August (still winter) in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

I don't want to wait a month to come down there for a visit...... I want to see all these wonderful plants in flower in person, and I know they'll be over by then. 

[Lesley Cox]

Some will be over but there will be masses more, so don't cry

[Paul T]

Lesley, but that Galanthus and Hellebores will be mostly over, and you KNOW how much I love them.  Of course the Frits should be out by then, which will be a bonus, but still is a shame to miss the Galanthus.  A bit too far for a day trip too unfortunately (well 700+km each way is a LOT too far for a day trip, actually.  ).

[Susan]

Fermi,

Is that Lapageria out now?  Mine (only the old red one) does not flower until late summer and in fact has still got a bud left despite snow and frost. 

Susan

[David Lyttle]

Susan,

What snow, what frost - all I have seen lately is rain though I must admit I have not been able to see what is happening up in Halfway Bush through the murk.

Fermi,

Very much enjoyed your postings from your own and Otto's garden. I see bulbs flourish in the relatively dry climate ( from our point of view).

[Susan]

David, we've been known to have the odd  centimetre or two of rain lately, but then we in the banana belt of Dunedin where the olives are about to flower, do look forward to a little snow to clean up the pests occasionally.   The odd thing is that from our lofty heights, sometimes the peninsula is hidden behind a heavy veil of mist so maybe that is what is clouding your vision!

Susan

[Maggi Young]

Can't believe the size of the pink Lapageria flowers! Fab!  Felllow forumist and near  (about 3/4 mile away) neighbours, Brian and Maureen Wilson grow these very well  but I don't think I have seen such large blooms  there.... must be a really fine form , Fermi! 

[Lesley Cox]

And really superb examples of alliteration Maggi. Did you need to go into a darkened room to conjure them up?

[Maggi Young]

No,  Lesley, constant alleyways of alliteration are a super side effect of my marvelous medication 

[fermi de Sousa]

More from Otto's garden; A clump of Colchicum diampolis in bud

A fine patch of Retic iris "Harmony"

A self coloured form of Iris bucharica,

In the little alpine house, some Dionysia aretioides in flower,

Cyclamen alpinum,

Corydalis wilsonii (I think!)

And Corydalis solida forms

cheers
fermi

[johnw]

Can't believe the size of the pink Lapageria flowers! Fab!  Felllow forumist and near  (about 3/4 mile away) neighbours, Brian and Maureen Wilson grow these very well  but I don't think I have seen such large blooms  there.... must be a really fine form , Fermi! 

Maggi  - How hardy do you think these Lapagerias might be?

dreaming...

johnw

[Otto Fauser]

Thanks Fermi for posting so many photos of my garden and plants. It was great to welcome 50 members from our Ferny Creek Horticultural Soc.to my garden, followed by afternoon tea/ coffee inside, haven't had that many people in my house, there were many helping hands and everyone brought a plate.
 Maggi , you were right , the tree with pink flowers is Rhododendron arborium ssp. campbellii , 30 years old, and 10 metres tall.You will get a better overview of my garden from the DVD I sent you afew weeks ago, the one the ABC =Australian Broadcasting Commission- Television made of my garden . My garden is not fenced in , and in 30 years not one plant has been taken, the invitation is there :Cyclamen, Crocus, Snowdrops, etc . planted on the roadside!
   Lesley, I have never found my plants of Corydalis popovii to be stoloniferous, for me they do not divide or make offsets- but they are longlived- I had one tuber that lived for 35 !!!years, grew to the size of a tennis ball and then died.
   Susan , my Lapagerias flower here also in Feb. March, April, but that pale pink one has lasted for over 2 months -it is actually white , but has turned pale pink,I think because of winter,s cold.
  Fermi ,the 1st. Iris ret.picture is actually the one,  that "old" E.B.Anderson sent me bulbs of in 1964, a long time ago, I would be grateful if some one could identify it :is it I. histrio or histrioides? and is the 2nd . photo the clone "Lady Beatrix Stanley"of I. histrioides?  many thanks.
  Thanks for all your kind remarks  to you all,
              Otto.

[fermi de Sousa]

Fermi
Your shots of Narcissus brighten up any day - particularly 'Slip'ry'  The clump of 'Ianmon' - did you plant a lot, or has it clumped up well?

Hi Arthur,
Thanks for your comments, I particularly like "Slip'ry" though it's a giant compared to some of the ones that Keira Bulbs produce!
"Ianmon" has clumped up after a couple of years but I did divide it last year! I would've originally started with 1 or 2 bulbs - I can't afford to buy these by the dozen! And in our climate these "hoops" tend to multiply freely.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Otto,

Apparently those histrioides cultivars come down ot minor differences in the signal and fall markings.  I have a very similar one (to the second of the pics Fermi posted) that was identified as Iris histrioides 'April Tears' (or some name like that anyway) when I asked about it on a list or here a year or two ago.  Hopefully someone here will know for sure, or else put a pic of it down in the ID section or the Iris section to see what people think of it.  A lot of people don't seem to come into the Southern Hemisphere threads (thanks to those regulars who do), whereas I think the other areas might get more viewing and therefore more chance of IDing it.  Mine are still to come yet, but I will carefully photograph when they're in flower for comparison.  I would suggest if still possible to get a good detail photo of the markings..... makes it a bit easier when someone inevitably asks.  Of course this may mean you need to get help from someone else to take it for you who can actually get down that far to get a closeup photograph.  Here's hoping your back isn't bothering you TOO much right now.

[Maggi Young]

Thank you, Otto, I do like that rhodo....I wasn't aware of that pink form, which is especially nice.

As it happens, we have just been enjoying the DVD, so now we feel we have really visited your garden! A triumph to have made such a charming garden on a challenging slope like that....and the programme gave what seemed like a good flavour of it... and you!! Most kind of you to send us the dvd....I suspect it will be viewed often.
Thanks too for the Iris photos... Ian is puzzling over them....

I'm amazed that you could cope with all those visitors when you are having such terrible problems with your back...you must have been quite exhausted when they all left? They must have had the most glorious visit though, in spite of the rain!