Flowers and Foliage August 2008

[art600]

A little more about G flanagannii. It is from South Africa. I have read that it goes by the name of suicide gladiolus because it grows in crevices in vertical basalt cliffs. To get to it you are risking your life! Fortunately it grows quite well in the garden.

Mine is in a small trough, as you can see, and stays out all year. I notice it has well developed seed pods and there are some small offsets so I may try some in the alpine house?

Anthony
Having acquired a large pot of this Gladiolus at the Mid-Anglia Bulb Sale, I am wondering when is the best time to repot/split up the congested growth.  Can you point me in the right direction, as there are a lot of people who are waiting for some corms.
Thanks

[Anthony Darby]

Arthur, I usually wait until the leaves have completely died down. If they are still green the corms will be still growing. I am not touching mine until the seed pods have ripened and split. I'm sure there are more knowledgeable people out there who could help?

[art600]

Anthony

Thanks - that is what I thought, but always best to ask.

[Miriam]

Hi,

Here are some pictures from my garden.
Enjoy!

[Tony Willis]

That aristolochia is just great.I have only seen them in tropical houses and I think they are fascinating. i grow a couple of hardy ones

[art600]

Not sure where I should post this, but as it was found amongst my pentstemons, thought I would post it here and ask for identification.

Largest caterpillar I have ever seen - approx 6cm long by 1.5cm wide

[WimB]

Art,

your caterpillar is a "Deilephila elpenor" or "Elephant Hawk-moth".
Normally it lives on Epilobium or Galium.

[Tony Willis]

Arthur

I would love to see either the caterpillar or the moth in my garden.What a lovely thing

[Michael J Campbell]

Petrocosmea begonifolia

[art600]

Thanks Wim for the identification.  I do have some Epilobium in the 'wild' part of the garden, along with nettles.  I can now tell friends that my weeds attracted something special.

[Gerdk]

Here are a few pics made in the garden today

1. Streptocarpus rexii - the original (of course potgrown)
2. Oxalis purpurea Ken Aslet
3. Oxalis squamata and Leucojum roseum
4. Anthemis nobilis Pleniflora
5. - 7. Viola arborescens  - which flowers again in autumn regularly

Gerd

[WimB]

Two plants that are flowering in my garden now:

1) Fuchsia arborescens
2) Sedum telephium

Wim

[johanneshoeller]

Petrocosmea spec.?
and a South African plant. Does anybody know the name?

[Maggi Young]

Hans, I think this may be a fine dark flowered form of Petrocosmea minor .
The other is a plant which I still think of as a Lapeirousia, but I think it is more properly known now as Anomatheca laxa... .....these names will confuse me forever!

[Michael J Campbell]

Anomatheca  laxa
Synonym:Freesia laxa
Synonym:Lapeirousia cruenta
Synonym:Lapeirousia laxa


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