April 2016 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

That's primary recycling, Anita - well done you! I'll bet the feathers do a great job of pollination too!

[Jupiter]

I have been to Anita's and met her feather dispensing chook. She's an important member of the house hold and pretty too. For the non-Australians reading this 'chook' is a colloquialism for chicken.
 

[Tristan_He]

I have been to Anita's and met her feather dispensing chook. She's an important member of the house hold and pretty too. For the non-Australians reading this 'chook' is a colloquialism for chicken.

For some reason I am thinking of Cilla Black...

[David Nicholson]

I can understand that chuck

[Maggi Young]

Coincidentally, Emma Thick just showed  this on FB ..... which she thought would be useful for a pal ....  not sure if Anita - or her chook -  would go for it, but couldn't resist!

[Maggi Young]

A note has arrived from NZAGS - they've changed their subscription rates - they also have Paypal available to make payment  - NZ sub $36  NZ esub $33
 NZ Over 65- $34 esub $31
Overseas $41

[Jupiter]

I don't know who Cilla Black is, maybe her fame didn't reach down here to the antipodes? 
Don't show that pram to Rebecca, please... I won't be able to handle all the attention we'll attract down at the shops. 

An interesting colour variant of Correa reflexa photographed at Island Beach, Kangaroo Island on the weekend.

[Anthony Darby]

I don't know who Cilla Black is, maybe her fame didn't reach down here to the antipodes? 

A 'singer' who had a voice that could strip paint.

[Anthony Darby]

Some flowers open today. Crocus serotinus from El Aspinar, Spain. Seed from Rafa and sown July 2011, and this is its first flower! Cyclamen purpurascens from Ashley and sown August 2014. C. cyprium and C. mirabile.

[Anthony Darby]

My first Narcissus viridiflorus is out. Two bulbs in this pot, and one has three flowering spikes. These were grown from seed kindly sent by Rafa. I have some N. obsoletus still coming out, so I'll try some crosses.

[fermi de Sousa]

A few things in flower today:
1) A fourth clump of Nerine rosea is now in full flower; beside it a nerine we bought last year at the Easter Plant fair near Adelaide as "Orange nerine" - it is possibly what we call Nerine fothergilla 'Minor'which is presumeably a form of Nerine sarniensis;
2) Oxalis meisneri with Oxalis palmifrons in the background;
3) Moraea polystachya
4) Strumaria salteri
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

I like the Moraea. Is it normally an autumn flowerer?

[fermi de Sousa]

I like the Moraea. Is it normally an autumn flowerer?

Hi Anthony,
Yes, it starts at the end of March or beginning of April here and continues on for months. Grows easily from seed
cheers
Fermi

[Anthony Darby]

Hi Anthony,
Yes, it starts at the end of March or beginning of April here and continues on for months. Grows easily from seed
cheers
Fermi

I would be very interested in seed. I'm getting loads of Narcissus obsoletus seed this year. Also Zephyranthes, e.g. macrosiphon 'Hidalgo Form and primulina etc. if you are interested.

[Jupiter]

Why didn't someone tell me that Oxalis palmifrons was invasive?