February 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

When I got back from NZ I found a few things new in flower:
Lycoris squamigera




Anthericum racemosum


An annual morning glory that romps around the rock steps.


Oenothera missouriensis, still flowering well,


And the first spike up on Calostemma purpurea this morning (Mark, this is the "nerine" of which I gave you seeds at Prague)



cheers
fermi

[kaydale]

Went around the garden this morning and went camera happy , a mixed lot this time.  Lilium Wardii is first up, I had hoped that this would flower in time for the local lily shows but as usual it was late.  Also a Galtonia, Colchicum and two leatherwoods. One our native pink and another an American species, the flowers are close to three times the size.

[fermi de Sousa]

Nice Lilium, Lesley.
And what an early Colchicum, do you know which one it is?
Here is the Calostemma purpurea now in full flower,




And the autumn Leucojum, Acis autumnalis,




cheers
fermi

[arillady]

Fermi,
There is a good area covered in Calostemma purpurea along our dirt road - and on our access track there is a large patch of a white version. I have the odd plant coming up in the top paddock where I grow the arils and rose cuttings. They have such strange bulbs?

[arillady]

I have several Urginea maritima around the garden - the original in a large tin bucket, then several single clones in the front garden - one of which has two spikes coming up - and then the really large clump up the back which should have about 6-7 spikes this year. Seems early. Another bulb that I have in pots and some trying to survive in the garden is a large flowered pink Rainlily -this bulb seems to predict rain in summer. I noticed a single flower about a week or so ago and then two days later there was a little rain. It doesn't always work this way. I will try to remember to mention it if it happens again. I then clean out the gutters so that I collect any rain that falls. We are not on the mains and rely on rainwater and the borewater for the garden.

[kaydale]

Fermi, I have no idea what the Colchicums name is.  It is one that mum bought years ago and the ticket has long since gone
I have a few other liliums flowering at the moment, will go and take photos of them tomorrow.  Also I walked past and caught Merendera Sobolifera flowering!  I have missed it the last couple of years because it comes and goes so quickly.  I will take the photos in the morning.
Lesley

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Just love the Calostemmas.  A favourite Aussie bulb of mine.  I have a few different ones, but seldom get flowers as they're in pots I think.  I do theoretically have a white form, but have never had it flower, so Pat if you're ever wandering past and find seed and have some to spare or trade please let me know.  Ditto for any other colours other than basic yellow or red.  I'd love to collect a whole swathe of different colour forms of them, like some of the ones that can be seen here in the National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.  Some lovely pink and yellow/red combinations.

[Paul T]

Some pics taken this morning or in the last couple of days.....

The Beaugainvillea has really taken off flowering-wise in the last week or two.  Different angle to my earlier pic.

Clematis macropetalla 'Maidwell Hall' is having it's second flush of flowers for the season, which I didn't expect.  I'd imagine it is due to the last couple of weeks being cooler and rainier than usual for this time of year, or does it normally flower multiple times during summer?

This Dahlia has a name, but I don't remember it.  Lovely and tall, deep red and so noticeable in the garden at the moment.

The tiny Leucojum roseum (now Acis roseum) is flowering at the moment.

Almost the last of the Liliums...... this is L. speciosum that has just opened.

And lastly the first of the Rhodophiala for this year.  After last weeks rain and a repot it put up a flower head within days.  Was bought as a pink R. bifida, but with 7 flowers to it's head most years it obviously isn't that species.  Very nice and very freely flowering.

Enjoy.

[kaydale]

Finally got around to taking those photos, Merendera Montana is looking really good and putting up more buds which is nice.  We had some nasty winds last night and L Philippinense got blown to bits so I was glad that I took it yesterday. 
I have also decided to put up a photo of the Podophyllum pods, and a photo of the seed germinated from last years crop.  I think that the pods are nearly as pretty as the flowers, plus they last alot longer!
The Leucojums are just coming up here at the moment, looking forward to seeing them flowering.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Which Podophyllum?  I'm assuming something like peltatum as it only has a single flower?  Lovely red pod.

[kaydale]

It is Podophyllum Hexandrum, the ones with pods are seedlings flowering for the first time from seed.  Most had good mottling on the leaves and a single light pink flower that only lasts two days or so.  I never got to see a few flower because just as they were opening my sister put on the monsoon sprinkler and it finished them straight away.  I have several of the more common species but there are some spectacular mottled ones that I'd love to get.  Oh well, have to have something to dream about 

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I am only aware of hexandrum with a red flower, not a pink one.  I've only seen them at Lyn's place here in Canberra, and they have multiple red flowers.  Your pink sounds lovely and very desirable.  I have a small piece of the same as Lyn's, but it doesn't do as well for me as hers by any stretch of the imagination.  P. peltatum grows like a weed here.  Those are the only two Podophyllums I have, or have ever seen available.  I just love them, and like you would like to collect more types as I find them.  haven't seen any with pink flowers before.

[kaydale]

It might not be Hexandrum then!   That is what it was grown as from seed, I hunted through the photo files from last year and found the one and only photo that I took of it.  I have a better photo of it from the year before when it was open.  It comes out light pink and fades almost to white in a day.  If it's not Hexandrum I'd appreciate it if anyone could name it for me.
 

[Lvandelft]

I have never seen a Podophyllum hexandrum with red flowers. Only pink something like pink.
P. peltatum is creamy-white.

[David Lyttle]

I have just purchased a new camera so I took a few snaps round the garden.

1 Red Achillea

2 Small Geranium

3. Japanese Anemone

4. Hebe speciosa hybrid

5. Welcome swallow. Dave, I saw your picture on the field trip thread, these birds are flying round my house - I intended to get one one the wing but my reflexes were not fast enough so here is one is sitting on my TV aerial.