September 2024 in the Southern Hemisphere

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Officially Spring here but accompanied by ferocious weather in south-eastern Australia, from gale force winds in Victoria, floods in Tasmania and High Fire danger in New South Wales!
Here are a few flowers around the garden:
1) Geissorhiza inequalis
2) Dwarf Bearded Iris - Iris aphylla grown from AGS Sdx 2009
3) Gladiolus gracilis
4) I think this is Dipterostemon capitatus but I stand to be corrected!
5) Moraea macronyx
cheers
fermi

[MarcR]

fermi,

The Geissorhiza and the Moraea really look good!

[Robert]

Hi Fermi

Yes, the photograph looks like Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus. There are two other subspecies here in California, ssp. lacuna-vernalis and ssp. pauciflora. Your plant does not appear to fit the description of ssp. lacuna-vernalis or ssp. pauciflora.

Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus, as might be expected, has a fair degree of genetic variability with qualities that are useful in ornamental horticulture. There are white flowering forms, as well as variability in the number of flowers per scape and their shade of bluish-purple. The bracts are generally deep blue-purple, but this too can be variable. In addition, there is variability in the ploidy level, which can lead to larger scapes, flowers, and bulbs. Good forms are very useful garden plants, especially in xeric Mediterranean type landscape situations.

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Thank you, Marc and Robert.
Here are a few more:
1) Hesperantha latifolia in trough
2) Pauridia gracilipes ssp speciosa
3) Gladiolus watermeyeri - great scent of violets
4) Same gladdie 2 days later
5) Romulea flava
cheers
fermi

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A few more from our garden:
1) Bellevalia ciliata
2) Hesperantha bachmannii
3) Asarum magnificum
4) Babiana cedarbergensis
5) Anemone pavonina
cheers
fermi

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A Visit to Tonkins Bulbs in the Dandenongs
Last weekend we visited a friend's nursery which specialises in rare and unusual bulbs.
Here are some pics of the plants in the "Stock beds"
1) An Australian native ground orchid, Pterostylis pedunculata
2) Serapias lingua
3) Serapias neglecta (though this might be a hybrid)
4 & 5) Fritillaria imperialis
...more to come
cheers
fermi

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More from Tonkins Bulbs:
1) Pleione Raw Silk
2) white Pleione
3) a few more pleiones
cheers
fermi

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Some more:
1) Gladiolus splendens
2) Trillium pusillum
3) Corydalis solida
4) Fritillaria meleagris
5) Fritillaria persica
cheers
fermi

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A couple of Caladenia orchids at Tonkins Bulbs
cheers
fermi

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Still at Tonkins!
1) Dwarf Bearded iris, featuring 'Tarheel Elf'
2) DBI 'Knick Knack'
3) Scilla/Chionodoxa
4) Species tulips
5) Paeonias
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Such treasures "chez Tonkins"!!  What a great place to visit!

[MarcR]

Fermi,


Very nice display!  What impresses me most is how well grown they are.

Between turkeys and deer, many of my plants look chewed

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Thanks, Marc and Maggi, it's an amazing place!

A few of weeks ago The Ferny Creek Horticultural Society (FCHS) held its Spring Show.
1 & 2) I found a beautiful clump of Iris tuberosa in the gardens.
3) The inaugural Otto Fauser Award was made to the grower of a beautiful pot of Primula 'Hall Barn Blue'
4 & 5) The Certificate which will be awarded by the AGS Vic group once a year at either the FCHS Spring Show or the Floral Festival in October
cheers
fermi

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More from the FCHS Spring Show:
The Rock Garden Section was well supported,
cheers
fermi

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More in the Rock Garden Section, including the Blue Ribbon which went to a rare Fritiallaria
cheers
fermi