March 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

Don't undersell yourself Rob. Otto in Olinda flowers his well. He may be lucky (I think he's very skillful) but he ain't dumb.

[hadacekf]

Rob,
You have a marvelous Biarum, but it is not B. davisii.
This is B. davisii.

[rob krejzl]

Franz,

Your picture is much closer to the one Otto showed before. I'm sure you're right. I'm not surprised - this is a pass-along plant which has refused to flower for a long time. Can you suggest a possible ID, since I'm sure my donor and I will both want to change our labels.

[Maggi Young]

Rob, I'm not certain, but a friend grows Biarum davisii marmaris or marmarisense .....I think this may be your plant. It is a bit more cylindrical than davisii, which is more chubby, as I understand it. Chum  got it from Rannveig Wallis, I think, but as she doesn't have a website, we can't go check her list to see if there are pix 

[Lesley Cox]

This is Otto's, taken last April.

[rob krejzl]

Thank you Maggi.

[Paul T]

Rob,

Was Rob your donor?  Just asking as if so I need to change my labels as well, plus from memory he donated tubers to the ABA at one point.  I'd noted that your pic was of a much more elongated flower than I'd seen in the pictures, but just figured it was cultural differences.

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

Yes.

[Paul T]

When you look at Otto's, I am thinking that his is probably the same form as Rob's.  His doesn't have that chunky look either I think, although it is a bit squatter than Rob's.  They're all nice, but not as "cute" as the pics of davisii I have seen (and the one that Franz posted).

[hadacekf]

Rob.
Sorry I was wrong. I think it is Biarum davisii ssp. marmarisense
Thank you Maggi.

[rob krejzl]

Franz,

Thanks for confirming the ID.

[Maggi Young]

Nice coincidence.... on the AGS website, here: http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/servlet/htmlservlet/shows/results/shows2008/shows/kent/images/Ray_Drew/sizedIMG_1110.JPG.html there is a photo by Ray Drew of a painting by Rannveig Wallis of the Biarum!!  Small world, isn't it!

[fermi de Sousa]

Just in case you'd forgotten here's my favourite Sternbergia, S. sicula, yet again:


I can't remember if I'd already posted a pic of this campanula I got from the AGS Seedex 2007 as C. cashmeriana, which I'm hoping is true to name.




The latest of the Lycoris to flower is L. aurea,


The weather is cooling off again, so hopefully this time Autumn is really going to start!
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

It looks right Fermi. Here's mine.


I planted it originally in a trough and I think it's in just about every trough now and in the paths and in many other spots as well. This one is in a pot of Tulipa tarda. I never collect seed from it but obviously there is plenty and it gets about. It's never a problem though and is pretty wherever it grows.


This is a good pure white Cyclamen hederifolium. It flowers before the leaves come through. Like 2000 other things, it's in a pot awaiting planting out.


I've left it too late for pics of the blue gentians. With the heat we've had in recent weeks they're past their best now. This white is very good, just a greeny/gold on the outer buds with no trace of the muddy purple shades that some whites have. Rhododendron hanceanum nanum to the right has a few autumn flowers.


A small section of bulb pots all of which were to repot but it didn't happen. I've simply not had the time. So I've been weeding them in the last few days and will give a small dose of potassium sulphate, water that in then leave them to it, for winter. Most are frits but a lot of crocuses, narcissus, tulips, oxalis, erythroniums, galanthus etc etc. About 1000 in all. The autumn crocuses are already coming through as are some of the oxalis.

You mention autumn Fermi. There's a hint of it here in the early morning with a subtly different "feel" to the air and the first autumn colour is showing, very late compared to recent years. The bellbirds' song has a different sound too. But we had 34C here on Tuesday. It was still 32 at 10pm and impossible to sleep through that night. Back to 24 today so there's still plenty of heat. And no rain.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

That looks like a very good Campanula Lesley !