March 2007

[razvan chisu]

Yes, Paeonia is a great genus. I am trying to get o collection of species, besides the 20 or 30 old clumps of lactiflora and officinalis from my grandmother's garden. This spring germination has been very good and several pots show signs of activity. Other seeds also started early to germinate (of about 300 species I sawed last autumn, about 30% have germinated already). Spring is such a great time. 

[Olga Bondareva]

Spring came suddenly and I can share my first flowers with you. 
Galanthus 1 & 2
Helleborus abchasicus
Merendera

[johngennard]

Susan,sorry that I am late coming back but outdoor activities are very demanding and now that it is light until 2000hrs it leaves little time for the computer.However to answer, your question,the hellebores are ERICSMITHII and BALLARDIAE.Here they are again to avoid cofusion.

[Anthony Darby]

Here are two plants flowering now that are not what was written on the tin. The first is Orchis collina, the Fan-lipped Orchid, which was advertised as "pink flowered". Nice none the less. The second is (I think?) Romulea bulbocodium which came from the 2002 SRGC seed exchange as "Merendera sp. (catalogue no. 2422 sown 25/1/03)

[Martin Baxendale]

Mark, here's the blue tint that I get on the back of my cream Ranunc. ficaria seedlings. I rather like it.

[Martin Baxendale]

Knickers! I meant to post the Ranunculus ficaria cream-flowered seedling with the blue back on Mark's Ranunc. ficaria thread. I'll put it there too.

While I'm in this thread, here's an Ipheon seedling I've raised. Flowering for the first time this year. Has anyone seen this sort of colour in Ipheon uniflorum before? I don't think I have. I like it, I think. Hmm. Not quite made up my mind yet. It's certainly strong. All I've seen before is blues and purples and pinks and whites.

For comparison , the second pic is the variety 'Charlotte Bishop'.

[Martin Baxendale]

And a nice red Corydalis solida seedling that's appeared in the garden.

[tonyg]

In my crocus lecture I end by saying that as the first Pulsatilla raises its head to the sun the last crocus will be going over.  Well here is the first Pulsatilla - you'll have to look elsewhere for the last crocus!

And nearby Degenia velebitica, a distinguished crucifer.

[Lesley Cox]

Great plants and pictures everyone. The deep pink Ipheion is a beauty Martin. Well worth raising them from seed in that case. And the Corydalis of course.

I wish the Degenia were a bit longer lived and didn't get so scruffy, once it has a couple of years on it.

[fermi de Sousa]

Martin
that seedling deserves a name! What were its parents? Or was it a chance seedling?
When will you have it available commercially? Will you ship to Australia!
cheers
fermi

[Martin Baxendale]

The ipheon was a chance seedling that came up in a pot of snowdrop seedlings. I've no idea how it got there, except that I may have collected some ipheon seed one year and got it mixed up with my snowdrop seeds. I don't recall doing any crosses between my ipheons so am guessing it was open-pollinated. Except that I don't know why I'd have bothered collecting the seed if it wasn't a deliberate cross. I'm assuming it was probably from the paler pink 'Charlotte Bishop'. Perfect example of why I should keep a log-book of crosses made in the garden instead of relying on memory and labels (both of which can easily vanish after a few years - though I can't blame the blackbirds for the lost memories  ) In my defence, the ipheon did take about 5 or 6 years to flower from seed, which was a lot longer than I thought it would take.

I like the strong raspberry-pink colour, but the petals aren't as smooth and perfect as I'd like them to be, compared with 'Charlotte Bishop'. Maybe they'll improve as they develop - they only opened yesterday. I should do some back(?) crosses with 'Charlotte Bishop'. That would be interesting.

[Lesley Cox]

Or maybe back cross to `Froyle Mill.' also very richly coloured.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Martin
while you're thinking of expanding your Ipheion empire, think about crossing your new Raspberry Cross with I. peregrinans "Rolf Feidler".  A friend of mine has found a few interesting shades in a batch of sedlings where this is growing in close proximity to other ipheions.
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

I almost suggested that very thing Fermi. A good clean pink RF would be very attractive. What are we going to call Martin's good pink? Actually `Raspberry Cross' is quite good, or` Blushing Bax?' 

[Thomas Huber]

Wonderful seedlings Martin!!!


This plant was received with the label: "Primula ellyptica ?"
Can anybody confirm this ID or give a better one?



First flower after two years in my garden, Tecophilaea cyanocrocus
Yes, Andrew, it's your's!