July (winter) in the Southern hemisphere, 2008

[Paul T]

Nah, it's only 11pm.  Still today!    I suppose that you guys over there in NZ should be leaders in innovation, given you're so often living in tomorrow while the rest of us are stuck in today!! 

Luit,

There are still roses flowering around the place here too, although not actually in my garden.  June was VERY mild, and July has been colder but still hasn't completely knocked the roses.  About to prune mine when we get a nice sunny day.

[Lesley Cox]

Is H. corsicus not an old name for H. argutifolius?

[Paul T]

I didn't realise that Lesley.  I thought that argutifolius was a somewhat smaller plant than corsicus.  Guess I was wrong.

[fermi de Sousa]

Paul,
it has been a very mild winter here too, but I'm at a loss to explain why this Paeonia mascula ssp russii thinks it's already spring!


While visiting a friend in Kyneton, we noticed a fine clematis (?) cirrhosa in flower on her neighbour's fence




And this morning I snapped a pic of Acis tingitana (syn Leucojum tingitanum) in the rock garden.


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Very nice.  Looks like Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' by the looks of it.  I have Acis tingitana in flower here at the moment as well.  Paeonia 'Destiny' has buds, but none of the others have activated yet.  It's always very early, but I don't have russoi so now idea what sort of timing it would usually have.  All very strange for you timing-wise, just like us.  I have Prunus campanulata with flowers open already, at least a month too early.

[fermi de Sousa]

Some more winter flowers at our place.
Under the spreading Hardenbergia "Mini-Haha" (which is certainly NOT mini and is no laughing matter) we discovered the "Native Fuchsia", Correa pulchella had come into bloom almost unnoticed!

The hardenbergia is starting to be trimmed back, despite being in bud.

In the Shadehouse one of the Cyclamen persicum grown from AGS Seedex as "ex Israel",

In the rockgarden a small clump of the small flowered Narcissus "Twenty-fiver", one of Rod Barwick's hybrids, I think named for the 25th anniversary of glenbrook Bulb Farm a few years ago.

I mentioned earlier in reply to Lesley that I'd split up a pot of mixed Narcissus cantabricus seedlings, from Seedex as "var. clusii", but which had produced one flower last year that was "var. petunioides"! Two of the individual pots have produced single leaves and flower buds, one of which is open now.



Would this represent "var./ssp. monophyllus"??
Any comments, please.
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

I don't know Fermi, but the white is certainly beautiful and purer white than any I've had - ever!

[Paul T]

I'd agree with Lesley.... it is a lovely pure white isn't it!?  I was quite pleased with 'Camoro' when it flowered for me for the first time this year.... notably much whiter than others I had in the open form, although it opened cream and faded.  Yours has a lovely form to it, and if it opened that colour then you've got a winner!!    A few of us might line up for offsets one day in the future. 

I must post a pic of an unlabelled pot I have here.  It has a lovely round open form, smaller than many of them but just perfect in flower.  Nothing else I have in other pots or in the garden look like it yet, but it may be earlier than others because it was in a pot in quite a warm spot.  I don't recall this particular flower before though it might just be I haven't had it flower by itself and therefore become noticeable.    Haven't uploaded my pics of it yet and won't until at least tomorrow.

Hmmm... that reminds me I still haven't photographed that basket as requested either. 

[Paddy Tobin]

Fermi,

Lovely selection of plants. The narcissus is certainly an excellent white. But coincidence, the Acis is also in flower here.

Paddy

[David Nicholson]

Fermi, it seems to me to fit the description on ssp monophyllus in John Blanchard's book. In any case it's a lovely one.

[Paddy Tobin]

Fermi,

Just after a dip in the sea and waking up now - it is Acis autumnalis which is in flower here at present.

Paddy

[fermi de Sousa]

Fermi, it seems to me to fit the description on ssp monophyllus in John Blanchard's book. In any case it's a lovely one.

Thank you, David,
I should've looked that up in the first place!
Paddy,
lucky you being able to go for a dip in the sea when you want to! I would've been a bit surprised if you also had Acis tingitana in flower now, but Acis autumnalis is such a wonderful little bulb and does put in an early appearance even here - when it gets a bit of summer watering. We could try a bit of pollen swapping if we were really organised!

I'd agree with Lesley.... it is a lovely pure white isn't it!?  I was quite pleased with 'Camoro' when it flowered for me for the first time this year.... notably much whiter than others I had in the open form, although it opened cream and faded.

Hi Paul,
I had "Camoro" flower a bit earlier here, but it was decimated by earth-mite as it was outside in the garden. I've actually used pollen from this white hoop on a flower of N. romieuxii "Julia Jane", so it should be close to the same cross ( narcissus CAntabricus MOnophyllus x n. ROmieuxii) if this is Narc. cantabricus monophyllus. Where's the despot when you need 'im?
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Despot is in Edinburgh recording radio programme, Fermi!
I think you will get nice babies from that cross 

[Paddy Tobin]

Fermi,

Sea swimming is excellent at present with a great spot within easy reach of us here, guaranteed 15+ feet of water into which to plunge even at the lowest tide. Swells at about 6 feet today so getting back onto the ladder and steps to exit water was challenging.

I've never done any of this pollen swapping - actually don't want any pollen - but would be very willling to follow your instructions and send on pollen to you if required...but, why not just a few bulbs in the post? (the hollowed out book to avoid the Australian guardians of plant purity!)

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

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

Paddy

That is NOT a smart idea!!!!!