February, March, April/Autumn in the southern hemisphere

[Otto Fauser]

I said there would be a deathly silence but you know me, I can't keep my mouth shut even for a couple of days. I am at Otto Fauser's house now and he has generously let me use his new computer, but Otto is looking over my shoulder as he is new to computing and to the Forum. He is a beginner but will learn quickly I'm sure.

We have a nice picture for you of the four Antipodean stooges, taken yesterday and you can see we were somewhat under the influence of a bottle of red. Perhaps this a record - four southern Forumists together at one time in the same place. At the top are Fermi de Sousa and Tim Orpin and below, yours truly Lesley and Otto himself.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

To your good health - the four of you !
Hope (and see) you have lots of fun !

[Paddy Tobin]

I suppose it would be impossible for any of us to guess what the four photographed above were talking about.

Lesley et alia, enjoy yourselves, lovely to hear from you.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

Happy Hols, Lesley! Hope you can cope with her, Lads!
Otto! A very warm welcome to you, we look forward to sharing more good times with you. Since Lesley, Tim and Fermi mention you often, I think we already feel we know you. So good to have you join us!
Cheers!

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi again folks,
a bit of a break for the Easter Hols, but back to work and the computer today!
Here are a few pics:
first a hybrid rain-lily, Zepheranthes "Ajax"
and 2 of my first autumn crocus, C. pulchellus
A Colchicum lingulatum which couldn't wait to flower!
and finally a geranium relative which I got as G. marginatum but which I think is Monsonia emarginata, note the seed pod ripening to the right of the flower!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi again,
as Lesley mentioned, she is staying with Otto, so we had lunch together on Monday then had a walk in his garden.
Here is a pic of his "garden gnome", Biarum davisii
and 2 of his lovely form of Crocus niveus with 8 petals!
and one whose name I've forgotten! but possibly C. caspius?
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

The 10 petalled Crocus look great.  They do give a different appearance don't they?  Biarum davisii just won't flower for me..... that is actually the first shot I have seen from anyone in Aus who has flowered it.  It multiplies bery well, but is definitely shy to flower for normal people (but hey, at least they're behaving properly for Otto! LOL).  Then again, with the company they would be keeping in that garden then they would have to behave or they'd be upstaged by all the other wonderful things there!! <grin>

I have finally had some other Crocus flower for me now as well as the C. pulchellus...... C. serotinus ssp salzmanii opened a flower today in one place in the garden (main clump elsewhere in the garden is not in any evidence, even when scratched down 1cm below ground), and I notice that one of my clumps of Crocus goulimyi in the garden has buds up.  Finally!!

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Nice to put some faces to names.  Thanks!!!!!!  That would have been an interesting room to be in.... imagine all the info I could have learnt, just from listening in to their gardening conversations!! <sigh>

[Otto Fauser]

Hello Paul, nice to hear from you again, hope you are well. I'm still at Otto's house but on the way south to Hobart today.

Pleased you have a Weldenia now. Be nice to it. Plenty water while in growth and dryish in winter but not arid.

Take care, Lesley and Otto.

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

Here's some pics of what has been flowering in my garden in the last couple of weeks.....


Arum pictum is the only Arum species to flower in autumn as its leaves emerge.  This is NOT to be confused with Arum orientale 'Pictum' which is a cultivar of that species.


Bessera elegans are like littel satellite dishes, with striking white markings on a strong orange background.  Now if they just faced upwards instead of downwards it would be much easier to view and photograph them. 


My Bougainvillea as mentioned in another thread to John F.  Lovely strong colour for so many months.  I am intending to send it up onto our garage roof (that is the garage wall behind it in the pic) which will be stunning from the road.


Fuchsia 'The Pearl' (I think?) is a strong grower that has long arching branches with these small flowers hanging underneath.


Habranthus estensis is one of my favourites of the genus.  Comparatively big flowers for the genus, carried on scapes of up to 3 or 4 and looking like miniature Hippeastrums


I grew from seed Hypoxis rooperi and have had it flower for the first time in the last week.  This delighful little flower is maybe 2cm across, nestled right in the centre of the leaves.  Very cute.


Lycoris radiata flowers rarely for me.  Stunning when it does.  Such a strong colour in such a dainty flower.


This is Salvia 'Black Knight' which is a bit over 6 foot tall and flowering like mad at the moment.  The birds and the bees love it too.


And lastly here is a pic of part of my garden.  When the mongrel blackbirds haven't shifted the mulch around there are stepping stones running up the middle.  At the moment there are the last of the Colchicums, mini Dahlias, Gazanias and Salvias in this area, soon to be joined by Nerines, Crocus, Hemerocallis (always an autumn flush of flowers on them) and a few other bits and pieces.

So there are a few bits and pieces from my garden.  I hope you all enjoy them.

[ranunculus]

Absolutely wonderful thread folks.
Great to see so many splendid images from such friendly folk.
Look after Lesley lads, she is a national treasure!
Welcome back Paul...the photos are breathtaking.
Greetings and salutations from East Lancashire.

[fermi de Sousa]

Here's a few from the garden but hopefully will post a selection from a weekend visit to a Nerine Nursery (tomorrow, if I have time!).
First a white Cyclamen graecum grown outdoors in full sun.
Next a Large flowered Colchicum: any suggestions to a name?
And can you spot something in the next frame?
Yes, it's Narcissus viridiflorus!
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

Jings, Narcissus viridiflorus in the garden! If only. Crocus mathewi is an autumn flowerer Lesley. My three seed pods on C. michelsonii are still green, so I haven't forgotten. Shouldn't that be Arum italicum 'Pictum', Paul, and not A. orientale 'Pictum'?

[Paul T]

Cliff,

Thanks for the compliment, but "Breathtaking" is a tad overstating it! LOL  Yes, it's nice to be back and taking part again.

Fermi,

Now I have to go and work out where I put my Narcissus viridiflora.  No idea, so could already be flowering and wouldn't even know.  I think I have one in a pot nad one in the garden, or something like that.  Or did I just have one and put it into the garden?  Hmmmmmm... ??  Now you've got me, not sure.  Anyway, given how most things are running in the garden this year (Crocus etc in particular) it could still be a while off.  Then again the autumn snowdrops are early so who knows! <sigh>

[annew]

Enjoyed your plants, and seeing part of your garden too Paul. That Fuchsia is particularly nice.