May 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Definitely autumn here as the foliage on the Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) shows in the pic below.
Nerine rosea is in full bloom and the last flowers on Cyclamen graecum are finishing,
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Nice leaf form on the graecums, Fermi.

[fermi de Sousa]

Some more autumn foliage:

Chinese Pistachio  x2  Pistachia chinensis
Washington Thorn  Craetaaegus phaenopyrum
Red (?) oak  Quercus
general shot of trees including Claret Ash and very green Mexican Hawthorn

cheers
fermi

[ChrisB]

Lovely autumn colour Fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Chris, we do our best
I think the extreme summer heat followed by rain and cooler conditions without extreme autumn wind gusts have helped as well
The dull overcast mornings mean that i havent had a chance to get pics of open flowers but here are a couple of crocus,
the first is Crocus serotinus ssp salzmannii
the second and third are Crocus niveus
And the Oxalis palmifrons still flowering,
cheers
fermi

[arillady]

Galanthus just starting to flower.
Iris unguicularis flowering too.

[ChrisB]

Great crocus Fermi, love the Oxalis palmifrons, don't think it would be hardy here.. Sure looks good in your garden.

[Maggi Young]

A photo from a South American "Tweeter"  for Mr Buttercup
 - Ranunculus semiverticillatus in seed

[Lesley Cox]

Oh my GOD!!! That Ranunculus seed. Showing it is cruel and unusual punishment. Extremely unusual in fact. Whoever saw such a thing before? Certainly not in cultivation I'd bet.

 It's been a wet month here in the deep south of NZ, so much so that the whole place is a network of little rivers, ponds and bogs and we can hardly move along, off the concrete paths, at all. There's been no drying wind at all for weeks and only a couple of really nice days - today is one - just rain, rain, rain, with occasional interventions of heavy fog as light relief. Having said that, today in flower are Crocus sieberi from Crocus Group seed and nicely marked, C. s. 'Hubert Edelsten' and C. cvijicii. This, remember, is the northern equivilent of November! so they are very early. Also of note this morning is a seedling of Cyclamen cyprium, just one but I wonder if it came through last year and for some reason I didn't see it, because the leaf is over a cm in length and is well speckled silver on the deep green. The date on the label is 2008 and it was sent to me from Co. Cork in the Rep of Ireland. So many thanks to that gentleman. He knows who he is.

[Lesley Cox]

I probably won't post anything more for a few days as I've a lot to do in the next few prior to a short stay in hospital starting early morning on May 27th. It may be a couple of days or perhaps more likely, 3-5. I had a pre-admission clinic on Monday evening with surgeon and anaesthetist and it was suggested this surgery could take as much as 4 hours. I'd expected half that or less so the prospect is a little daunting. No doubt I'll report back in due course, all going well.

Love you all!

Lesley

[ChrisB]

Hope you are soon on the mend Lesley
xxx

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Chris. How does one thank a surgeon for his work? OK he gets paid (this is a private operation, not public health) and mightily but not by me and it seems a bit small just to say "Hey, thanks." So I've promised him and the anaesthetist each a chocolate fudge cake if I'm still around to make them.  The response was "Well, we'd better make sure you are then!" Very nice guys both of them and thank heaven for a bit of fun or it could get awfully heavy.

[David Nicholson]

All the very best Lesley, hope you're back to best very soon.

[Brian Ellis]

So I've promised him and the anaesthetist each a chocolate fudge cake .

Guarantee of first class attention I reckon

[Anthony Darby]

All the best Lesley.