February in the Northern Hemisphere

[Dionysia]

And a couple of other hybrids.
MK9914/4 Corona, f1 ex curviflora
PMR-MK1155c/17, f1 ex esfandiarii
Cyril, your archibaldii/bazoftica is superb. I don't recognise the clone, do you know which it is as it's better than most around.
Paul

PS Maggie, this is the first time I've added photo's and although I shrunk the originals down to the max 200 I see they won't expand. Can you explain in terms a luddite who doesn't even use a mobile 'phone would understand?
Thanks
Paul

[Dionysia]

Belay that Maggie, they do expand, albeit not as much as other peoples.

[Maggi Young]

Belay that Maggie, they do expand, albeit not as much as other peoples.

They look pretty darn good regardless of  photo size, Paul !
Seems extraordinary that you have had some go over already when we are not half way through February yet. What a year this will be at this rate - Show secretarys tearing their hair out even more than usual as they worry what will be entered.......

[johnralphcarpenter]

Lovely Dionysias! I have never grown them but am tempted.

[Dionysia]

Thanks Maggie/Ralph. Ralph, only a few weeks until Kent show. Those currently in flower will be over by then (even with judicious use of  fridges!) but there are more to follow even though the weather is as bad as it could be for Dionysias this year with incessant  rain and low light levels.
Paul

[Yann]

Paul your plants are stunning.

[Roma]

I love those Dionysia afghanica hybrids with dark centres.  I do not have a suitable greenhouse and would not have the patience to look after them properly so will just enjoy looking at other people's successes on the Forum.

[Cyril L]

And a couple of other hybrids.
MK9914/4 Corona, f1 ex curviflora
PMR-MK1155c/17, f1 ex esfandiarii
Cyril, your archibaldii/bazoftica is superb. I don't recognise the clone, do you know which it is as it's better than most around.
Paul

Paul, the bazoftica (I believe this should now be archibaldii) clone is MK JLMS 02-87/2.  I thought I got it from Ian Kidman but according to my records it came from Nigel Fuller in 2011.  Not many dionysias do well in Scotland but this one seems to be well behaved so far.

Your dionysias are stunning, up to your usual standard.  I am particularly taken by the white with soft yellow centre, D. MK 06458-2.  Look a little similar to D. 'Geist' which I will (attempt to) grow for the first time when I get it from Aberconwy in April.

[Dionysia]

Thanks Cyril. Yes, you're right, bazoftica is an invalid name. When Liden determined that it was indistinct from archibaldii, most of we southerners were unconvinced at first but when it became apparent how variable 'bazoftica' was and how little 1970s archibaldii we were comparing it with, it became obvious he was correct. I raised two seedlings from the JLMS02-87 collection and whilst one was similar to the JCA3010 clone the other was far better. So my own two seedlings seemed to confirm his findings.
I've got two white afghanica hybrids and the colour of both is similar to Geist but they are naturally far smaller. My biggest Geist is over 30cm and as vigorous as aretioides but unfortunately has opened up in the centre and is likely to be going to Aberconwy as I have very limited space and can't carry passengers.

 

[Cyril L]

Amazing that afghanica hybrids can be white!  That's reassuring to hear 'Geist' is a vigorous grower, maybe it will be happy in Scotland.  'Tess' (I think a sister seedling of 'Geist') is doing well so far and has persisted for 3 years, flowering well every year.

[Paul T]

Wow, those Dionysa are breathtaking.  So perfect.  I would so very much like to get over there and see one of your alpine shows, people.  Such amazing stuff and so beautifully presented.  Totally alien to our gardening shows here in Canberra, that is for sure. 

[Dionysia]

Cyril, yes Tess and Geist are both f1 seedlings of Emmely, possibly the only redeeming feature of Emmely is it's fertility as evidenced by the fact that they are 1997 seedlings numbers 15 & 30 respectively. Unknowingly Ju Bramley and I submitted both plants to the Joint Rock Committee in 2008 as unnamed plants and they awarded PCs subject to naming. Fortunately Michael Kammerlander was at the Kent show a week later and he asked us to name the white plant so we chose Geist (German for ghost) which we both felt appropriate. There are many other Emmely seedlings, photo's of MK99310/27 in and out of flower attached plus a seedling I raised in 2003 now named Lysithea which opens very pale yellow and quickly fades to near white and is smaller in all it's parts which is a bonus when space is at a premium.
If we can work out the logistics I can let you have one of the white afghanica hybrids if you would like one. Are you going to Kendal; if so I could give one to somebody at Loughborough to pass on to you.
Got to rush off now for the day for the first of two funerals this week. Tonight I'll try and post some more afghanica hybrids from past years. You're right the colour range is remarkable, olive green, dark gold, rust, pearl amongst the more unusual.
Paul

[Lesley Cox]

Fantastic Dionysias everyone. Just a never-to-be-realized pipe dream for us I'm afraid, so thanks so much for showing us these glimpses of HEAVEN!

[Dionysia]

Sorry you have to rely on pictures Lesley, but better than nothing I guess. Rather earlier than I suggested further afghanica hybrids attached. We didn't make it to the funeral as the car developed an electrical problem causing various things to malfunction so we had to return home. Puts our attendance at Caerleon in jeopardy unless the garage can get it fixed tomorrow or persuade our warranty company to supply a suitable replacement for Saturday.
Dionysia Gnom (MK94102/2) - Eric Watson x afghanica. Michael Kammerlander's hybrids are open pollenated and the pollen parent is usually unknown unless specific characteristics implicate the pollen parent. This is the case with Gnom which is a seedling of Eric Watson (bryoides x tapetodes) but which clearly has afghanica in it's make up.
Dionysia Ludek Zvolanek (MK9801/3) - f1 hybrid
MK01458/3 - f2 hybrid ex MK9701/4
MK01458/9 - f2 hybrid ex MK9701/4
Perlmutt - (MK01221/2) - f2 hybrid ex MK9301/3
Paul

[Dionysia]

and finally PMR-MK06459/1, f2 sibling of a previously posted plant.
Paul