August 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Still winter in this part of the world (insert chattering teeth emoticon here)
In the garden the first "retic" is open - a new one for me which Otto and Jon had at the last AGS Vic Group meeting, Iris 'Violet Beauty'
cheers
fermi

[Hillview croconut]

Hi,

It really is Brass Monkey weather down here .... Yuk!

Here's one to add to Fermi's:

ex Narcissus cantabricus var petunioides - didn't quite make the petunioides bit.

Cheers, Marcus

[Maggi Young]

Hi Maggi,
May I suggest that the last few posts on the latest SH thread be hived off into a weather topic?
cheers
fermi

   That's done - now that thread is in the "general" section http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12127.0

[Hillview croconut]

Hi,

Its crocus time so a couple more from here:

A very dark form of sieberi - probably a hybrid.

Crocus abantensis - a cute little thing but not always blue blue.

Has the forum changed its ruling on image size? There seems to be an awful lot of "over-sized" images being posted.

Cheers, Marcus

[Maggi Young]

Has the forum changed its ruling on image size? There seems to be an awful lot of "over-sized" images being posted.

Cheers, Marcus

No :  the limits remain the same:  maximum of 200KB per image and with a recommended max. width of 760 pixels. 

[Anthony Darby]

Seed sown as Tecophilaea violacea.

[Jupiter]

Anthony I love that Tecophilaea, another new one for me.

I managed to take a few quick photos this morning, I hope I'll have more time tomorrow.


Iris reticulata 'Harmony'




Astrantia major 'Claret?'




Trachystemon orientalis, one of my new favourites




Tropaeolum peregrinum




And Iris reticulata 'Purple Gem'

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Folks,

Beautiful pictures Jamus!

Anthony I think your Tecophilaea is a variety of the species cyanocrocus but it doesn't look purple-violet enough. The only other species is spelt violiflora and I think the flowers are held on a scape.
 Couldn't resist posting a picture of a range of Cyclamen hederifolium leaves. They look so nice in the rain.

Cheers, Marcus

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony I think your Tecophilaea is a variety of the species cyanocrocus but it doesn't look purple-violet enough. The only other species is spelt violiflora and I think the flowers are held on a scape.

Cheers, Marcus

Yes, I just missed out the specific name. Paul T sent me some violiflora seeds when I lived in Dunblane. Must look for it again.

[Jupiter]

Thanks Marcus, your Cyclamen hederifolium medley is pretty stunning! Here's mine, was in flower about a month ago. Nothing special, just the bog standard one I suspect.

[arillady]

Jamus you have a damn fine camera there. Plus Marcus I would grow Cyclamen just for the leaves but the flowers are a bonus.

[fermi de Sousa]

Disclaimer: these are not my flowers!
They belong to a member of FCHS who brought them to the Rock Garden Group meeting yesterday.
Andrew says he got a few of each from Otto years ago and now Otto says Andrew has more than him!
I'm talking about Tecophileas of course!
The violet form wasn't apparent when I photographed them inside the hall but after the meeting I got pics of them outside with Andrew holding the boxful,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Those Tecos are lovely. I doubt the "violiflora" is that though - I think that's what is commonly known as Tec. cycanocrocus  var. violacea.
T. violiflora has a couple of flowers per stem flowers and mostly only a single leaf - I believe 

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Maggi,
do you think this might be T. violiflora?
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Here's what the rest of the bench looked like at the meeting on Saturday,
cheers
fermi