October 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere

[johnw]

Leslie - Dizzying enough to see that sneaky Myosotidsium in bloom there in the distance but that wonderful Podophyllum is just more than I can cope with.

johnw

[Paul T]

Some pics taken today.  So much in flower right now!!  Yeah spring!! 

Attached are a pic of one of the Californian Poppies, Nemesia 'Sunsatia Peach' (one of the perennial Nems), Pieris 'Temple Bells', Gynandriris setifolia (what exactly is the difference between this species and G. pritzelliana?), and a supposed Moraea thompsonii which I think may instead just be another of the Gynandriris setifolia.  Marginally different flower, but only enough to be within the bounds of genetic diversity I feel.  Then again there may be more obscure differences and it actually is what it was labelled?  Can anyone confirm this?

I'll also be posting some pics in the Primula and Orchid sections if anyone is interested.  Enjoy!! 

[Lesley Cox]

Some oddments that are flowering at present. The Narcissus are all latish varieties with me, most others being well past their use by date.


Narcissus gaditanus minutiflorus. Definitely! I found it impossible to take a decent picture of this one. It's just too small, barely a centimetre across. Very cute though.


N. 'Fairy Chimes' is very much in the style of 'Hawera,' 'Mary Plumstead' et al.


N. 'Kidling.' The crocus leaf gives some idea of the comparative size


and N. 'Ricky.' Not sure about these last two names. The source is renowned for making mistakes and misnaming.


This very nice little iris is 'Grey Pearls,' about 20 cms in height


Calochortus umbellatus is one of the very small species, just about 12-15 cms in height. It makes a thick clump and sets lots of seed.

[Lesley Cox]

Can someone identify this little Tulipa species please? I bought 2 at the weekend and I feel I should know but can't place it. It opens wide to a bright yellow star. I like the way the stem is angled.


This Fritillaria meleagris is from MH as 'Saturnus' but surely that should be darker?


as biflora, I think this should be F. grayana


I think this one is magical. It is F. bithynica and I never planted it in this trough in the first place, but every year - at least 6 now - I lift it out carefully (usually 2 bulbs) and pot it with others, and every year it is still there, and sometimes in a different place in the trough. There are 8 flowers on this little group this year and another, separate bulb in a different corner!

[Lesley Cox]

Haberlea rhodopensis virginalis is not vigorous but always flowers well. It probably would like a damper place.


Houstonia caerulea alba came close to dying last summer, being like the haberlea, too dry. Just saved it and now it's coming away nicely but summer is yet to come.


The white form of Gentiana angustifolia. I find it grows really well but doesn't flower very freely.


Gentiana verna alba is still in the nursery pot it came in last March. It shows the quality of plants from Hokonui Alpines.


Something pink to finish with, is Daphne arbuscula. I dug out hundreds of seedlings and small corms from around its roots before the pic, because they looked so tatty, C. sieberi sublimis tricolor. All potted up and growing on for next year. I'm pleased to see seed on several crocuses just today, including CC. vallicola, longiflorus and candidus.

[Lesley Cox]

And as an afterthought, Carduncellus rhaponticoides, growing in the corner of a trough, in competition with Salvia chamaedryoides 'Blue Ribbon' which sends out stoloniferous growths through everything.

[galahad]

Can someone identify this little Tulipa species please? I bought 2 at the weekend and I feel I should know but can't place it. It opens wide to a bright yellow star. I like the way the stem is angled.

Lesley, could it be T. sylvestris?

[Lvandelft]

Can someone identify this little Tulipa species please? I bought 2 at the weekend and I feel I should know but can't place it. It opens wide to a bright yellow star. I like the way the stem is angled.

Lesley, could it be T. sylvestris?

That is what I thought too Lesley.
I love the Carduncellus rhaponticoides! Have not seen it here for long time now.
The mostly offered one is C. pinnatifidus, which is not so tough as this one.
(Probably easier to grow from seeds?)
Carduncellus rhaponticoides we could only propagate by root cuttings.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Lesley, Paul, Fermi !
What a great show you've been putting up over the last few weeks !
Looks like the SH is the place to be at the moment 

And so many real Alpines !!  Always a bonus in my eyes !
Thanks a lot and keep them coming ! 

[Joakim B]

Nice spring plants You all show.
Some of these are now being planted here
Lesley is the iris in a pot because it has not been planted yet or do You grow them in pots?
Keep spring coming
Kind regards
Joakim

[David Nicholson]

Lovely stuff Paul and Lesley. Loved the Calochortus umbellatus Lesley, I've formed another 'obsession' and am trying C. argillorus, cataliniae, luteus, palmerii, uniflorus and superbus this year as well as some others from seed. If they turn out as good as yours I shall be well pleased.

[art600]

Lesley

That Daphne is spectacular - worthy of the Show bench.  Spring is my favourite time so getting twice in one year is a real bonus.   

Here the Autumn Crocus are doing real well this year and the snowdrops are earlier than ever.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for the tulip ID. I'll go with T. sylvestris which I had dismissed because I thought it was quite a lot bigger than this one, but certainly it's much like the illustration in Phillips and Rix. The leaves are narrower perhaps and the flower has a slight reddish tinge at the edges but that may just be aging. Anyway, thanks everyone. I guess I can expect it to wander around then?

[Lesley Cox]

Joakim, the iris is in a pot (a planter bag) because it's a nursery plant. I have a large patch in the garden but it's rather weedy at present. The planter bags are good for my nursery plants for three reasons. 1 - they're MUCH cheaper than pots, 2 - because they are squashable I can fit fit more into the trays I use in the nursery, 25 instead of 20 per tray and 3 - because they fit closely together and also because they go straight down instead of sloping to the base (and therefore hold more compost, more room for roots) they require much less water to keep the plants in good growing condition. I have only rain water here, unless I buy more, no town supply. I admit they're not pretty but in the long run I can make better quality nursery plants with them and that's what matters. Normally, I would grow all (well, most) irises in the garden with no root restrictions. The bags come in sizes from 3/4 up to about 80 litres and many trees are sold here in them, some bags in the bigger sizes even having handles. The little bearded irises are fine in bags for a season and if they're not sold by then I would take them out and divide and replant. But they always ARE sold.

[annew]

That tiny N. gaditanus is a gem.