July (winter) in the Southern hemisphere, 2008

[rob krejzl]

why not just a few bulbs in the post? (the hollowed out book to avoid the Australian guardians of plant purity!)

Wasn't that trilliums to NZ?

[Paul T]

Paddy,

They X-ray (or equivalent) packages coming into Australia, so they'd likely find it even if you did do it that way.  Despite us moaning about our quarantine, it really is there for a good purpose.  We don't have a number of pests and diseases here that are overseas, so it really is worth it.  While it is a pain (and expensive) to bring them in through quarantine bulbs CAN be brought in.... just much easier to bring in seed instead.  I don't think that pollen/stamens could come in legally as they would be regarded as green material I think?  Not something I've thought about before.

No, I'm not trying to hassle you about your comment, just explaining why it actually IS necessary for us to stick to it.  it really is important.  It doesn't stop me from legally bringing in seed all the time, and certainly won't in the future.    Just means I have to wait a bit longer for flowers, and can't actually bring named cultivars in. 

And as to the bulbs in books...... I think Rob was right and there were Trilliums sent to various places in NZ at one stage, and we have a couple of shows here in Aus on border security as well which have showed the same techniques used for everything from drugs to illegal "natural" chinese medicines, plant material, guns, etc.  Having seen on those shows just how obvious that type of concealment is on their scanners you need to come up with something a bit more devious if you're going to try it!!    Yes quarantine, if you're out there watching I AM joking!!

[rob krejzl]

They X-ray (or equivalent) packages coming into Australia, so they'd likely find it even if you did do it that way.

Hasn't stopped people from trying of course. There was a case some years ago of a Tasmanian nurseryman who should have known better, but still tried to bring things back on their person after a trip to South America; very embarassing when they were caught. The thing I particularly remember from the Trillium/NZ case was that the packages were accompanied by a note which said "as promised" - which must have made it very difficult for the recipient. If anyone ever decides to send me some contraband through the mail I hope that they'd make sure the authorities know it is an unsolicited gift .

I have sent pollen to someone overseas without any trouble in the past.

[Lesley Cox]

why not just a few bulbs in the post? (the hollowed out book to avoid the Australian guardians of plant purity!)

Wasn't that trilliums to NZ?

It was indeed Rob with both NZers and Americans on Customs' hit list as a result. Utterly stupid to try to smuggle in so obvious a way, let alone the ethics of smuggling in the first place.

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley and Paul,

Just joking!!!!!

I am well aware of your import restrictions on plant material and wouldn't dream of any attempt of trying to get round them. As you say, they are there for very good reasons and I respect these - anyway, it stops you having all the good plants of the planet. You have enough of the highly desirable ones by nature that there would be no living with you if you had all the rest as well. Must leave you with something to want from life otherwise life in the southern hemisphere would be just too perfect for us in the north to bear looking at.

And, Lesley, you have cake shops as well! Not sure that you deserve all these riches.



Paddy

[Paul T]

Paddy,

If it was perfect here it wouldn't be quite so warm in winter.  Makes growing the alpines somewhat difficult at my place.  I should move to Tasmania though if I really want to do that I guess.  More rain down there too (which is the biggest single problem for me with gardening at the moment...... getting drier and drier!) 

[Paul T]

Hi everyone,

A couple more double Helleborus in flower at the moment, including a lovely form on a pale pink and a new spotted pink that I purchased recently.  Beautiful!!

The Lupin is a species I can never recall the name of.  Beautiful true blue flowers, although they come out a bit purply in the pic.  Fuzzy silvered foliage as well.  I had 2 seedlings come up but the darn blackbirds dug one of them out and it never recovered.  I hope it sets seed this year and some more come back next year. 

Narcissus bulbocodium 'Galligaskins' I have posted down in the crocus garden thread as well, but thought I should put it in here as well.  Yes I know there are a couple of dying flowers on it, but I just wanted to show how floriferous it is.  Was one or two bulbs a year ago when given to me, and there are now 28 flowers or buds, and more still emerging I would hazard.  Very impressive!!

Prunus mume pendula is still in flower for me.  Lovely colour and perfume and I just love it.  Not long now before it gets massacred back to a small ball at the top to start it's regrowing for the year.  Seems drastic but it does make a much better display each year, and it doesn't get too wide and hit the neighbours driveway that way.

9am 26/07/08 - changed 'Galligaskins' to bulbocodium from romieuxii after I must have had brain freeze while typing.  Got it right in the crocus garden thread though.  Must have been thinking about 'Julia Jane' at the time and got the wrong species type. 

[Lesley Cox]

An Australian friend who was very recently in England and Scotland, was utterly blown away and astounded by the new plants and superior forms of plants that you in the north have, and that we will never see. I believe one eventually attains an age when "wanting" stops but I'm afraid I haven't reach it yet.

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, I think your lupin is L. texensis, an annual unfortunately, with quite glorious colour and downy foliage. I had it for a few years but it was always a struggle to get a couple of seeds in order to have it the next year. It gave up after a while.

[Paul T]

Thanks Lesley.  That sounds like it.  Yes, annual only, and sets few seeds.  That was why I was so pleased that I had 2 plants coming along this year, until the blackbirds dug one out. 

[kaydale]

Definitely move to Tassie Paul, that way we can meet   If it is any inducement we have had just over 8 1/2 inches for July (plus a bit of snow thrown in for fun)

[kaydale]

It's been a while since I've posted photos but we went around and took a heap of photos of Amarlie's hellebore seedlings, most flowering for the first time and decided to show a few of our favourite ones.
Hope you like them,
Lesley

[Paul T]

Lesley,

All lovely.  That green one with the picotee edging is fascinating, as is that stripey one with the larger anemone petals.  All very nice.

Thanks for posting.

[fermi de Sousa]

Lovely Hellebores, Paul and Lesley.
We've had some frosty mornings lately and you can see the remaining moisture on the flowers.
The first flowers open on a row of a lemon "hoop", which I think is "Smarple", one of Rod Barwick's hybrids.

Then the bright yellow "Atlas Gold", which I think Lesley showed recently.

And a flower on "Camoro" which survived the onslaught of the earth-mites!

Also in the rock garden and looking a mite smaller than the one in the shaded area, is Galanthus "Green Outer Tips"

cheers
fermi

[kaydale]

Your narcissus are a little ahead of ours down here, they are lovely photos.  It gives me hope that spring is around the corner.  Most things are still dormant down here,
Lesley