South African Bulbs 2014

[fermi de Sousa]

Hesperantha vaginata type species is now flowering! A recent acquisition I bought from Greg boldiston who sells under the name Longinomus Plants.
The last pic compares it with the ssp stanfordiae
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Gladiolus virescens flowering today from seed from Gordon Summerfield 2008 - the ones in this pot were the "spawn" left when I planted out what looked like flowering size (or near to it) corms a couple of years ago - just when we got a wet summer from which they never recovered!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Lachenalia splendida is flowering again in the rock garden despite its foliage being decimated by slugs.
Moraea spathulata has its first flower open this morning,
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Another new acquisition from Greg Boldiston, Gladiolus stellatus, which is apparently on the threatened list in RSA.
(added a pic taken today with the flowers open wide)
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Lots more spring flowers from the Cape open today!
First a little gathering of potted colour
Next, a closer look at a pot of seed raised Geissorhiza monanthos from Gordon Summerfield 2010 showing a bit of variation
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

There are others flowering in the garden:
Babiana and ixias blooming together
purple-mauve babianas
rosy-purple babianas
ixias and moraea in a sand-bed,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Another new acquisition from Greg Boldiston, Gladiolus stellatus, which is apparently on the threatened list in RSA.
(added a pic taken today with the flowers open wide)
cheers
fermi

That is a lovely flower- not the usual slightly orchid-like flower we might expect from a gladiolus. Always soemthing new and wonderful to see and learn in the plant world. 

[Jupiter]

Fermi I had somehow missed your new posts on this thread until now.. That gladiolus is fantastic! I'm growing a couple of similar species from seed, they just germinated this year so potentially another year or two to flowering, right? The two I'm growing are G. ceresianus and G. watermeyeri.

[Rimmer de Vries]

Lots more spring flowers from the Cape open today!
First a little gathering of potted colour
Next, a closer look at a pot of seed raised Geissorhiza monanthos from Gordon Summerfield 2010 showing a bit of variation
cheers
fermi

Hi Fermi
what sort of potting soil do you used for the potted Cape Bulbs?
some pots look as if they have a peat/perlite based compost, is this correct? 

Thank you

Rimmer

[johnw]

The Massonias seem so slow to emerge.  One day is coiol and the next one warm, they must be quite confused.  Here a yearling M. pustulata this afternoon.

johnw

[Robert]

Fermi,

It looks as if some of your SA bulbs are in the ground, others in pots. In general Babiana is tender for us up at the farm, border-line in the Sacramento Valley. However, it appears that some Babiana species are bit more cold hardy than others? Same with Moraea - we are trialing a number of species at both locations- no clear indications yet. The Geisserhiza - cold hardy or is the containerized plants protected during cold weather? Though I admit it would be worth trying in our area as we have the two gardens.

Thanks for sharing all the great photos!

[fermi de Sousa]

what sort of potting soil do you used for the potted Cape Bulbs?
some pots look as if they have a peat/perlite based compost, is this correct? 

Hi Rimmer,
no, I don't use perlite or peat with these bulbs in pots.
The pots are topped with coarse sand or gravel which might look like perlite.
I use a standard potting mix (in Australia we no longer use peat) - it's mostly decomposed bark with sand - to which I add 10 to 30 % coarse sand to make it more free draining.

It looks as if some of your SA bulbs are in the ground, others in pots. In general Babiana is tender for us up at the farm, border-line in the Sacramento Valley. However, it appears that some Babiana species are bit more cold hardy than others? Same with Moraea - we are trialing a number of species at both locations- no clear indications yet. The Geisserhiza - cold hardy or is the containerized plants protected during cold weather?

Robert,
all the Babiana odorata flowers got frosted off this year but B. pygmaea, which flower at the same time, came through unfazed. The later ones as pictured didn't have flowers buds at the time of those frosts so they were able to flower now.
The geissorhiza are all grown outdoors (in pots mostly) so experience the full brunt of our winters - as low as -5^oC this year They are kept dry over summer while they are dormant.

..That gladiolus is fantastic! I'm growing a couple of similar species from seed, they just germinated this year so potentially another year or two to flowering, right? The two I'm growing are G. ceresianus and G. watermeyeri.

Jamus,
I'm presuming you mean the G. virescens which I discovered has a beautiful violet scent  (like brown Boronia) . I find this "orchid-type" more difficult than others as they seem more sensitive to summer rainfall,
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Fermi,

Our Babiana always get frosted up at the farm. To the point that they die out - they get by in the valley. A Babiana that might be hardy for us up the mountain seems interesting. Thanks for sharing the information.

A Gladiolus that is fragrant like Boronia? Around here Boronia will fill a whole garden with its scent, however one can put ones nose up to the flowers and get no scent at all. Difficult for us to keep going too. 

[SJW]

which I discovered has a beautiful violet scent  (like brown Boronia)

Boronia megastigma is difficult to get hold of in the UK (plants and seed), I think, so I've never had the pleasure of appreciating what I hear is one of the best flower scents. Does anyone know of a seed/plant source in Europe?

[Jupiter]

My Dad grew up in the bush in Margaret river, Western Australia, boronias natural habitat. He tells the story of how as kids they would catch a whiff of Boronia while walking in the bush, then turn and walk up wind, using their noses to find the plant. It truly is one of the loveliest scented plants of all. Sandy soil, neutral to acid, perfect drainage but never completely dry, does not tolerate frost, dappled light under trees.