August 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Anthony,

These things have a life of their own.  Once one of these behemoth gets up a head of steam,  no matter what the public thinks, there's usually no stopping it.

Do you get the Australian produced tv series, Utopia, over there?  Viewing one episode of that will explain all!!

Cheers,  Marcus

[Anthony Darby]

Utopia, not seen that one Marcus. Doesn't mean it isn't broadcast here. Those are two lovely snowdrops, by the way. Just received some "Emerald Hughes" from Blue Mountain Nurseries. 

[Lesley Cox]

I don't think "Utopia" came our way Marcus though I remember reading somewhere, the Listener maybe, that we were missing something good. If our Govt is crap, TV, especially our so-called "public" broadcaster, is even crappier, ghastly reality, and the usual garbage, almost nothing of quality drama or a decent documentary.  News tonight spent all of 15 seconds relating latest developments in ISIL's predations in Iraq and Syria. I rarely watch anything except Al Jazeera now though that does tend to leave one deeply depressed.

[Parsla]

My goodness this posting caper can be fraught. One attachment too big and everything disappears!

I have been anxiously awaiting the leafing of Melbourne, especially the golden elms along Royal Parade - sadly, not yet. A kaleidoscope of photos on these pages provides welcome consolation.

Jamus’s Lewisia is such a sweetie – I have never seen one in the flesh, so to speak.

Marcus – your snowdrop photos are sheer perfection. The colour of the G. alpinus seems to border on chartreuse.

I have attached a few photos, not of rock garden plants, but other harbingers of Spring.

1&2 are of the Western Australian flame pea – Chorizema cordatum – which flowers for months and scrambles over the fence and neighbouring shrubs without damage.
3. Clematis armandii “apple blossom” – bursting out all over..
4. The glorious red stems of Saxifraga fortunei.

Jacqui.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi All,

I was always doing that Jacqui. Pays to copy text if it is complex and paste back in. Lovely clematis, don't seem to see it around Tassie anymore despite Clematis Cottage Nursery being stationed here.

Few crocus to start with, a crocus conundrum you could call it!


Crocus ? - labelled as Crocus olivierii seed collected on Chios but .... anthers wrong. This species' seed is VERY distinct. Flower too globular for C. flavus and seed would be such a give away and I don't think this is recorded from any of the Aegean Islands. Crocus chrysanthus?? Probably, dig up a corm and I would have an answer. Anyone has a suggestion?

Crocus ? Macedonian Ivory - is this a white form of chrysanthus? I think it is more likely to be C. biflorus ssp weldenii

Crocus etruscus - this is straightforward  from the Crocus Group.

Cheers, Marcus

[Jupiter]

Marcus this came to me from you via my Mum. Can you put a name to it please? Mum isn't as fastidious with recording names as I am.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Jamus,

It's a seedling from a line we called Japanese Woodcut. The parent had all the spots joined up to make a solid block with a ribbon of lighter colouring around the edge. I obtained the original plant from Lynn McGough.

In the form where the ribbon is very narrow these plants are generally called reverse picotees.

Cheers, Marcus

[Jupiter]

 Thanks Marcus, I like it a lot. Couldn't even wait for it to open fully before snapping it with my camera.

[Jupiter]

Tropaeolum polyphyllum is up again and I'm hoping for flowers this year. I was hopeful last year until some vermin nipped off the biggest shoots... don't know if it was possum, rat, bird or what.    Those with keen eyes will see six shoots.

[Hillview croconut]

Exciting Times Jamus!

Few more for the day:

Galanthus Blonde Inge - very vigorous and easy.

Galanthus Bertram Anderson - bought this from John Morley. Can't seem to find it listed widely in the UK.

Fritillaria crassifolia ssp crassifolia - a very difficult plant to raise and to keep.

Cheers, Marcus

[Jupiter]

OOooOooo.. blonde Inge is one to look out for. I like my wo... I mean, snowdrops vigorous and easy. 

[fermi de Sousa]

OOooOooo..  I like my wo... I mean, snowdrops vigorous and easy. 

Tread carefully, Jamus, Maggi has been known to exact penalties for inappropriate comments!
 
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Woops. 

I have several large pots of Tropaeolum tricolor and every year amongst it there is a spattering of Trop. azureum. I think originally it must have been a seedling from an adjacent pot. The tubers are almost identical, so I can't separate it out. I have to be content with it as is.

[Parsla]

Gosh they are all breathtaking Marcus.

The fritillary is like a wee reptilian egg (or perhaps handbag). 

Jamus - love the blue one.

[Lesley Cox]

Woops. 

I have several large pots of Tropaeolum tricolor and every year amongst it there is a spattering of Trop. azureum. I think originally it must have been a seedling from an adjacent pot. The tubers are almost identical, so I can't separate it out. I have to be content with it as is.

But a really exciting combination Jamus. I wouldn't be minding their mingling.