October 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

Jamus, I think your fritillaria above, is a form of F. meleagris. I have one similar, rather foreshortened and almost pink with very pale chequering. There's actually a lot of variation in meleagris. A friend has this same shape, the colouring delicate pink and very soft green, quite exquisite.

[fermi de Sousa]

A few late daffs (hardly worth starting a Southern Hemisphere Daff page for October!)
1 & 2) a very late Narcissus bulbocodium which came up in another pot!
3 & 4) La Belle
5) unlabelled late short cup
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Fermi, your 'La Belle' looks like what we have as 'Beryl.' Is it likely they are the same? Most of mine are over now though the white triandrus still goes on - and on.

Irises are taking over now as the main performers. I have out good clumps of lactea, ruthenica, verna, the first setosas, evansias and many PC forms. Nice time of year though still quite chilly here except for the occasional scorching day, always followed by more cold wind.

[Lesley Cox]

The little bearded forms are doing well too and after three years are now in big clumps so I'll have to divide them all. It will be a big job and I can hardly walk on some days, my knees are so painful now.

[fermi de Sousa]

Fermi, your 'La Belle' looks like what we have as 'Beryl.' Is it likely they are the same?

Hi Lesley,
La Belle is a very late hybrid between a jonquil and a N. poeticus; Beryl is an early Div 6, from an old N. poeticus hybrid and N. cyclamineus. Both were raised early in the 20th century. I think my pic made it look like the petals reflexed like Beryl's but they don't really.
By the way, that Asperula orientalis has flowered and it is true to name!
Apparently it's an annual and known as "Blue Woodruff"
cheers
fermi
 

[fermi de Sousa]

A few other flowers open today:
1 & 2) Ixia scillaris
3 & 4) Aphyllanthes monspeliensis (when's the best time to divide this?)
5) Dichelostemma sp (? D. congestum?)
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Fermi, re the narcissus and the asperula.

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.

[vanozzi]

This very choice Pacific Coast iris seedling opened yesterday.To my eye, it is perhaps the most attractive that I've bloomed, and on a very small plant.

[GordonT]

Stunning, Paul! Wish I had something that exceptional growing among my seedlings!

[vanozzi]

Thank you Gordon

[fermi de Sousa]

A very attractive flower, Paul!
What is its breeding? Did you do the cross yourself?
Worth keeping the seed from that one!
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful little Iris Paul.

[Maggi Young]

This very choice Pacific Coast iris seedling opened yesterday.To my eye, it is perhaps the most attractive that I've bloomed, andon a very small plant.

What a VERY  showy  flower - a real show -stopper!

[Lesley Cox]

Looks as if Joe Ghio in the USA quite likely had a hand in the breeding of this one's parents. He has bred stunning blue PCs.

[vanozzi]

Found the planting plan that now confirms the faded tag.The seed came from the 2013 seed exchange of the SPCI and is seed lot 620.13. Seed donated by Joe Ghio, pod parent ''Line Drawing.'' All plants from this cross are very small plants, completely swamped in the row, must dig them out in autumn.It is indeed a beautiful bloom.

620.13
L
Line
Drawing
(Joseph
Ghio,
R.
2009).
Seedling
IP-159S2.
CA,
14”
(36
cm), Mid bloom season. Standards white ground lined dark blue; style
arms
deep
blue;
falls
white
ground,
dark
blue
lines
overall,
intense
blue
stitched edge, green-gold dotted signal