May 2019 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Steve Garvie]

Helonias bullata -a native of the Eastern USA known as the Swamp Pink.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Steve, someone has sent me a photo. of an orchid at the S,albufera reserve on Mallorca and asked what it is. I know nothing about foreign orchids and wondered if you had any suggestions. Mine are Orchis militaris, O, lodera and O. olbiensis.

[Steve Garvie]

Hi Ian, could it possibly be Anacamptis (Orchis) coriophora?

It’s been many years since I’ve been to S’Albufera de Mallorca. I was far more interested in the birds than the orchids.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Steve, I have a copy of Delforge but the photo. is not that great. I have never been abroad and am not conversant with species we do not have over here. Your orchid photos. are much better than mine.

[Steve Garvie]

You need to travel Ian, you don’t know what your missing. 

Mallorca is a good start. Apart from the orchids, there are some nice walks, great scenery, a good range of butterflies/dragonflies and there are superb birding opportunities: Booted Eagle, Black Vulture, Eleonora’s Falcon, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Crested Coot, Purple Swamphen, various egrets/herons ......the list goes on.

[Maggi Young]

Hello Steve, someone has sent me a photo. of an orchid at the S,albufera reserve on Mallorca and asked what it is. I know nothing about foreign orchids and wondered if you had any suggestions. Mine are Orchis militaris, O, lodera and O. olbiensis.

It  may be  of  interest to Ian and  others to  know that  Gerrit Eijkelenboom writes about  all sorts  of  plants, including  orchids, in these  International Rock Gardener issues ....

Crete http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jul261374832351IRG43July.pdf

and  http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Jul301438283975IRG-67.pdf

Gran Canaria    http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Feb211550781214IRG110.pdf

Rhodes http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017May251495746846IRG89May2017.pdf


Spain http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Sep291475167835IRG_81.pdf

Sicily http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Dec291483029322IRG-84.pdf
and  http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018May241527184409IRG_101_May_2018.pdf

Sardinia  http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jul261532613984IRG103-July2018.pdf


South America, reports  from both Gerrit  and  Trond  Hoy ...  http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug241408891542IRG51March.pdf

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Steve and Maggi. As for travelling, I have not discovered everything on the local site yet. Will keep looking though. I,m going to check some epiphytic plants I found in winter but think they may be no more than tree shoots on aspen.

[shelagh]

Flowering now in pots and in the garden.
1. Aquilegia and variegated Solomons  Seal.
2. Cremnosedum Little Gem.
3. Erigeron scopulinus bought recently after seeing Bob Worsley's superb specimen.
4.Erigeron venustus, seed from Gothenburg Botanic.
5.Erodium.

[shelagh]

Continuing with6. Hypericum no name which is a pity as it is a wonderful flowerer and completely prostrate, perhaps someone can help give it a name.
7, Oxalis eneaphylla
8.The painted fern in a shady part of the garden.
9. My favourite Rhodo 'Peeping Tom'
10. Rosenia humilis.

[shelagh]

Finally for the moment.
11. The silver Sax border is coming into flower.
12. My tree Peony 'High Noon'.
13. A group of Tulip battalanii Bright Gem.
14. A not very good picture of our variegated Holly which is bursting with flower, trouble is they are so small you often miss them

[shelagh]

Just found two more.
Firstly I bought this pot of Anemone coronaria from the local garden centre, a lot of the pots were showing colour wonderful red and purple. I chose a pot that was just coming through hoping for red or purple. I got white, very disappointed then today when I went to take a picture there was a purple bud too. It must had heard me muttering.
Secondly a lovely Trollius europaeus called Lemon Supreme it's only 8 inches tall.

[Maggi Young]

Were you  hoping  for  something  more like  this, Shelagh?


AMETHYST, SPINEL, COLOURED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND 'ANEMONES' EARRINGS by MICHELE DELLA VALLE , circa 2007   sold  by Christies!!

[shelagh]

Well Maggi Brian says if they are not more than 12/6d he'll buy me a pair

[Maggi Young]

In that case you'd  better  stick with the  plants!  Works  for  me!

[Will Itsell]

Shelagh, your unnamed Hypericum looks like H. cerastioides. It comes easily from seed.