March 2016 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Today is the official start of autumn but summer is apparently still in control with the temperatures in the mid-30s all this week and probably the next as well.
Appropriately the autumn flowering Narcissus hybrid 'First Stanza' (N.elegans x 'Soleil D'or') is in bloom;
A couple of colchicums are also in bloom
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Fermi,

I enjoyed the "autumn" blooming Narcissus. Thank you for sharing. Such plants are refreshing to see in the garden after the long hot summer.

[Lesley Cox]

A delightful little Narcissus Fermi. I'm hoping I may get some flowers from the large bulbs of N. viridiflorus that Bill D. gave me. It may not be hot enough here in the south for them to continue flowering next year though.

Talking of which, did you see a beautiful hybrid of viridiflorus on Facebook today? It is called 'Lima's Green Goddess' and is really superb - and fragrant too!

As to summer still in control, it's just 10C here today with a bitter southerly. A bit of a shock after February's days of 30C and more.

[Maggi Young]

 I agree that the  Narcissus viridiflorus hybrids  have great appeal - evidenced by how often we have discussed them in the Forum over the year!

Back in 2008 Luit showed some of this  type of hybrid :  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1167.msg26379#msg26379

And there's a great discussion we linked to previously  here:
http://daffnet.org/dutch-grown-viridiflorus-hybrid-collection/?fb_action_ids=1089641601049064&fb_action_types=og.likes

and these  : http://trevaniondaffodils.com.au/jonquilsplus.html

http://daffnet.org/n-viridiflorus-hybrids-a-revolution-in-the-daffodil-world/    - where the American heritage of the "Lima " hybrids is confirmed

[johnralphcarpenter]

But where can you buy them?

[Maggi Young]

Given the various Australian and North American  connections, I suppose in  Australia and Canada, America.  There used to be a live link to  Leenen in Holland  about these hybrids, but it has disappeared now. The company exisits, of course, but not the page they called "Viridiflora"    http://www.wfleenen.com/en/


And  http://www.dutchgrown.com were selling collections of un-named seedlings from Leenen.  Bothe these firms are wholesalers  I think.

[Matt T]

http://www.ringhaddy-daffodils.com/acatalog/Lima_s_Green_Goddess.html for the same price as two mid-range snowdrops!

[Maggi Young]

But where can you buy them?

 As Matt says,  from Ringhaddy, when they are in stock - the same place where you got Narcissus 'Lima's Shooting Stars' that you showed us in 2014.... http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11696.msg316410#msg316410     
I knew I'd seen them mentioned before!

[johnralphcarpenter]

As Matt says,  from Ringhaddy, when they are in stock - the same place where you got Narcissus 'Lima's Shooting Stars' that you showed us in 2014.... http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11696.msg316410#msg316410     
I knew I'd seen them mentioned before!

Yes, but that was the only one they had at that time. I'd like to get some more of the Lima's hybrids.

[fermi de Sousa]

But where can you buy them?

For those of us in Australia:
http://www.trevaniondaffodils.com.au/index.html
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

A delightful little Narcissus Fermi. I'm hoping I may get some flowers from the large bulbs of N. viridiflorus that Bill D. gave me. It may not be hot enough here in the south for them to continue flowering next year though.

Dave Toole manages to get them to flower every year. You have hotter summers than we do Lesley. Nae bother, as they say!

[fermi de Sousa]

Flowering now in the upper rock garden is this variegated Yucca, not sure on the exact species,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Australian forumist and rosarian Pat Toolan is featured in a local paper.....   

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Maggi,
Maybe they'll do a follow up article about her incredible irises!
Today felt a bit more like autumn (despite getting to 31^oC) with the first bloom on Moraea polystachya.
And Lycoris elsae has reached peak bloom,
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Couple of crackers there Fermi.