August 2019 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

Yes of course Otto, you are at the very top of my list of priorities for my visit to Olinda. George will be my chauffeur as I'm flying over and won't have a car. He has/will organise a visit with you (I thought he had already!). Thanks for the Fritillaria ID.

[Lesley Cox]

I envy you all being able to meet an d hear Oron Peri next weekend, but happily he will also be in New Zealand, next year as Steve Newall's annual visiting speaker so I should be able to get to at least 2 or three talks.

Jamus please give my love to Otto when you see him. We haven't been in touch lately but I think of him very often and value his friendship. At one stage we talked last year about my going across the ditch in March and we were going to have a joint party for Otto's 80th and my 75th birthdays which are just two days apart, but other things got in the way sadly.

Two hours with a dentist today so feeling a bit sorry for myself this evening and I can't talk properly. I found a small pot of a tiny Galanthus today, just coming out so very late. I'll try and put a photo somewhere when it opens and maybe someone can identify it for me.

Best wishes to all for the Oron Peri meeting.

[Anthony Darby]

Must see when Oron is in New Zealand. He has sent me many seeds. Here is the Cyclamen persicum today, and Gladiolus cardinalis. Galanthus nivalis 'Viridapice', a monarch butterfly that emerged from a pupa in my study, on a narcissus, shortly before it flew away. Caterpillar was rescued from the garden three weeks ago. Nice dandelion from seed sown in May.

[Lesley Cox]

I think Oron will be in NZ in October. Usually the visiting speakers are here in November then some time in the mountains but Steve Newall arranges the itinerary so contact him is best, sandmnewall@xtra.co.nz
 I think. It would be a good excuse for you to come down to the South Island. Rob and Jackie Potterton will be here in Nov this year and for about 6 weeks I think, maybe including NZAGS 60th Anniv.
 
Love your monarch, so pristine. I have hopes we'll see a few in the far south this summer.  We often do following a mild winter.

[fermi de Sousa]

A few more in flower now:
1) Iris 'Cantab'
2) Narcissus 'Jolly Jumbuck' - this was the name I suggested to Lawrence for his hybrid (I had a Proton Jumbuck which was bright yellow  )
3) Narcissus lemon hoop (ex Max McCoy) - this might be a named variety but Max wasn't sure
4) Muscari macrocarpum
5) Bulbinella latifolia ssp doleritica
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

The bulbinella is very nice Fermi. It rather reminds me of a photo someone had on Facebook a few days ago of a  bumble bee which had a large and orange pollen dusted back end. I would have been tempted to stroke it had it been in the flesh, so to speak.

Are you absolutely sure about 'Cantab?' because for two or three years our wholesalers were offering 'Cantab' to the garden centres but they were, in fact, 'Alida' and we've not been able to get 'Cantab' since or, in fact for about 7 or 8 years. Others have gone too. No 'Purple Gem,' 'Violet Beauty' and this year even 'Harmony has vanished, 'Pixie' being supplied as 'Harmony.' It is very frustrating and even makes me angry. Talking to the garden centres about it only gets "you'll have to talk to the wholesalers (the garden centres should be doing that) and if we approach the wholesalers the response is little better than a shrug of their shoulders. One told me "what's it matter anyway, nobody cares what the names are."

I've become not only an old woman, can't deny that, but a GRUMPY old woman too.

[t00lie]

Dave,
your place looks great with or without snow!
cheers
fermi

Thanks Fermi and my apologies as I've been catching up and just seen your post .

Running out of room at ground level so am utilizing the upper space ....

[t00lie]

Dave, I can't believe how early your Scoliopus is. Mine isn't even above the pot surface yet and last year it was in flower for the OAGG show last day of September. Everything of yours is so much earlier.

Hello Lesley .This patch of Scoliopus seems to flower early each year .My others are also still underground.
A few images from today ....

Double Helleborus close ups

[t00lie]

Another Helleborus



Lesley's unnamed Narcissus hybrid .Increases very well so I've managed to shift a couple of bulbs to elsewhere in the garden.

 

Crocus 'Chocolate Soldier' . 13 flowers so far this season as I've been picking them as they go over .....

 

Cheers Dave.

[Leucogenes]

Great use of the available space...Dave. Hopefully your precious plants will not be attacked by marauding birds... they love such elevated areas.

I see a ladder... think of your knees...;-)

Cheers
Thomas

[Lesley Cox]

Much better Crocus CS photos than mine Dave. Very pleased to see yours. I used to do that with my weldenia, count the flowers each evening by removing the going over ones. I gave up or lost count at over 2000 one year. Not bad for a single plant.
 
You do have some lovely double hellebores. This year in particular they seem to have become the "next big thing" with hundreds in the garden centres and the NZ Hellebore site on Facebook overflowing with pics of plants bought or raised by new people who've never heard of them before. I'd say a poor man's trillium except that a lot are far from inexpensive. Telford near Clinton must be creaming it!

Very hard frost here this morning. Only 2 very light in June, nothing in July and suddenly winter kicks in at late August just as spring is supposed to be coming along. Saxifragas out and so many bulbs.

[Maggi Young]

Great to see  Oron Peri meeting up with Otto Fauser  in his  garden, at the  start  of his  Australian trip .......



 Oron wrote : "Had a wonderful and exciting morning today with legendary Otto Fauser and the treasures he holds in his garden. Could'nt ask for a better start to my visit in Australia!"

[fermi de Sousa]

What a marvelous pic, Maggi,
thanks so much for re-posting it for us not on Twitter or FB or wherever Oron had posted it!
As you can see Oron has traded the dreadful heat of summer in the Northern Hemisphere for the dreadful cold of winter in the Dandenongs!
However we are halfway to spring and there are lots of things in flower:
1) Romulea sabulosa
2 & 3) Lapeirousia oreogena
4) Romulea hartungii (syn R. grandscapa)
5) Asarum magnificum
cheers
fermi

[Yann]

So amazing to see this spring flowers while all is baked here!

[fermi de Sousa]

So amazing to see this spring flowers while all is baked here!

I'm sure you'll re-pay the effort  when we go into summer dormancy, Yann! 
Here's a few more:
1) Oxalis obtusa
2) Anemone heldreichii
3) Moraea macronyx
4) Tecophilea cyanocrocus (can't claim any credit for this - I got it from Jon B quite recently!)
5) Babiana pygmaea
cheers
fermi