September 2008 - definitely Spring - in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Otto also had some wonderful daffs, so I have included a selection here....

The tiny little form of Narcissus asturiensis was such a cutie, the Narcssus atlanticus was something I think Ottot was flowering from seed for the very first time.  Such a shame this was the best I could do with the photo, but the light was most definitely failing at the time as rain closed in.  Narcissus 'Jinglex Swagger' was one of those interesting variants that opens all yellow and then fades out to almost white, rimmed in yellow.  Very, very pretty!!

And lastly for the daffs is a cyclamineus seedling that appeared by itself in Otto's garden.  He has named it 'Vivian' after a good friend of his, and it is lovely.  The photo doesn't do it justice.... it is absolutely delightful.

And I have finally seen a real live Ophrys orchid, this one Ophrys tenthredinifera.  Such an adorable little thing.... I need Ophrys even more now!! 

I'll leave it there for this topic..... I'll post some pics of some of the wonderful Trillium rivale elsewhere, plus a couple of pictures of a local Kookaburra and a couple of plants for ID down in the ID section.  I hope everyone enjoys the pics from Otto's wonderful garden.  Thanks for taking the time to view them!!

[art600]

Paul

I think you have done a excellent job photographing Otto's garden in such trying conditions.

What wonderful plants   

[galahad]

A few lovelies out at the moment

An unnamed Sparaxis (as much as I dislike unnamed plants I really liked this and had to snap it up a couple of years ago)
Fritillaria tuntasia
Gentiana verna alba (I prefer the blue but do you think I can get my hands on it at the moment?)
Lily tulip with a buried label (Queen of Sheba?)

Ross

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Paul,
Thanks very much for helping us discover Otto's garden - stunning plants and great photography, despite the difficult conditions !

Ross,
That Sparaxis is really very special !

[fermi de Sousa]

Good job, Paul, on photographing Otto's Garden.

Ross,
that Maroon Sparaxis is around South-Eastern Australia as well; I think it was one that was considered to be a Streptanthera at one point. The tulip does look like "QoS"
Here are a few more pics from our garden.
A "new" cyclamineus hybrid from Glenbrook Bulb Farm, "Snook"


A little pink cup/jonquilla hybrid,"Bell Song"


A double which I think I got as "Queen Anne's Double (?) Jonquil"



Many people complain about a paucity of bloom on Tulipa saxatilis, but conditions here must suit it,



The brightly coloured T. albertii is also flowering now,

And T. clusiana have opened in the sun,

cheers
fermi

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great stuff Fermi !
That bunch of T. saxatile (I could hardly call it a clump  ) is outstanding !!!

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Luc,
I liked the pics you posted of your garden (in the NH thread) too!
Here are a few others in flower,
The "Sad Glad", Gladiolus tristis, which is powerfully scented in the evening,

Another South African, "Sequins", Geissorhiza splendidissima,

A close up on G. corrugata

A DBI called "Tricks"

Anacyclus depressus, the Moroccan (?) daisy,

And a first flowering on the tiny Townsendia hookeri grown from AGS Seedex 2006 seed,

cheers
fermi

[arillady]

You better be careful Fermi with that Gladiolus tristus as it seems to spread pretty rapidly here. One day I would like to get Pelagonium triste again - nothing much to look at but the perfume is lovely.
Rain and cold today and then 29C forecast for the end of the week.
Have been enjoying the treasures from some of the Australian bulb experts on this forum.
Pat T

[annew]

Otto's garden looks wonderful - he certainly won't have a problem with drainage! Narcissus 'Vivien' is very special - what a find 

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Great pics!!  I have to wonder though what the actual difference between DBI 'Tricks' and 'Making Eyes' is....... yours looks just like the latter!  So many of them are so similar (and shouldn't have been allowed to be named, to my way of thinking anyway), but Making Eyes has always been somewhat distinctive, which is why I mention it?  Is the Narc 'Queen Anne's Double' the double form of Campernelle?

Ross,

Love that Sparaxis.  I have a deep velvety red/black that is similar, but without the clean yellow interior like yours, and another one that appeared in my garden that is a deep velvety purple.  Those dark intense colours just look SO good. 

[Susan]

Have just returned from the combined spring show of the New Zealand Alpine Garden Society, the Daffodil Circle and the Canterbury Rhododendron Society, held over the week-end in Christchurch, NZ.

A few photos from the Show.
First a few views over the show.

Ranunculus buchananii x lyallii.
Dwarf rhododendrons.
Some large leaf rhododendrons.
Trillium rivale
Trillium rivale Purple Heart.
Trillium chloropetalum.


 

[Susan]

A few more.
Cassiope Beatrice Lilley.
Salix repens Iona form.
Saxifraga marginata coriophylla lutea.
Various arums including A palaestinum.
Finally the cherry blossom alongside the River Avon which flows through Christchurch.  The city was looking lovely with daffodils and prunus of different varieties and the bluebells just starting to appear.

Susan

[art600]

Sue

Thanks for the many photos from what looks to have been an excellent Show.

The Cherry blossom is stunning.

[Maggi Young]

What a lovely looking show... I think its great to have the different societies combining to make one bigger event.
Thanks for this "vsit" for us, Susan.

I love the way, just in case we had any doubts about it really being Spring downunder, even with the show flowers, you have brought us the cherry blossom photo to PROVE it!! Super!

[Susan]

Thank you for the kind comments.  It was a lovely show and they had a lot of stalls selling plants.  Because I had to be there early, I had the opportunity to have a good look before the doors opened.  Needless to say I came home with quite a number of delicious little goodies. Just as well I removed 6 quite large "dwarf" rhododendrons this winter from the rock garden.

That and the fact that spring is really underway fill one with new enthusiasm.

Susan