August 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Marcus and Jamus,
I'm sure I got 'S. Arnott' from Otto at some time in the past. (Being a pedant I believe it should only be called 'S. Arnott' or "[Sam] Arnott's seedling" as it was originally named.)
I don't think that I ever got 'Brenda Troyle'.
In our garden plain Galanthus nivalis really struggle whereas G.elwesii seem to thrive and self seed,
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

S. Arnott. Thanks for the correction Fermi, I'd rather get it right too.

[arillady]

Galanthus to my eye are so alike that I will leave it to the experts if I every grow many.

[Jupiter]

Pat! wash your mouth out!   

[fermi de Sousa]

 
Here's a little cutie I love and wish more were available!
Gagea fibrosa from seed many years ago,
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

That's beautiful Fermi. I love the touch of green on the tips. I'm hoping for some more sun today to open the crocuses.




Common old Ipheion uniflorum




Euphorbia with raindrops. Can't remember the species.




A very dark red Tropaeolum majus which I like.




Cut some dead wood out of my Laburnum tree... infected with this fungi.

[Hillview croconut]

I think you could photograph a stick and make it look interesting Jamus. Great images.

Fermi, I concur re Gagea fibrosa. It's a beauty. I originally received seed of it from Rannveg Wallis and sold quite a lot on succeeding catalogues. I only have a few plants left now as I struggle to get them back to their former glory. Did I see seed on Kurt's list?

Cheers,  M

[Hillview croconut]

I did ..... item 305.

M

[Jupiter]

Finally some crocuses opening. We had a nice sunny day here today for a change.



C. tommasianus 'Ruby Giant'




C. tommasianus 'Yalta'




Helleborus




C. vernus 'Pickwick'




Ruby Giant again

[arillady]

Anyone else having problems with red legged earthmite as I seem to be forever spraying the arils and they ruin Narcissus flowers? With Confidor. Is there an alternative 'natural' spray?
Beautiful photos Jamus.

[Jupiter]

Thanks Pat.

You could try ordering some predatory mites to eat your mites... If you're lucky they would breed up and settle into a balanced situation with less earth mites.

http://www.biologicalservices.com.au/predatory-mites.html

[vivienne Condon]

Hi Pat, I think Fermi has a problem with those little critters, what about a predator do you know what eats them? I know you can treat most things with out using a poisonous spray. White fly with lace wings. Red spider mite. There is all kinds of help out there with out sprays. One of our members uses a company in QLD for small quantities of predator help. If you can't find them on line I will ask him where he gets his lace wings from.

A few flowers out in our garden today,

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Pat,
as Viv says, we have a problem with RLEM because we are surrounded by pasture.
I've found they are susceptible to pyrethrum so I've been known to walk around spraying every single daffodil cup with it!
I've not found anyone with a predator for  RLEM...yet!
The best advice I had from one grower was that as they are EARTH mites, grow susceptible plants in pots and keep them off the earth! Not much help for iris in beds, though
cheers
fermi

[vivienne Condon]

When we bought our garden we had no idea how many different Crocus tommasinianum in fact I did not know it had any Crocus, so it was a lovely surprise when they all came up, and they have improved enormously since removing all the weeds and giving them some sun shine. Crocus Tom. dark tips is from Otto. Tulipa and Muscari are from Marcus

    Crocus tommasinianus dark form
    Cyclamen coum ex Cyclamen coum Turkey expedition Gordons
    Narcissus 'Lilliput'
    Muscari 'Rose Beauty'
    Tulipa cretica

[vivienne Condon]

The last one: Narcissus moschatus