January 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

Yesterday's project. Still room for a few more bulbs! Now I can't wait for winter.

[Jupiter]

I have an announcement.. I have a gentian flower!!     It's Gentiana verna of course, not acaulis like I told you on the phone Otto... acaulis is one that I killed previously.

[Maggi Young]

There's nothing as striking as a gentian blue! 

[fermi de Sousa]

There's nothing as striking as a gentian blue!

And so much less clinical then "gentian violet"
Great achievement, Jamus,
how will you protect it from today's heat?
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Thanks Fermi, well I have made up these small arches of stiff wire mesh with light coloured shade-cloth on them. Like mini igloos. The gentian is only exposed to the sun for a few hours in the middle of the day. It has morning and afternoon protection from trees... It survived up to now so fingers crossed one more day won't be the death of it (and the others).

[Jupiter]

Some tropical plants loving the hot humid conditions were having.

Curcuma longa (Turmeric), two cultivars
Kaempferia rotunda
Amorphophallus konjac

[Parsla]

So you DID have a gentian Jamus. Beautiful blue
I love the ginger family. Very forgiving, even if one crisps them in the sun.
As one does 

And fermi thanks for noticing the geranium. Its quite beautiful but, sadly, the flowers shy away from view.

Just a few photos.

1. The first is of my treasured oak - the whole gardening effort started by trying to bring it back from the brink of death after 'discovering' the tree amongst the overgrown block. A 10-year drought and varmint possums had left the top dead and a doughnut shaped canopy. About 7 years on a very healthy tree, albeit with a naturally contorted spreading form - marked tendency to grow downward an into the ground. A mutation i should think. The seedlings don't do it. About 20 hours of pruning and dead-wooding all up over the last two weekends. Glad its over.

2. the lopsided florets of viburnum 'summer snowflake'

3. agapanthus 'queen mum' is a giant variety with unusual colouration close up

4. a white thalictrum

5. the new bronze foliage is still coming on emmenopterys henry - i thought i'd have trouble with it but in its 3rd season it has taken off like a rocket.

[Jupiter]

Jacqui, your oak tree is beautiful. I have a special love for oaks, there have been a couple of significant ones in my life too (sounds like reminiscing about past lovers doesn't it!?). My Grandfather had an amazing old oak which he planted in his garden. I remember climbing it and especially that some of the branches fused with other branches making it like a living ladder. Does yours suffer from powdery mildew?

Horrible 40°C day here yesterday but much cooler today thankfully.

I'm enjoying the foliage of this Acanthus sennii, from David Glenn. It still needs a spot in the garden.. I walked around last night with the pot in my hand and then put it back in the nursery. Indecisive.

[Parsla]

Hi Jamus,

I recognise the pot in hand thing very well. Can take a few wanders... It looks to have nice strong interesting foliage.

Oaks are beautiful, easy to love, and come with their own woodland 
Yes, it has at least one large fusion I was admiring on the weekend.

Lot of powdery mildew this year with all the rain. Last couple not so much. I keep lifting the canopy to let light and air through and this time introduced a little transparency for dappled, rather than deep, shade (so bulbs will do well).

Jacqui.

[Parsla]

Hi Jamus,

just for you.... an oak branch fusion snapped this morning...

 

[Parsla]

just a few more...

1. i planted the Huonville crab for its purple toned foliage, but the fruit are the most wonderful claret
2. Dianthus carthusianorum
3. Coreopsis moonbeam - slightly washed out in the dusk.

[Lesley Cox]

I have an announcement.. I have a gentian flower!!     It's Gentiana verna of course, not acaulis like I told you on the phone Otto... acaulis is one that I killed previously.

An odd time to have a flower on Gentiana verna Jamus. But I guess you are happy to have it regardless of the timing.

Do you need seed of Gent. acaulis? I have masses at present and could easily send some.

[Parsla]

Lovely cool day here.
Thought I would post a few garden pictures before things get overheated again tomorrow

1. Another Thalictrum delavayi - this time pink and weaving through lemon verbena
2. Nepeta govaniana is a primrose-coloured catmint
3. The tiny flowerbuds of Aralia racemosa
4. A clump of Lysimachia clethroides I cull every year - an overly good doer in the summer garden
5. The seeded of an ornamental shade grass, Phaenosperma globosa

[Maggi Young]

" Nepeta govaniana is a primrose-coloured catmint"  - such is my ignorance on such plants that I had no idea  that a yellow one like this existed. It's rather pretty.

[Parsla]

Hi Maggi,

You know more about plants than I shall ever know - but yes, the primrose nepeta isn't widely used for whatever reason. I suspect because it's way less hardy than the others - in terms of preferring dappled shade and a little moisture - or do it seems.

I wish I had more alpines and bulbs to show but mid way through an atypical Summer and mostly foliage. Erratic rainstorms and the powdery mildew that comes with them. A garden full of orb spiders growing bigger by the day such that in the morning if I don't  take precautions I walk through very strong webs all over the place. Ugghhh.

Saw a magpie demolishing one this morning - lots of shaking its beak and rubbing it in the dirt. Quite interesting to watch it's intelligent  work.

Even the Hydrangeas are nearly finished, albeit some serratifolia and paniculata are showing.

I'm completely envious of all the galanthus sales and fuss in your hemisphere. They are how I first met Marcus, enquiring about his list, but so few available here, relatively speaking  and I have at most a dozen types -  through the generosity of Otto and Marcus.

Jacqui.