September 2009 - Southern Hemisphere- Spring

[Maggi Young]

Beautifully presented and gorgeous miniatures Bill, thanks for sharing them.

Thanks Brian, I get as much pleasure from showing them, nice to be appreciated, and hope everyone will enjoy them as well.  
BTW: can someone tell me how to get gif. annimations in the postings please?
Thanks.

Bill, your photos are a delight, thanks. 

Now, to get gif animations in a post, just use the method for putting images in the text of a post with the minor change that you use, in square brackets, of course.... the (attach=1) or 2 or 3etc... and then add the gif from the Browse attachment button below.
  

[Tecophilaea King]

Is it available to buy commercially Bill?

Hi Robin, unfortunately, I have not been able to export any bulbs for the last few years.
Our beloved MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forrest) (and  sometimes for good reasons) makes it almost impossible and very expensive to export.
Apart from the excessive charges for the Phyto Sanitary Certificate and compolsory soil test in our nursery and other related charges, not to forget the stacks of official forms we have to fill in, rules and regulations to adhere to, no end of hassles.
New Zealand (and perhaps Australia)  is one of the most difficult (and some people might even suggest bureaucratic regulated)
country when it comes to import and exporting plants and bulbs.
Just ask Lesley and other growers what our MAF is like?
And don't forget the expensive shipping by air and the little matter of getting the bulbs acclimatised.
Miniature bulbs are small and difficult to turn around.
Al in all to much problems/hassles and bureaucracy, expensive and unfortunately not worth the worry and effort.

[Tecophilaea King]

Now, to get gif animations in a post, just use the method for putting images in the text of a post with the minor change that you use, in square brackets, of course.... the (attach=1) or 2 or 3etc... and then add the gif from the Browse attachment button below.

Thanks Maggi, will try, as always, very helpful, what would we do without you   

[Ragged Robin]

Bill, thanks for your detailed explanation - I have become aware of the difficulties you have importing and exporting from the SH - will just have to continue to admire your minis on the Forum - it makes them more special anyway   

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Maggi, will try, as always, very helpful, what would we do without you   

I dunno, Bill! I just hope we never have to find out! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Wow, Bill!

The Arum creticum are fantastic, stunning beautiful and photographed so well against the dark background to show off the yellow spathes. Brilliant!

Paddy

[cohan]

These Arum creticum from Crete with their soft yellow and sweetly scented flowers always make a nice splash of colour in the garden

i'm with paddy--this one is a killer! and beautifully photographed..
how large is it? can't tell from the shot..

[cohan]

Hi Robin, unfortunately, I have not been able to export any bulbs for the last few years.
Our beloved MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forrest) (and  sometimes for good reasons) makes it almost impossible and very expensive to export.

i understand countries making it difficult to import debates over how it's all handled aside, there are reasons.. but making it difficult to export? i thought most countries would like to encourage national businesses to export to enhance the balance of trade??

[Lesley Cox]

An outstanding clump of Arum creticum Bill. What a triumph!

Robin, I imported my (3) Narcissus `Angel's Whisper' from Marcus Harvey in Tasmania. I know he sends to several different countries in the northern hemisphere. However, as Bill says, the costs are exhorbitant and there is the added problem of acclimatization. He does, however, get the necessary tests and inspections done each year, so he can continue to export to New Zealand and the USA. If you are willing to go through the acclimatizing, then I can send you a bulb in our summer. It wouldn't cost anything as the parcel would be tiny and I'd hate it if people started paying postage for seeds or small plants that I send. No-one has ever asked me to pay for that either.

I can understand Bill's frustration and that it isn't worth the pain and anguish to continue as a commercial exporter (importing is worse, because what we have to do as an exporter, we have to require the nursery/person on the other end to do, if we import), but a small, clean bulb between friends is no problem at all and I've sent a number of bulbs and plants around the world successfully.

[Lesley Cox]

This morning Andrew Broome sent me a pic of Babiana ringens. Does anyone grow this species? The flower shape was odd and irregular but it had a luscious strawberry pink colour.

[Lesley Cox]

Back to trilliums again, all of mine except a singl leaved seedling, vanished last year. i.e. they didn't come up last year, just when I thought I had them sussed as they were well established clumps and flowered with 6 or 8 each. This year, the seedling hasn't come through either so I may have to accept that it is, as some say, short-lived. At one stage I was raisng many seedlings each year and even had it for sale in my nursery. One tends to get complacent....

[Ragged Robin]

Lesley, thanks so much for your generous offer of an Angel's Whisper bulb - I will be guided by you as to what to do to acclimatise it and grow it on successfully - a thrilling prospect  I'll PM my details

[Tecophilaea King]

Let's stick with the Trilliums a little longer
I have one container with a red Trillium species that I don't know the species name for.
Would appreciate if someone could ID it for me please, a closeup of the same species for more detail.

The second species I believe is Trillium flexipes, again confirmation or otherwise would be nice.
Don't look at the holes in the leaves, the blasted slugs beat me to it.  
Thanks.

[Tecophilaea King]

i'm with paddy--this one is a killer! and beautifully photographed..
how large is it? can't tell from the shot..

Hi Cohan, with us they normally grow to about 30-40 cm. (12- 16 in.), nice size for pots or container.

[cohan]

thanks, bill..
the 'hardy' aroids are a group i have never grown any of..there are a few that should make it here that i will watch for, others i could probably do in pots wintered somewhere safe..