Flowers and foliage March 2008

[Lvandelft]

Lovely hybrids Michael!
Primula Campbell's Tear looks very good indeed, as well Hybr. no. 1 and no. 6 .
(Well, that's my choice)
Show us more.

[Katherine J]

Lovely indeed. I love especially those which have less contrasted colors.

[art600]

Michael

Your Primula hybrids are wonderful - I have yet to grow these as I believe they nedd tender loving care, though possibly less than dionysias.

I am not sure that your Cyclamen creticum is correct - a lovely plant, but the flower looks to be the wrong shape.  Could be a hybrid.  What is the origin of the plant?

[Viola]

Pulsatilla grandis and
Pulsatilla pratensis ssp.nigricans from Dürnstein- Wachau- Austria

[Gerdk]

Moody pictures of the beginning of spring in a magnificent landscape.
Thank you !

Gerd

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Very nice series Michael !
I love all of them !
Frit. argolica is very nice too ! 

[Maggi Young]

I was just enjoying Michael's lovely hybrid primulas... what a good range and so pretty.....a delightful treat.......and then more treats:  I come  upon Kurt's pulsatilla photos.... my word! I'm in heaven, I adore these flowers and it is so exciting to see them growing naturally.
Pulsatillas are just so photogenic 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Absolutely wonderful Pulsatilla's Karl (Viola) - truly beautiful 

[Lvandelft]

Thank you for sharing these Pulsatilla's in Nature with us Karl.
We would never have the possibility to see this with our own eyes.

[David Nicholson]

Pulsatilla grandis and
Pulsatilla pratensis ssp.nigricans from Dürnstein- Wachau- Austria

Lovely pictures Karl, thanks for posting them.

[gote]

Scilla amoena is a problematic species.
It is described in Species plantarum as having UPRIGHT flowers.
Old floras describe it as fairly common or as garden escape but in the last fifty years or so it fades away.
I have the impression that most of the plants reported as amoenas are chinodoxas which have upright flowers and have some resemblance to Scillas.
The old Swedish school flora will key out a chinodoxa as Scilla amoena
Somewher I saw it described as a "garden hybrid"
A friend of mine made a dedicated search for it some twenty years ago. He doubted that it existed. He eventually found some at the botanical garden of Uppsala.
It is all very unsatisfactory.
We have two good monographs over Galanthus but no over scillas and other small useful and beautiful. bulbs. - Or is there one???
I grow it too  (I think  ) It is hardy but it is the most difficult Scilla I grow.
Göte.

[olegKon]

I received Scilla amoena from Norman Stevens (Cambridge Bulbs) in 2004 and has never had difficulties in growing and flowering it in the open garden ever since. It doesn't look Chionodoxa. We may have different plants. I believe spring in central Russia and Sweden cames the same time, so we'll have a chance to compare.

[Michael J Campbell]

'Campbell's Tear' is a fine plant Michael but why were you tearful? Looks like one for great joy, to me.

Lesley, my son named that plant a few years back, so to keep the peace I left it. None of these  plants are in circulation so I don't suppose it matters much about names. Actually that is the only one with a name ,the others are all  just numbers.

[Michael J Campbell]

I am not sure that your Cyclamen creticum is correct - a lovely plant, but the flower looks to be the wrong shape.  Could be a hybrid.  What is the origin of the plant?

Arthur, it Probably is a hybrid as that particular group of plants are very promiscuous,and it is difficult to get the true plant.
That one was grown from my own seed so could have crossed with anything in the group. It is a very good one whatever it is and flowers like this every year. I have some seedlings from it so will be watching to see if  they come true . Meiklei has darker foliage and flowers about a week later, while this one is closer to the Repandum group.

[Michael J Campbell]

Lovely indeed. I love especially those which have less contrasted colors.

Katherine, here is with little or no contrast,