September 2009 - Southern Hemisphere- Spring

[Lesley Cox]

Bill, Dave Toole will certianly know better than I, but I would suggest T. angustipetalum for your red. (You could tack on the varietal name 'Excisa.')

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, Dave Toole will certianly know better than I, but I would suggest T. angustipetalum for your red. (You could tack on the varietal name 'Excisa.')

Funny you did suggest T.angustipetalum Lesley, I was thinking/hoping along the same lines. Thanks.

[Tecophilaea King]

Just a few more dwarf bearded irises (DBI's) flowering at the moment. Enjoy.

 Iris  'Wake Up'
 I. 'Low Lite'
 I. 'Bravita'

[Tecophilaea King]

A couple more pics of the daffies, taken recently, notice they all face the same way towards the sun, north in our SH.
BTW: we're all getting sick and tired of all the rain over the last week.
Paul, could you please ask your weather god's to stop sending those low depressions accross the ditch?  

 Narcissus 'Bushtit'
 N.triandrus hybrid sdgs

[Lesley Cox]

I do like your 'Low Lite' Bill. One I must watch out for.

Here are 3 more, all rather the worse for several days of rain and very cold winds. I don't know the name of the yellow, It was supposed to be something quite different, but it is nice.

DB Iris query yellow.


MB Iris Sky Drops


DB Iris Scribe.

[Lesley Cox]

There are masses more little bearded irises to come and a few bigger ones as well, the result of the buying spree I had at the end of last year.

This is a very good form of Fritillaria affinis, from Ratko seed.


Scoliopus bigelovii showing its spotted leaves for the first time in 10 years!


And a long time favourite, Caltha palustris alba. I had this many years from Jack Drake seed originally then lost it when we moved here and it didn't like lifting and potting at the wrong time. I was able to buy 2 plants a  little over a year ago, my first attempt at buying plants over the Internet from a reasonably nearby nursery. I'm pleased to see it is setting seed.

[Paul T]

Bill,

Don't bellyache about too much rain.  If you stopped stealing OUR rain you wouldn't have the problem.  While we've had a little, we are still very dry and way below average, so please send all that rain back to us and keep your greedy mitts off it. 

[Tecophilaea King]

This time a few pics of Herbertia a genus from South America.
Herbertia pulchella has flowers in shades varying between blue and purple with a central white stripe and variable spotting.
Herbertia quareimana is another beautiful species with colourful markings.
The last photo is of a delightful selected form out of a batch of Herbertia pulchella seedlings.

[Lesley Cox]

That's a very fine form the last one Bill. I'm all the more hopeful therefore, of a "best, selected form" of the same species which was sent to me as seed from Buenos Aires. It has germinated so well and the young ones are growing on quickly.

[Paul T]

Wow Bill, that last one is a cracker.  Great colour.  The middle one is very similar to H. lahue isn't it?

[Tecophilaea King]

Wow Bill, that last one is a cracker.  Great colour.  The middle one is very similar to H. lahue isn't it?

Yes Herbertia lahue is the most commonly grown species, often under a variety of incorrect names, including Alophia drummondii and often confused with the true Herbertia pulchella. Its attractive flowers are lavender-blue with deeper violet blotches at their base. Hope this makes sence, and explains the mixup at times.

[Paul T]

Wow Bill, that last one is a cracker.  Great colour.  The middle one is very similar to H. lahue isn't it?

Yes Herbertia lahue is the most commonly grown species, often under a variety of incorrect names, including Alophia drummondii and often confused with the true Herbertia pulchella. Its attractive flowers are lavender-blue with deeper violet blotches at their base. Hope this makes sence, and explains the mixup at times.

So what are the differences between lahue and your quariemana?  I'll definitely keep an eye out for pulchella.  Marcus, you listening?  

[Hristo]

Stunning stuff from south of the equator guys! Great plants and photos!
Lesley, must ask, 10 years with S.bigelovii leaves without spots? Any theories? 

[Lesley Cox]

Yes Chris, a theory tested and proved - and one I'm ashamed of, in that my eyes/memory haven't been working properly. I went back to the pics I'd taken over the last 2 or 3 years and there they are, spotted as well as they are now.

[Maggi Young]

The thing about Scolipus bigelowii leaves is that they are only spotted when the leaves are very young. As they mature, the spots fade out, leaving the leaves plain green, so that could be a reason for thinking yours were spotless!!