Autumn 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[David Nicholson]

Come on Paul, get that camera going, we've all missed you.

[Paul T]

Well, as you asked so nicely... 

All these are in flower now, or have been in flower this month (March).........




This is my one and only Brugmansia (species name forgotten), that I grow in a pot so I can put it closer to the house in winter.  Beautiful flowers.


Calydorea amabilis


Tigridia vanhouttei


I only have a couple of types of them out as yet, but here is part of my main clump in the garden of Colchicum 'The Giant'.


Some of the Cyclamen in my shade house, including a white graecum in the front, plus cilicicum, hederifolium, intaminatum and some silver leaves on a coum.  My purpurascens are elsewhere so aren't in the shot.


This is one of my pink Cyclamen graecum.


Cyclamen rohlfsianum doing well as usual.


Haemanthus coccineus growing out in the garden.


A brand new purchase (yesterday in fact) of Hedychium coccineum 'Tara'.  H. greenei grows OK for me here in a protected area, and this species is supposed to be hardier so it should do fine for me as well.  The flowers are a glorious colour, and wonderfully perfumed.

Some more pics still to post, either here or elsewhere in the forums.

[Paul T]

And some more......


Lycoris radiata, much redder than in this pic, but I can never get the colour right on a digital camera.


Nerine masoniorum, one of the rather miniature species.  Delightful!!


Rhodophiala - pink.


Rhodophiala bifida, but a form that only produces one or two flowers per stem, never more than that.


Rhodophiala pratense, hopefully correctly named?


Zephyranthes flavissima




And lastly a couple of shots of a Worsleya that was in flower at my friend Lyn's place recently.  I'd never seen one of the "blue hippeastrums" in flower before, so it was a real treat.  Beautiful spotting on the flower too.  Such a glorious colour.

[Maggi Young]

All very smart, Paul and I particularly like the rich colour of the Rhodphiala pratense ..... but I know it is the Worsleya which will set the Amaryllid lovers hearts a -flutter ! Isn't it  glorious?

[ashley]

Good to have you back Paul. 

Great pics; I particularly like your rhodophialas & cyclamen.  They obviously enjoy Canberra!  For me CC. graecum & rohlfsianum flower fairly regularly but never profusely. 

And the Worsleya - just wonderful

[Paul T]

Ashley,

Cyclamen graecum does well for me.  I get prolific flowers on most of mine.  I have some in the shade house and some in pots out in the full sun (and I mean all summer as well).  They do brilliantly!!  Cyclamen rohlfsianum I have under the eaves next to the house all year in the same spot.  Lots of light but very little sun.  I always get a few flowers, more this year because I actually repotted them last year and so they had some extra food. 

[Michael]

I love the worsleya and your Rhodophialas Paul

[Lesley Cox]

A lovely collection Paul. Welcome back to the best Forum in the world.

I haven't taken many pictures lately but had to have a closer look at this wonderful Eucalyptus ficifolia which grows on the side of the road on my way to work. The colour is superb but there are two others in nearby private gardens which I'll have to go begging for. They are bright lipstick crimson and pure scarlet.








I've been watching for seed over the last two or three years but it's really difficult to get. The hard nuts seems to take 3 years to ripen fully and it doesn't always flower. But there are a few large nuts at present so maybe by winter, or next winter...

[fermi de Sousa]

Good to see you back, Paul.
More things have sprung into bloom here, though I'm yet to get Cyclamen rolfsianum to flower!
The Lycoris radiata has also flowered here,


As has the peach coloured L. elsae



And more rainlilies, the hybrid Zephyranthes "Ajax"



And its offspring with Z. grandiflora, "Grandjax" is still going strong!

And in a shadier part of the garden, the first "true autumn crocus", the one we decided last year is Crocus kotschyanus!



We've had a warm to hot week so we're hoping for cooler weather - and more rain! - in the coming weeks.
cheers
fermi
cheers
fermi

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great pictures Southerners !!!

A very warm welcome back Paul !
Good to see the Southern Hemisphere restored to it's full capacity again !! 

[Paul T]

Thanks Luc.  You make it sound like I just cured global warming or something!!??    If I could just get our rainfall back to it's full capacity I would be pretty pleased, let alone the whole Southern Hemisphere. 

Great pics from both Fermi and Lesley.  Very nice!!  No Crocus here yet though.    My friend Lyn has some already in flower at her place (C. banaticus).

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks Luc.  You make it sound like I just cured global warming or something!!??    If I could just get our rainfall back to it's full capacity I would be pretty pleased, let alone the whole Southern Hemisphere. 

Actually I had hoped you were working on that Paul !
You have disappointed me now... 

 

[Michael]

Today i received a nice calendar from Australia with wildflower pictures.

There were some species that did impressed me, specially Lechenaultia biloba, Brunonia australis, Actinotus helianthi and Swainsona formosa.

Are these wildflowers also grown as ornamentals there on Australia?

[rob krejzl]

Michael,

The short answer is yes. I've grown the Brunonia myself - it's a bit 'miffy' but a lovely little thing when happy. There's also an earlier discussion somewhere on the forum about the various forms of Swainsonia in cultivation. As for the other two look here http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/actinotus-helianthi.html and here http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp11/lechenaultia-biloba.html.

[Paul T]

Yeah ANBG!!   

Sorry, couldn't resist that, given I work there and all.