January 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Paul,

your blackbirds are the same as the European? (and descendants of immigrants as well . . .)

Yes, the appropriately named Turdus merula!
 
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Marcus' comments on the healthy cherry crops in Greece do bring to mind the reports of wholesale slaughter of song birds in some mediterranean countries - perhaps that has some bearing on the matter.

[Hoy]

A pretty good idea, Maggi!
When the blackbirds eat my berries, I eat the blackbirds (no need of cherry pudding for dessert either). Then I'll have more cherries next year!

[Paul T]

Sing a song of sixpence!  Although whether the same blackbirds are referred to there I have heard conjecture on.   

[Robert]

Interesting comments about bird damage. Here in California the Sparrows, Juncos, and Towhees dig and scratch at everything all winter. I have to use bird netting to keep them out of the seed pans. This year they are now plucking all the flowers off the Crocuses, and all of the foliage off of new planted perennials and annuals, a first time occurrence. It certainly is making gardening a challenge! 

[Lori S.]

A pretty good idea, Maggi!
When the blackbirds eat my berries, I eat the blackbirds (no need of cherry pudding for dessert either). Then I'll have more cherries next year!

Joking, I hope?

[Hoy]

Lori,

what do you think?

Blackbirds are not rare so it shouldn't matter if I ate a few But I don't. It is the neighbours' cats which do the eating here - and a few birds of prey.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Guys,

If I may break the blackbird nexus? (Which I will quickly add are considered an introduced noxious pest in Tasmania and I would presume NZ?)

A few lilies from a very cool and wet Tasmania.

Lilium speciosum
Lilium duchartrei
Lilium davidii var. willmottiana
Lilium davidii var. unicolor

I have a few more out and will post later.

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul T]

Lovely, Marcus.  Speciosus is in flower here for me too, earlier than some years by quite a bit.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Paul,

I have a pure white one out in flower too. I will post a few more when I get through a batch of seed orders.

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul T]

Speciosus albus hasn't done well for me this year..... half the height and no flowers.  No idea what it hasn't liked this year (or didn't like last year).  Maybe just not enough food as so much has been neglected the last couple of years.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Paul,

It's great to have you back here

My white is quite floriferous but short.  I haven't been home much so none of my lilies are getting any special care.

They are almost over now. There's a few Lilium nepalense and primulinum to go. The weather here is extremely depressing.
I will post later.

Cheers,  M

[Paul T]

Thanks, Marcus.

My nepalense flowered weeks ago..... only phillipense to start yet, with 'Leslie Woodriffe' and similars in flower, Black Beauty, plus the speciosus have first few flowers out and last of the henryi.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Paul,

This has been a very slow season. We have had 4 days in a row around 15 degrees!

I will check L. nepalense when the sun comes out ...

Meanwhile I am posting:

White henryi
oriental hybrid - massive flowers and tones of them. Does anyone know its name? I came in a batch from Lake Nursery. I gave these to Susan as bulbs.
auratum hybrid
Lankon - the other, darker spotted version.

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul T]

Again, lovely, Marcus.  Love that white henryi in particular.