February 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Anthony Darby]

Did the meteor come down in the sea?

Cheers, Marcus

I think so. They are now calling it a bolide, which is a very bright meteor. It was certainly that. The whole sky lit up as it passed over at over 25,000 km/hour. http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/66079293/bright-light-seen-across-northern-skies

[Hillview croconut]

How exciting!  As long as it remained a bolide and not a collide! M

[melager]

Didn't notice that the "Autumn" Snowflake had started flowering!
Acis autumnalis in the Rock Garden, almost being swamped!
cheers
fermi

Mine has started flowering also in NZ

Mel

[PaulM]

Ours is not a "Summer" garden but there are some flowers:
Ipomoea lindheimeri
Amaryllis belladonna (cerise form)
cheers
fermi

Dear fermides, the Ipomoea looks like it really thrives. It forms a huge caudex and sends up shoots in other directions, so you should probably keep it checked. It has survived for a long time here in Sweden for me. I've been considering digging it up and move it this spring if I can. The Amaryllis is also very beautiful.

[Mini bulb lover]

Scutellaria alpina - a seedling from Fermi from the AGS bunfight last December. It's doing well in my raised garden bed.

This NZ bred Dowdeswell Delphinium hybrid "Dusty Maidens" has enjoyed the cooler summer here this year (and so have I!). This is the first year I've grown one of these hybrids and it's put on a lovely show (unfortunately they were battered by a storm last week, after I'd taken this photo). I've been following the advice on the Dowdeswell website on how to grow them in pots and I find it works a treat.

[fermi de Sousa]

Dear fermides, the Ipomoea looks like it really thrives. It forms a huge caudex and sends up shoots in other directions, so you should probably keep it checked. It has survived for a long time here in Sweden for me. I've been considering digging it up and move it this spring if I can. The Amaryllis is also very beautiful.

Hi PaulM,
is yours the same colour? I don't think it varies very much and both the plants I have are the same shade of mauve. These are both about 3 years old and are welcome to stay in the bed where they are at present but the trellis is likely to rust away soon!
Paul T,
let me know if you want seed!
Jon,
I think that last heat-wave killed the last of my scut seedlings!  I hope yours sets seed
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Nice to see the Scutellaria. Mine died a few years ago too, in a very dry time. Seems not available now.

It seems too early yet for autumn but my Acis too is well into flower and I saw the first Cyclamen hederifolium flower and buds today.

I have a lily which was labelled as 'Black Spider', a creamy colour with a black stripe on each petal but the reality is rather different, not what I'd call spider-like.

Two Campanulas are good now, the 'Elizabeth Oliver' just starting but if I leave it until more are out, the bunnies could have had the lot as they have with some others. 'Maie Blyth' is in a trough and doing well, though perhaps a little less tight than she should be (perhaps I should say "compact" rather than "tight," though MB herself was known to enjoy her G and T in large quantities). The trough is under a crabapple tree in mostly shade.

Then a Hosta with the unlikely name of 'Fire and Ice.' I don't see where the fire is, though another similar form I have has flowers of a translucent rich purple and is very good. Not sure of its name though.

[Lesley Cox]

And

[PaulM]

Hi PaulM,
is yours the same colour? I don't think it varies very much and both the plants I have are the same shade of mauve. These are both about 3 years old and are welcome to stay in the bed where they are at present but the trellis is likely to rust away soon!

Yes, they are the same color. Maybe a little bit paler, but otherwise the same. It seems to be a quite hardy species as long as it stays on the dry side. It has survived six or seven years with me unscathed and it has been down to -25C, but not this winter when the lowest has been about -14C

[Paul T]

Wow, can certainly take the cold then, Paul.

[vivienne Condon]

A few of the Colchicum's that are out in flower in my garden, there are some that are names unknown please jump in if you think you know the names, as I would love to know. Marcus the ones from you, were all seed raised from Greece I think.

[vivienne Condon]

Some more Colchicum's and one Merendera montana

[Maggi Young]

My word Vivienne,  is it that time of year already? 

[Paul T]

Wow Viv, you're a long way ahead of me as yet, well in many cases anyway.  I have had my pot of Merendera montana flower, and Colchicum autumnale (proper species I think too), but no sign of any others as yet.

Otherwise, the first of the Rhodophiala are open now, numerous Cyclamen (intaminatum, hederifolium, mirabile), first of the Nerine species (N. gracilis), Haemanthus coccineus just shooting buds this week.... very confused year as we had some cold nights a few weeks ago and some trees are in autumn colour and some things are up weeks early as they think it is autumn.   

[vivienne Condon]

Yes Maggi and Paul, our trees are turning here too, where does the year go.