March 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere

[t00lie]

A first flowering---Crocus vallicola x NARGS sown feb/05.Gosh what a beauty--i feel another obsession coming on.

Early last year i split my clump of Cyrtanthus obrienii growing in the alpine house and tried it outside in a trough ,(with pan of glass over the top during winter ),where it has survived.

Lost the name of the plant in the 4th pic  .I should know it.

Tricyrtis macranthopsis.

Zephyranthes primulina--lovely combination of yellow with pink veins.Easily grown from seed if anyone is interested.

Cheers Dave.

[Maggi Young]

t00lie, Crocus vallicola is one of Ian's favourites...... I'm beginning to wonder if you two aren't long lost twins!

Is your No. 4 a tradescantia/ commelina type thingy ? Crikey, I can remember nothing tonight... sorry 

Love the Tricytis .... mine gave a first flower last year so I've  got great hopes for this year 

I have been bowled over by Fermi's assorted rain lilies and now you are showing this cute Zephyranthes primulina.....it looks quite little, is it a neat wee thing?

[t00lie]

Not long lost twins Maggie --rather just kindred spirits. 

Commelina rings a bell and the plant in question is about 45cm in height so it's likely to be C. tuberosa.Thanks.

The Zephranthes isn't a wee thing --about 20 cm high with a good sized flower --it's bucketing down here at the moment so i can't give you definite measurements.Does not mind summer rain and would i think grow well in one of your glasshouses.

Cheers dave

[Maggi Young]

Does not mind summer rain and would I..... think grow well in one of your glasshouses.

Do you indeed? That sounds very promising

[Paul T]

Dave,

Commelina coelestris!!  A fav of mine as it is a true blue.  Glorious colour!!

I noted yesterday that my Tricyrtis macrantha ssp macranthopsis is flowering as well, but you beat me to posting a pic.  I saw it a couple of years ago where the stems had been staked upwards.... just a vertical progression of flowers and looked fantastic.  I am growing mine on a shelving unit this year, so it is hanging down beautifully and starting to open from the bottom up.  I think the whole thing will be in flower in a week or so and will look stunning I think.  I just love it!! 

[Maggi Young]

Paul: spelling = Commelina coelestis

 C. tuberosa is from the same group isn't it? What's the difference between them?

[Paul T]

Maggi,

I didn't know that!!  Shall file that away in memory.

No idea what the difference is..... the one I have has a crown, rather than anything I'd call actual tubers, although I suppose that the slightly swollen roots could be regarded as tubers?  I don't know tuberosus.

[Maggi Young]

I think that in fact Commelina coelestis and C. tuberosa may be pretty much synonymous... though they may have been described by different authorities........so they probably ARE the same, then!!

[fermi de Sousa]

Despite the heat, many bulbs have decided it is actually autumn and have started to flower!
A few days before this was taken (on March 8th) there was no sign of growth and then out came Cyclamen graecum


This morning it looked like this!


Lycoris elsae is also doing well:




And though this Lycoris radiata has bloomed by itself,


another clump in the rock garden has 5 stems but all still in bud! Along with L. aurea which will flower soon.
For those who like yellow here is my favourite little yellow Sternbergia, S. sicula (ex Crete via RRW) which started on March 6th in the Old Rock Garden.


Another "clump" is now in flower in the Upper Rock Garden through a mat of Pultanea pedunculata, a native pea flower.


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Great stuff Fermi.  My L. radiata are in bloom too at the moment, which makes a nice change as they tend to skip most years.  none in the ground flowered, but a couple of pots have.  No signs of any other species though, despite growing a few of them.  Must put the others into very large pots or put them in the ground I think, as they rarely if ever flower for me in the pots they're in.  Cyclamen are going made here too!!

[Paul T]

Here's some additions to join Fermi's wonderful pics....

A nice strong pink Amaryllis belladonna which despite it's strong colour retains the old "forward facing" flowerhead, unlike the bigger multiflora hybrids.

I just love the variegation on Arundo donax variegata.  Pristine white markings that age to gold.  I've attached a closeup of one of the leaves to show the markings, plus a pic of the plant.  I grow it planted into a water bowl as a bog plant as it likes to stay damp, plus it can be a little vigorous so this limits it somewhat! 

This is one of my clumps of Haemanthus coccineus which is in flower at the moment.  Very noticeable right now!

Another Lycoris radiata to add to Fermi's shot from above.  The most wonderful red colour to it, with those great radiating stamens!!

And lastly, another pic of Nerine masoniorum which is in full flower right now.  The flowers are almost crystalline when you look at them up close, as they sparkle in the sun.

Enjoy!!

[rob krejzl]

Biarum davisii....

[Paul T]

You got the darn thing to flower...... mine never have.  Congratulations!!

[Lesley Cox]

Nor mine!

[rob krejzl]

You got the darn thing to flower....

Neither has the person who gave it to me, which only shows it's dumb luck.