July 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

In the depths of winter we have the cheering sight of Sternbergia candida coming into flower once again,
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Here are two crocuses out at present, since 30th June, so truly winter flowering. I've had labels on them but they've faded to invisibility over recent months and I just can't remember. I'll put them on an ID thread on the wider Forum for the various croconuts to see but I thought that you, Anthony, or maybe Otto or Marcus would know, and have them out now too. They could have come from Marcus in the first place but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's lovely to have them now, in very cold weather.

The little white is thick textured and weather resistant, ever-so-slightly greyish on the backs of the outer petals, with a small area of pale striping near the tips, greyish and creamy while the yellow is entirely self coloured in and out.

[Lesley Cox]

Just realized these should be in a July thread. We've had it very cold this last week or so and are to have more snow later today or tomorrow according to the forecasters, yet I have many small daffs in bud, crocuses coming every day and the winter aconite is through. Cyclamen coum is flowering well and the first I. reticulata 'Harmony' yesterday. Spring is coming!!

[Lesley Cox]

But you don't mention its beautiful scent Fermi. :Crocuses  really getting going here.

[Jupiter]

Lesley my first reticulata opened yesterday too! We are in sync. Adelaide and Dunedin.

[Anthony Darby]

This Nepenthes hybrid has been hanging in this bush for four years. It's now produced a flower bud.

[Jupiter]

Nice Anthony. Be sure to post a picture once the flower opens.

[Jupiter]

I just can't walk past this plant without stopping to admire it. I bought it about 8 years ago, it came with us to the new garden from our old one and I just never get sick of it. We are propagating more at the moment to spread around more. Do other people have favourite foliage plant they can't get enough of?

 Persicaria 'Red Dragon'      ( edit by maggi to add plant name to text)

[Tim Ingram]

Mine is Cyclamen hederifolium. This used to grow beneath an oak tree in my childhood garden and has now seeded right along the lane. We have grown this in the thousands on the nursery and selected out different forms and there is no better plant for dry shade. The flowers will appear before long, even without any significant rain. These derive from the 'Bowles Apollo strain' and then the leaves are with you right through the winter. Tremendous plant! (We are just collecting seed).

[Jupiter]

Tim those are stunning. I'd like more cyclamens in the woodland garden.

[Matt T]

Stunning, indeed. I love the variation in foliage you find in C.hederifolium but Tim's selections are just lovely.

My "can't walk past" foliage plant is Pelargonium dichondraefolium. Sorry, I don't have a photo to hand. It's one of the smaller, shrubby species Pels with nicely rounded leaves and delicate scalloping to the edges. Attractive enough to look at but the fragrance is the best of any Pel I know. Deeply and spicily fragrant, I always have to give it a wee brush on my way past. The flowers are typical of the P.fragrans type, but in this species are rather larger in proportion to the size of the plant so they add something to the overall effect. I picked the plant up at a sale at our local Corporation Nursery many many years ago and am pleased to still have it. I've taken a few cuttings this year and may bring a couple along for the DWE sales table.

[ashley]

Sounds wonderful Matt, and not one I know. 

[Maggi Young]

I don't know  Pelargonium dichondraefolium either - so I went on a wee internet search . Matt speaks of the Spicy fragrance, which fits with the description I found of a "black pepper scent" but is rather at odds with another description of "Lavender scented" from Fibrex, the pelargonium nursery!  They've got a photo ... http://www.fibrex.co.uk/pelargoniums/species-pelargoniums/p-dichondraefolium-2/   

[Jupiter]

That's very interesting! We have a pelargonium cultivar in old gardens around Adelaide which I've described as having a black pepper scent, but it's not like the pictures I see when I google P. dichondraefolium. I'm going to look out for that one Matt. Looks like a good one.

[Matt T]

Worth picking up if you can find a supplier, Jamus.

I think each person would have a subjective perception of the scent and what it reminds them of. To my nose it's definitely more spicy than lavender, but there could be hints of the latter in there as it's a deep, complex scent. This site mentions both the lavender and pepper tones: http://www.scentedgeraniums.co.uk/scentedgeraniumscatalogue/prod_555291-dichondraefolium-strong-aromatic-scented-pelargonium.html