Spring in Southern Hemisphere... with crocus! (July- September)

[johnw]

Superb Olsynium douglasii Lesley.

johnw

[Stephen Vella]

Yes, nice Olsynium Lesley. I've never seen one before. How long do the flowers last for?

cheers

[Lesley Cox]

Stephen the individuals last 2 or 3 days probably, depends on the weather. They don't like wind very much. You know it used to be Sisyrinchium douglasii (album).

Paul, abut 2.5cms across, or about 1" in old money. I used to get up to nine flowers on my first one, also from seed which took 10 years to flower. So quite happy with 3 flowers on a first stem after 4 years. There are 6 more to flower but not this year.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Lesley,

The Olsynium douglasii....    Wow!  Amazing looking flowers.

I agree with Paul on this one Lesley !
What an amazing clump !  Simple and very beautiful !

[cohan]

lots of great stuff, everyone!
really love that Ornithogalum sintenisii!

[Paul T]

Lesley,

That was a Sysirinchium?   Never would have thought that.  Has so many wonderful "snowdrop" qualities about it.  Do you know if it is here in Aus?  I think that will have to be a "must have" plant if I can get it. 

Thanks for the Frit info.  it really is a beauty.  That's one I haven't even tried from seed myself, but have admired in books regularly.

[Lesley Cox]

I don't know if the Olsynium is in Australia Paul. Otto will know I'm sure. The seed from Ratko earlier this year has germinated really well but I think will be very slow growing to flowering size. Two years ago I had a single pod on the white and the two which came up are still, in their second year, not much bigger than single hairs. I don't know if the white will come true. If there's seed this year I can send it along. The rosy purple form is even lovlier.

Incidentally, I got 14 lots of seed from Ron Ratko and almost everything has germinated very well indeded. A couple of things still to come. The quality of his seed is excellent and I highly recommend it. Lewisia rediviva like hairs on a dog's back.

[Lesley Cox]

I love these crocuses with strong and sometimes contrasting colours. C. minimus Bavella Form varies, apparently in the width of edging to the outer petals but otherwise, the solid colour is very clean and a nice variation from the "ordinary" minimus. Then I have a seedling with almost total colour cover. It appeared among my minimus before I had the Bavella Form so is not connected to that at all. (It hasn't flowered this spring and I have a nasty, sneaking suspicion that I may have given it away accidentally. )

[Lesley Cox]

I said earlier that my 'Chocolate Soldier' wasn't going to flower but though late, it has put up a bud with another to come. Three pics to show the wonderful contrast between deep mahogany and bright orange.
Warm thanks to Marcus Harvey for this little gem, Crocus olivieri ssp balansae 'Chocolate Soldier.'

[Lesley Cox]

A couple of pallid irises, first I. magnifica alba. My junos haven't done much this year and it hasn't helped that Teddy has dug a large hole and half buried a decent patch of I. x Sindpers. The weeds in many pots are indicative of my gardening activities recently, or rather, the lack of them.


and I. reticulata 'Natascha.'

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I already commented on the Crocus pics down in that section, but have to comment on the Irises here..... beautiful!!    I have 'Natascha' flowering for the first time for me this year (Thanks Otto!!  ).... certainly looks happy for you, that is for sure.  Given it is supposed to be a bit touchy for a lot of people, yours are obviously thriving!!

Excellent pics, all of them.

[Geebo]

Lesley,
Your pictures made me already longing for my autumn crocuses and other bulb to show there colours.Got a nice collection from Latvia,and from a friend in Belgium,keep You posting on time for the moment  Colch X Jarovslavna is making progress,last Year it was flowering to no end,looks if it increased nicely already.
I know what You mean  by indicative Gardening 
I must agree with Ron Ratco,Highly recommended.

Cheers,
Guy   

[Paul T]

A couple of things in flower at the moment here....

Asarum maxima, with it's really cool flowers. 
This Daphne genkwa sort of took me by surprise when I found it in flower..... then found my second one in the back yard in flower too, when I hadn't even realised they were in bud. 
Hamemalis 'Ruby Glow'
And lastly for now... one of the first to open properly (plenty have opened since this pic was taken a couple of days ago).... Magnolia 'Star Wars'.

Enjoy.

Please click on the pic for a larger version.

[Otto Fauser]

A few photos from todays Hellebore sale in the hall of the Ferny Creek Horticulteral Soc.,
 many hundreds of good plants there , most of them were snapped up in the first hour .
 so many people milling around the sales tables - one had to be quick to grab your chosen ones .I had it all to myself as Peter Leigh was setting up his display.
  It was good to meet another Forumist this morning : Ray who introduced himself during the sale . He had brought along 2 pots of Fritillarias ,which I was able to identify for him .
  Paul , sorry you had to cancel your trip to Olinda , you would have enjoyed the company .

[Paul T]

I know I would have, Otto. <sigh>