October 2015 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

Yes Robert is right but there are loads of them and I don't know enough to tell them apart. Fermi will know I think...  You got the family right Maggi. Perhaps Scaevola aemula?

[Lesley Cox]

All the above notes (John, Hoy, Anthony) tempt me to say "Well done little Me, then. In fairness, I should say that my plant was bought some years ago, can't remember how many but probably 10 or so, from  Christchurch  and I believe she has had flowers too, years before mine and maybe this year too though I don't know that. I've pollinated each flower by hand in hope of a little seed but how the plant will cope with the current weather I don't know.

Our spring weather this week has been a bit of a trial. Our Show was on two beautiful days then Monday and today were savage, hot nor'west gales but at 3.30 today, just as 40 people from out of town arrived for an arranged nursery visit, the wind turned to the south, still very strong and the temperature dropped from 28C to about 9C in just 10 minutes. The rain bucketed down we we were all drenched. They only stayed for 20 minutes, long enough for their bus to offload, go away and turn around then return to gather them up again. Changed my clothes then sat down with a glass of something warming.

edit by maggi = if you are going to flower Diapensia as well as you do the Weldenia, Lesley  - I will be forced to fine you lots of choclate to assuag

e my envy!

That's fine Maggi. so long as YOU are eating them, not I! My 43-year-old son who should know better than to upset his mother, has decided to remarry this coming Christmas Day of all days. I like his lady very much and so am happy about that but I shall have to buy a DRESS and get out of my grubby jeans (or the black suit I wear to funerals and concerts) so need to lose some weight NOW! I wouldn't have thought it possible to marry on Christmas Day but apparently it is. It won't be a religious ceremony and will take place in Timaru, in Barbara's mother's garden.

[Lesley Cox]

Your link about the Swedish Diapensia interests me Ashley because while I assumed it was a peat bog sort of plant and really needed to be quite damp, my own has been very dry through most summers only watered when I thought about it (occasionally). Perhaps it would grow well with Dicentra peregrina which in Japan lives in great screes with shale and rock for its surrounds, not the moist conditions that I expected. Probably both plants have good moisture under the rocky surface, as do our own scree plants.

[Otto Fauser]

a few photos from the garden today. Cypripedium formosanum seems happy in a cool, semi shaded part of the rock garden.


    Cypripedium formosanum
    Daphne cneorum
    Trillium grandiflorum roseum
    Tulipa  linifolia Batalinii Group
    Tulipa linifolia

[Jupiter]

A few from this afternoon after work.


Heracleum mantegazzianum


Argostemma githago white


Lilium hansonii in bud


Lysimachia atropurpurea buds


Pinellia tripartita leaf.

[Parsla]

Some beautiful photos have appeared on these pages since I last logged in.
As for the plants, Otto's cypripedium takes one's breath away.
Love the podophyllum Dave.

A couple of perspective photos of a delicious complex oncocyclus iris grown by Marcus in Tassie.
The whole flower seems suffused with gold.
Could this be 'gilding the lily'?

Jacqui.

[Maggi Young]

That has to be one of the prettiest Iris I've seen in ages - and considering they are all lovely- that's quite  something!

[Jupiter]

That is a stunningly beautiful onco Jacqui; you're privileged to have seen it in person, not to mention all the other thousands of gems Marcus has growing there.

Otto, your Cypripedium is so happy there. The piece you gave to me is growing but hasn't flowered this year. Maybe next year.

[Lesley Cox]

An absolutely stunning iris indeed. There must be some I. auranitica in there Marcus?

[Anthony Darby]

Must try some oncos. Saw my first bulb fly of the season. It's now in one of my gecko cages. Put my choice narcissi (and my pot of Pancratium maritimum) into a net cage to keep them safe.

[Mini bulb lover]

I'm tickled pink that my Aquilegia saximontana is flowering in the rock garden. I'm assuming I have its identity correct... there is some confusion apparently and many impostors.

Edit: Already Bob Nold piped up on facebook and expressed doubt that this is saximontana. In the absence of a name I've decided to call this Aquilegia notsaximontana.

Jamus, I think that might be Aquilegia sibirica. I bought one that looked identical to your photo at a recent plant fair from Antique Perennials a few weeks ago. A Google image search shows the flowers on taller stems but mine were barely above the foliage.


Lesley, some beautiful plants at your show! I'm green with envy.


Otto, I'm surprised the 30+ heat earlier in the week didn't knock some of your plants around.


Marcus, 1 x t-shirt for me too.     

[Jupiter]

Hmmm.. A. siberica is one I hadn't considered as a possibly ID for my plant... Bob Nold had me convinced it was A. flabellata var. pumila. I might have to be content not being sure. In the words of the immeasurably wise Richard Feynman — 'I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.

Here are a few photos from the garden this afternoon.




Centaurea montana




Linum grandiflorum 'Bright Eyes'




Pulsatilla 'Perlen Glocke'




Achillea umbellata (uncertain)




Our front gardening looking West from the Eastern boundary

[fermi de Sousa]

The garden is looking good, Jamus.
The excitement here is for the first flowering of Puya chilensis!
We got it as a seedling from Roy Pavelin about 12 years ago but couldn't remember the name and the label is irretrievable!
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Wow Fermi, what a stunner! I think my Dad has that species in a pot, which flowered for him but nothing like that size!

[Jupiter]

Podophyllum pleianthum with leaves yet to fully expand ,already in bud .

Dave your Podophyllum is stunning... I stood looking at one longingly at a nursery the other day, considered buying it then talked myself out of it... I might have to go back.