South African bulbose plants 2007

[David Shaw]

So, not in the 'New, Rare or Difficult' class at Discussion W/E 2010 then . I will have to sort something else out.

[Lesley Cox]

No David. You'll have to find a Gethyllis for that

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Your orange Spiloxene could be Spiloxene linearis.  It doesn't quite match mine in that it looks a little more spidery, but that could easily just be age of flower or conditions.  S. linearis is the most glorious orange.  Mine came from my friend Lyn here in Canberra a few years ago as 6 seeds..... they germinated and have done rather well.  Hers never multiplied at all, but apparently the seed produces multiple bulbs or something because I have a lot more than just 6 seedlings.  When mine flowered for the first time last year I mentioned it to Lyn and she told me hers had died, so it was great to be able to give her a few corms back during summer.  I have about 5 or 6 of them in bud at the moment and will be hand pollinating to get seed from them.  If that is the only way to multiply them then that's the way I'll go..... I think that these would be truly stunning in a solid group!!  The colour is just so strong.

I would love to get S. canaliculatus, which is more spidery like S. capensis but is a similar bright orange but with a dark peacock eye in the centre.  There are some very nice Spiloxene out there.  Even the little Spiloxene alba (formerly Hypoxis stellata) looks great as a mass and flowers for so long.  It is a little enthusaiastic with it's spreading at times, but is easy to pull out.  Lovely clean white flowers that open in the sun.

[Maggi Young]

When mine flowered for the first time last year I mentioned it to Lyn and she told me hers had died, so it was great to be able to give her a few corms back during summer.

Paul is so right... one of the great joys is to be able to return a plant (or bulbs) to the friend who gave you them in the first place , then lost them.... We have been able to do that this year with a dactylorhiza variety....ours are doing well but the friend who gave us it has lost his, so some are going "back home".
This is also one of the best reasons for distributing rare plants as soon as you can!    Some folks are tempted to hoard rarities to themslves    but it is often in the giving away that one is assured of a return and thus continued pleasure of the plant.

[Andrew]

The below is very true,

"The best way to keep a plant is to give it away".

Does anybody the source of it ?

[David Nicholson]

The below is very true,

"The best way to keep a plant is to give it away".

Does anybody the source of it ?

Andrew, I read somewhere that the saying could be attributed to Marjorie Fish of East Lambrook Manor fame.

[Maggi Young]

I thought it might have been Reginald Farrer who said it ... well, we're all saying it now, because it is so true

[Lesley Cox]

sounds more like MF than RF but I thought it was Vita S-W

[fermi de Sousa]

Here's a largish Lachenalia which was grown from Silverhill Seeds a few years ago.
L.bolusii flowering in the Shadehouse.
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

"Largish"?? It looks huge!

[fermi de Sousa]

Maggi,
it's only about 8", or 20cm, tall in flower; the leaves can get a bit longer but they flop over when they are that tall!
A stray seedling lachenalia is flowering in the Rock garden and I can't remember its name!
it has a short, spotted leaf and clear yellow, outward facing flowers. Here are a couple of pics, the first to show the leaf and the second to show the flowers.




cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Lachenalia reflexa, if memory serves me correctly.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Paul,
not quite reflexed enough but I wonder if it's a hybrid between that (which used to be in a bed nextdoor to it) and L. arbuthnothiae which is also in flower (but a long way away!)



Moraea villosa is in bloom as well.




cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

 The markings on that Moraea are just stunning.   The BD may have a mutiny on his hands.....these plants will not do well outside here so I feel the need for glasshouse space..... 

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Could those be a cross between villosa and aristata, rather than pure villosa?  M. villosa couldn't be more variable than I have seen, but up until now I had always seen much rounder more "filled in" flowers on villosa.  Yours looks more of a partway between it nad aristata to my eyes, but as I said it may be more variable than I realised.

Found M. debilis in flower here today for the first time.  Very cute flowers in that same sort of colour scheme.  One of my M. villosa is in flower at the moment with big rounded flowers with lots of markings.  Some of the villosa variants I've seen have the most beautiful markings, then there are the hybrids of course.  Such a wonderful genus!!  Great pics. 

Sorry that my Lachenalia reflexa memory was incorrect.    Between that and the paeony flowering comment I'd better keep my thoughts to myself.