March 2018 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

It's officially autumn here and we have a few bulbs which can be considered as autumn flowerers:
1) Brunsvigia marginata;
2) Lycoris aff radiata;
3) Zephyranthes candida
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Nice bulbs Fermi. Lots of colour.

Here is Cyclamen cilicium, usually the first autumn species for me though hederifolium is poking through now that we've had some decent rain. Nerines are just starting too but only in bud so far. I'm a bit peeved though that two 100mm pots of Cyc. cilicium seed sown from last year's flowering and literally sown on the day I harvested it, so could hardly be fresher, still shows no sign of germination.

[Mini bulb lover]

Good news here regarding seed imports into Australia. From 3 March 2018 we can import seed (on the allowed list) from organisations, not just commercial entities. The last SRGC seed exchange complies with the new regulation (include the botanical name(s), dated, signed and on letterhead). Sellers sending seed to Australia need to include their company name on the letter. It needs to show that it's a paid order, not just one individual sending seed to another.

Details: https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/ViewElement/Element/Alert?elementPk=823443

[Maggi Young]

Great news, Jon!

[fermi de Sousa]

We have a number of colchicums flowering now:
!-3) Colchicum grown from seed as C. bivonae, including a very pale pink(3);
4) Colchicum "Atropurpureum" - possibly a form of C. cilicium;
5) Colchicum byzantium - a bit "moth eaten" (but I suspect slugs!)
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Some more autumn blooms:
1) Lycoris radiata
2) Lycoris x elsae
3) Cyclamen hederifolium
4) Rhodophiala bifida
5) Sternbergia lutea
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

...Colchicum byzantium - a bit "moth eaten" (but I suspect slugs!)

1) Colchicum byzantium looking a lot better after a few days!
2) Cyclamen mirabile ex Tilebarn Nicholas - not a patch on Viv's as shown on the Vic Group's Blog http://agsvicgroup.blogspot.com.au/
3) Sternbergia sicula originally from seed from Rannweig Wallis in 1998 - first flowers in 2003
4) Zauschneria cana (syn Epilobium canum) ex"Solidarity Pink" NARGS Seedex 2016
5) more Rhodophiala bifida seedlings are in bloom
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Crocus speciosus

[Lesley Cox]

I've not abandoned the Forum, but recently have had no access to the laptop which takes me there. I've had my cell phone but with less than perfect eyesight now, the screen and text are too small to bother with though I've still tried to keep in touch with friends on Facebook by way of my phone.

The fact is, on March 13th, 2 days after my 75th birthday, I was taking a small parcel to the courier I use and lost my balance on a concrete step going up to the office and fell heavily onto my right shoulder.  As I look at it now, had I fallen onto my head I would likely have died because the fall totally destroyed my shoulder, splitting the ball part of the joint from top to bottom (my surgeon said it looked as if someone had split it with an axe) and splintering the socket part into many small pieces. To add further insult to the injuries, the whole thing was dislocated.

To cut a long story short, I was carted off to Dunedin Public Hospital by ambulance and on March 18th had a new shoulder put in, of stainless steel, the other beyond repair.The 5 day delay was to ensure my surgeon would be a very good specialist in such injuries but he had to get back from a holiday overseas. So I waited, quite heavily drugged in the meantime. So far, from how the recovery is going I think the wait was worth it to have the specialist, a very nice man recently in NZ from the Rep. of Ireland. I have a reverse replacement which means that the socket part is now the ball and vice verse.

I'm home now with some home help but the right arm is in a heavy sling and I'm not to use it for 6 weeks though I can wiggle my fingers and even write a little. I can't drive of course so am very much at the mercy of others.

So there we are. Not much more to say really. Trying to stay positive but sometimes it's a bit difficult.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Lesley

I read about your accident and I'm glad you made it through this complicated operation. I (and probably all of us here) wish you the best of recovery.

Best regards
Thomas

[fermi de Sousa]

Glad that you are home, Lesley.
I'm sure you'll be fine with all your gardening (watering, sowing seeds, transplanting) as I'm sure I heard you say that you ran your nursery single handed!
 
Get well soon,
cheers
fermi

[ashley]

All the very best Lesley.

[johnw]

Lesley

So sorry to hear of your very nasty fall and the resultant damage.  Our very best wishes from Nova Scotia for a hasty recovery.

Best

john & ken

[kris]

Sorry to hear that Lesley. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Kris

[Maggi Young]

Good to know you are on the mend, Lesley - we were worried!
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=16157.msg389751#msg389751