October 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

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I divide my aphyllanthes approx three yearly and after flowering. It doesn't grow so fast with me that it needs more and though I love it, very few people seem to know it so there's no great demand. I've found that it's best not to make the divisions too small; make sure they have a decent cluster of roots on each piece. They take a little time to re-establish too.

Thanks, Lesley,
I wouldn't want to lose it as I've only ever managed to germinate it once and only have a single plant.
Here is Babiana spathacea in a white and a cream forms in the garden. It has now seeded itself into the path and can't be dug out because of the depth and the path material!
cheers
fermi

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This weekend FCHS held its "Floral Festival" and there was a great display of flowers in the Hall - as someone commented, there's nothing subtle about it!
Starting with the Rock garden section:
1 & 2) Jon (AKA Mini-Bulb Lover as this Forum) got a Blue Ribbon for this small trough planted with a single Dianthus (probably a hybrid);
3) Cynthia got a First for this Stylidium ( I think it's S. bulbiferum);
4 & 5) Helen is a new member who was entering the Show for the first time and her Disporum sessile Kinga was considered for the Blue Ribbon.
Don't worry, Maggi, I didn't forget to take some Rhodie pics
cheers
fermi

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More from FCHS:
Mary-anne's Geum rivale 'Jessie'
Mary-Anne and Pam's prize winning mixed posies
Cynthia and Helene's Pallenis maritima
Cynthia's Dianthus gratianopolitanus
Norm and Jill's Blue-Ribbon pink Lily of the Valley
cheers
fermi

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More from the Rock Garden Section:
Foliage for the Rock Garden and Woodland
Mary-Anne's Origanum dictamnus
A Lachenalia hybrid raised by Ruth Tindale and exhibited by...? maybe Rex,
Otto's Saxifraga cochlearis 'Minor'
cheers
fermi

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Some of the Rhododendrons;
The Full Bench;
Maisie's Blue Ribbon Winners
More of the "Mollis Azaleas"
Some more, including species;
Some Vireya Rhodendrons
cheers
fermi

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More Vireyas at the FCHS Show;
Rh suavolens;
Rh wrightianum ssp cyclopense;
Rh 'Popcorn' won the Blue Ribbon for the Beggs;
Rh quadraisin var rosmarinifolium,
cheers
fermi

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More Vireya Rhodendrons;
more small hybrids
Some larger hybrids
Rh Joan McLelland
More larger hybrids,
cheers
fermi

[ashley]

Very nice to see Fermi
Can vireyas be grown there in a shade-house or do they need more winter protection?

[Maggi Young]

A wonderful show as always!  And those vireyas!!  Well, scrumptious!   

[David Nicholson]

Well filled benches and some quality plants.

[Lesley Cox]

The Vireyas are certainly beautiful. I don't have any myself but a couple of people in Dunedin are growing them well in what amount to microclimates. Provided they are frost free they grow well outside and I remember that Gavin Clark when he and Daphne lived on the peninsula had many species growing even to tall bushes so that being among them was a bit like being in Sinapore or somewhere similar. They were underplanted with pleiones and these were also tucked into branch joints.

[angie]

Lovely show. Nice to see helps brighten up our cold day here.

Fermi love those Babiana spathacea 

Angie 

[fermi de Sousa]

Very nice to see Fermi
Can vireyas be grown there in a shade-house or do they need more winter protection?

Hi Ashley,
Vireyas are grown in the Dandenongs (too hot and dry here for them!!) and as Lesley said as long as they are frost free they can be grown outdoors.
This past winter we had some very low temperatures and places where they had been okay before had them badly damaged.
Thanks, Maggi, David and Angie - I have more pics to add when I get time! I took a lot of pics of Rhodies!
cheers
fermi

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Continuing with pics from the FCHS Show:
More vireyas!
A rare lepidum - see if you can read the name!
Some small flowered hybrids;
Rh 'Satan's Gift'
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

There were other rhododendrons there as well.
Some of the large rhodies;
Rh basiculum and Rh nuttallii were particularly impressive!
cheers
fermi