation is that they were introduced by whalers and early farmers on Arapawa Island during the middle of the nineteenth century, as no feral livestock was seen on Arapawa Island by visitors who described the island in some detail in the late 1830s. The breed has remained pure and roamed parts of the island every since. The wild pigs have stories of ferocity, but first hand encounters reveal they have more or a "leave us alone and we'll leave you alone" attiude to humans.  They are similar to the original Oxford Sandy-and-Black or the unimproved Berkshires and Tamworths.

  
Several attempts were made over the years to catch some of the pigs, but until the late 1990s there were only a few adults on the mainland of New Zealand, and they were critically endangered on Arapawa Island itself. Then in 1998 four healthy piglets were recovered from the Island and these have been successfully bred from, although numbers over-all are still critical. Arapawa pigs are somewhat larger than some other New Zealand feral pigs and many are an attractive tan with black patches. However, other colours also occur, including pure black. "

[Lesley Cox]

David you have indeed made your point and of course I'm mindful of the problems we have with many exotic plants. However, since the single orchid is slugging it out with long grasses - various - clover and the abominable field buttercup, I doubt if it is likely to establish and colonise. If it will make you happier I'll remove any seed head before it ripens. I perhaps gave a wrong impression that the little orchids are apprearing in great numbers in my lawn etc. They're not. Just the occasional one every year or so.

Joakim, introducing exotic plants into NZ is an exercise in frustration nowadays. We have a long list of plants that we may import and they are all plants that are deemed to have been here already prior to 1998. For any plant we can't PROVE was here then, we may not import it at all except following a long and extremely expensive assessment process. We don't go down this road because of the costs. So in theory at least, if we haven't already got it, we can never have it.

Re Miss Piggy. I suspect she is the piggy equivilent of a mongrel dog. Probably a bit of kuni kuni (which I'm about to research) but Maggi your note is also probably relevant.

[Lesley Cox]

I see it should be spelt kunekune. The kunekune pig is believed to have a somewhat similar history to the one described above by Maggi, possibly deriving from the so-called Captain Cooker and also from the whalers' pigs brought here in the early 1800s. They are very placid in nature, always having been domesticated and don't roam far from their homes. Their colouring is largely blackish but some are tan with black markings or other patterns and colours too. They are not of interest commercially, but are popular household (small farm) pets nowadays.

However, the kunekune has a very fat face and upturned, squashed nose. Miss Piggy had a little of this but was more refined I think than pure (!) kunekune so I imagine she's a bitsa. 

[Lesley Cox]

Mark I meant to mention that the Felecia is better than ever before. I usually get a sprinkling of flowers, 2 or 3 or 4 at a time. I don't know what's different this year except that it did get a bit frosted in the centre in the winter - the one -9 we had which killed Pratia angulata `Tim Rees' and Geranium papuanum - but it recovered well from that. It has been really wet for the last month and not very warm, we've had such a miserable summer so far (14C predicted for today). I know it does like a moist, peaty soil in sun so perhaps that's what is helping this year. After last summer I got a very few seeds and two have germinated.

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

Most important: Does this pig taste good on the plate?

Paddy

[David Lyttle]

Joakim,
Dachtylorhiza is a very attractive plant more so than the little native Microtis orchid that seeds itself so prolifically through my pots. I certainly hope it continues to flourish in Sweden.

New Zealand has approximately species 2200 of native flowering plants 84% of which are endemic as they occur nowhere else in the world. Compare to this Britain apparently has only one species of endemic plant though I may stand to be corrected.

Around our urban areas ther is very little to be seen in the way of natural vegetation. Generally areas that are not farmed have been taken over by exotic weeds. We have a sorry history of mis-management and neglect of our countryside. Most plants that you would see day to day in parks and gardens are exotics.
Focusing on our own gardening concerns and enthusiasms we sometimes do not see the larger picture which is the loss of biodiversity and degradation of the natural environment.

Lesley
I am pleased you are going to remove the seedhead of the Dactylorhiza - it would certainly be a prudent thing to do. As the NZ plant import regulations are probably the most draconian regulations anywhere it will be difficult persuading the men from ERMA that they need changed when they come up for review if more garden plants become naturalised. It was never the intention of the legislation that the importation of new plant be totally banned though I agree with you that in practice it is virtually impossible to legitimately obtain new plants from overseas.

[Lesley Cox]

Well Paddy, when Roger said "There's a pig in the garden" I immediately thought of New Year's Day dinner but having met the little one I couldn't possibly go down that track. There is a supplier of superb free-range pork at my local Farmers' Market and I'll go there instead.

[Maggi Young]

I have found this :"Kunekune pigs cannot be compared to any other breed. These pigs are very gentle, small, easy to keep, fabulously colorful and extremely friendly. Kunes are larger than other small breeds, but still a very small pig. Usually, they range from 90 to 120 pounds, but some boars can get close to 200 pounds. No other pig breed is as friendly or easy on the environment. They can be fattened on grass alone and are known for their unusual ability to graze. They do not root like other pigs. The sweet disposition of the kunekune and their small size make them great for children. I have taken my pigs to church and school for special events. They trailer like a dream and will walk right in their very first time. Colors can be anything including
black, white, ginger (red), brown, and gold-tipped. I have even seen tri-color. Spotted, striped, marbled, and solid, curly, smooth, rough, long and short can all be found in the variety of coats. Characteristic tassels hang from their lower jaw adding to their unique appearance. These guys are also well balanced in conformation with a pleasingly round body. A short, up-turned snout and curly tail make the kunekune quite the charming little pig." This text included some pictures of the cutest variety of coloured pigs... I agree with Lesley, even for a professional eater like myself, it would be hard to dine on such a sweet little friend ! I was most intereseted to read that the kune kune pig GRAZES, and does not root... so Lesleys' garden was safe enough, the pig only wanted the grass... but bad news if you WANT a pig to root up an old bit of ground for you!
I can see that pigs descended from breeds used by the sailors of old would need to be of a docile nature.. after all, you wouldn't want to have a rampaging pig aboard ship!
I reckon Miss Piggy is most likely to be exceeding tender and tasty, even if I would prefer not to have to bump her off myself...it's a difficult call, this one!!

[Joakim B]

Thanks Lesley and David for the inforamtion about the dact and NZ.
NZ is in Sweden talked about as our "antipol" (or something else that I have forgot) being directly opposite us on the other side of the world and more or less similar in size and population I think. (450 000 square kilometer and 9 milion inhabitants in Sweden.)
It is important to save the native flora but maybe a weed is still a weed even if it is only growing on 1 (2) island, but needs to be protected for biodeveritivity.
I presume that a lot of the problem is that people wanted to have the same in their new home (but better) as in their old so they brought their favorit plants and animals to new places. Some of the biodeversity might be saved in areas to protect it. That is how Europe have tried to solve things. I think we are getting better at it but with the change in agricultural methods it might be even more problem. I understand You want to do the opposite, keep nature in the nature and the new invironment in "protected areas" = gardens.

Once again thanks for the info and nice Pig hope it survived Christmas. (Ham is the main dish in Sweden)

Kind regards
Joakim

[Lesley Cox]

I was trying to think what was different about the kunekune and your note Maggi, reminded me of the tassle thingies they have hanging on each side of the lower jaw. I think they are actual flesh covered with hair rather than just hair. Miss Piggy didn't have them but she is quite a young lady I think. she's certainly not full kunekune but maybe a little bit. A shortish and slightly squashed snout but not really turned up like the kunekune. And yes, she grazes, eating quite a succulent patch of grass and clover when she was here.

[t00lie]

My so called conservatory is nothing more than a handymans semi covered in porch in partial shade,(open at one end).As i haven't yet provided a window, once the sun shines on it the temps. quickly rise to the early 30s C.

The heat can be controlled somewhat when we are at home by opening a sliding door at the covered end to allow warmth into the house.

The following are a few plants that enjoy the environment .

Yes i know it's January not December (sigh--another year gone) However i took these shots a week ago.

That's it from me tonight as i'm heading away very early tomorrow on another 'road trip' to an area i've never botanised --so hopefully some different pics to come.

Cheers Dave.