July 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[krisderaeymaeker]

Bomarea edulis at last!

Interesting to see , I think we have seen some Bomarea's in the wild this year when we visite Peru.......
 

[krisderaeymaeker]

Campanula raineri start very promising but suddenly heavy rainfall disturb this dream ........

[krisderaeymaeker]

Silene keiskei 'Minor ' and the flowers of Pelargonium endlicherianum .

[johnstephen29]

Hi Meanie I have just bought a fuchsia Thalia plant, is it hardy in UK? You have some great looking plants by the way.

[Maggi Young]

These Arisaemas are now out flowering, but I keep them in big pots
for their foliage effect. (Arisaema fargesii, franchetianum and candidissimum.)
The Lecanophora spec. was raised from seed collected at a roadside near
Zapala by Vojtech Holubec.

 Perhaps Lecanophora ruiz-lealii Rudi? Nice plant.

[meanie]

Interesting to see , I think we have seen some Bomarea's in the wild this year when we visite Peru.......

Easy from seed if the seed is fresh. B.edulis/hirtella is (I'm assured by those who know more than me) reliably hardy if care is taken when siting and planting it.

[meanie]

Hi Meanie I have just bought a fuchsia Thalia plant, is it hardy in UK?

Not reliably hardy, although contrary to popular opinion most of the triphylla Fuchsia (including Thalia) will take a light frost. However, they will be so late to come back that it is relatively pointless.

You have some great looking plants by the way.

Thanks!
I know that most of what I grow is outside of the interests of most members here (and vice versa), but it's nice when we discover new things. If I could grow winter SA bulbs like some of you can I'll be happy!

[Leena]

Martagon lilies are flowering now, here is L.martagon 'Album, in the background L.canadense is starting to flower soon.
Second picture is 'Congo Capers', flowering now for the first time, bought two years ago. Really nice dark color, I hope it starts to grow well here.
I like cranesbills, right now flowers G.pratense 'Plenum Violaceum', a lot of small almost double flowers of very nice color, and 'Plenum Album', which to me doesn't seem very plenum but it has lot of flowers and the same general habitus as other double pratense.

[Robert]

Wish that I had beautiful and unusual flowers to show, however these speak to my heart.

Young pomegranate fruit hanging on the tree. Flower to ripe fruit, they look nice.

A wheat plant with a ripe seed head. The wheat, rye, and barely were harvested about a month ago. A patch of ripe grain can be very beautiful.

Ripening fruit - the apple branches are already heavy with fruit and needing support.

[meanie]

Wish that I had beautiful and unusual flowers to show, however these speak to my heart.

Young pomegranate fruit hanging on the tree. Flower to ripe fruit, they look nice.

I'd be perfectly happy if I could grow Pomegranate fruits (the plants are easy, but not the fruits)!

Alstromeria psittacina in bloom.......................


It has not enjoyed the dry and relatively warm conditions. Mind you, my biggest clump has been mugged by my large Lobelia tupa..............


That is genuinely just one plant!

[Robert]

I'd be perfectly happy if I could grow Pomegranate fruits (the plants are easy, but not the fruits)!

Alstomeria psittacina..... has not enjoyed the dry and relatively warm conditions.

That is genuinely just one plant!

The Monsoon season has started early this year and has been stronger than average. We have not had any rain yet, just 40c heat. This is above average too.

With the drought, the "vegetable garden" looks so sad. No "annuals". We did "win", if one wants to call it that, the first battle with the irrigation district. We are getting more water now for our fallowed fields. ....and I have planted some "annuals" that should look good by fall.

In the mean time, this Epilobium canum is starting to bloom. It is from cuttings of a plant I found high in the mountains. This plant is compact and blooms much longer than the ones I normally see. I'll see how it does down here at the farm.

Another surprise. This Campanula persicifolia is a good repeat bloomer, despite the heat. The others finished a long time ago. I'll see if this habit continues. A good reason to keep growing our plants from our own seed.

[Gene Mirro]

Campanula incurva, growing in a shady place:



Lilium canadense:



Lily auratum/japonicum hybrid:



Lilium henryi:



Lily sulphureum hybrid:

[Lori S.]

A summary of July to date...
Astragalus angustifolius; Saponaria ocymoides, a nice weed, useful out in Palliser's Triangle along the road; Linum flavum 'Compactum' (or so it was said to be), very long-blooming; my neighbor's annuals, all of which have migrated to my yard - tidy tips, Layia platyglossa; Hieracium villosum:

[Gene Mirro]

Lilium lancifolium diploid form (sets seeds):



Platycodon pink form:

[Lori S.]

Beautiful, Gene!  I'm especially taken by the Campanula incurva - gorgeous!

Carduncellus pinnatus; first flower on seed-grown Eriogonum umbellatum ssp. alpinum; Gentiana siphonantha; Campanula barbata - these plants are more than 5 years old, not exactly biennials!  (They are declining though, so I'd better save some seed for myself and start more); Edraianthus wettsteinii, or so it seems: