October 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

A few things in flower now. Then I'd better go and do something outside, and take advantage of a lovely mild day, 21C while it lasts. More rain is forecast.


This myosotis is from Louise and Peter Salmond, the parents believed to be MM. uniflora, a tiny flowered pale yellow cushion, and capitata, the gorgeous blue from the islands of the southern ocean.


Myosotis (as) cheesemannii. David Lyttle thinks this is incorrect and this plant may not even be described yet. I should be able to do a better pic later with more flowers. The foliage goes very dark brown.


Carduncellus rhaponticoides. The grey foliage among it is Salvia chamaedryoides, a beautiful but overly vigorous blue shrublet.


A strawberry called 'Lipstick' but I'm trying to persuade Cliff that it is Potentilla nitida rubra.


A Pacific Coast hybrid iris with good colour


This may be Primula sino-purpurea. It's certainly in the Section Nivales. The stem is abut 30cms tall.


Ramonda serbica

[t00lie]

Weldenia candida

Ross, that's a very nice Weldenia candida you got there, one of my favourite plants.
To see your Weldenia in flower, made me rush out and check my plant, and was very disappointed and mad to have lost it, to cold and wet during the winter, I presume.

Bill
You have visited the garden here, so you'll have an idea of the shady cool conditions prevalent and being an ex Southlander you'll certainly know what the weather throws at us ,however like Lesley i grow Weldenia o/s with out any protection.Surprisingly they do well and flower in various positions, even in one spot of half shade which receives less than 4 hours sun currently.

As an experiment i've just taken a cutting this morning off the side of one of my clumps.Wasn't sure whether to put it in a 'hooped' plastic bag to give high humidity however our spring has been wet, wet, wet, i'll not bother.
 
Will be interesting to see the result.

Cheers dave.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

The Weldenia here is growing and multiplying well all by itself without any cuttings or anything.  I think it originally came from you, via a few hands in the meantime.... and into mine thanks to Otto.  It has done so well that I have divided it up last year, giving away a couple of pieces to other people to pass on the generosity.  Mine are each at least 3 shoots in their pots at the moment, with buds becoming visible.  None actually up yet, but you can see the whole mechanism sitting there waiting to put up a little piece of white perfection!!    With the heat we have here at the moment the flower will probably only last 15 minutes however.... over 30'C here today.    Yukko.

[Lesley Cox]

Dave that looks more like an unrooted division rather than a cutting which I do from the new growth in autumn. As you say, it will be intersting to see how that one goes but by doing it at this time you are probably sacrificing the flowers on that piece. Also, I'd go for a deeper pot and bury it up to where the green starts.

[Lesley Cox]

Mine aren't in flower yet either Paul but will be just a couple of days I should thing. They are stemless of course and that long tube developes literally overnight so it all happens very quickly.

I'd never bother with cuttings if it were not for the nursery where I want more than half a dozen but otherwise, division gives enough with the mature plant falling into pieces if I dig in in very early spring (August).

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, apart from one of the best plantsmen I know whose nursery staff put his winter pot under a dripping guttering, you are the only person I know to have lost one of my Weldenias. Shame on you.  Having said that I can certainly let you have another but not until next spring when I'll have another big one to divide. I may also do a few cuttings this coming autumn. A couple of months ago I sent all my little ones to new homes in the northern hemisphere where they are beginning to flower now. And I'm infinitely bribable.

It's interesting and facinating to hear all the various comments and methodes used (especially Lesley's stem cuttings) of propagating and growing this exquisite treasure from all over the world.
Yes I was annoyed and mad with myself professionally, to have lost the Weldenia after so many years of successful growing and showing.
Whatever the reason, I still blame a prolonged, wet and waterlogged cold winter as the main problem. A hard, expensive and valuable lesson learned.
I got my original plant from Stewart Preston the Trillium King, but presume most of the established Weldenia plants must have come from you all those years.
Lesley I am not sure whether you or Stewart Preston told me about the dryish storage requirements/advice for the Weldenia when dormant, either way I am keen and determinate to try again, can't wait and look forward to your generous offer of replacing this charming, precious plant.
BTW:what kind of potting mix would you recommend? What are you using? Would acid or alkaline fertilizer in the potting mix make any difference?

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill   You have visited the garden here, so you'll have an idea of the shady cool conditions prevalent and being an ex Southlander you'll certainly know what the weather throws at us ,however like Lesley i grow Weldenia o/s with out any protection.Surprisingly they do well and flower in various positions, even in one spot of half shade which receives less than 4 hours sun currently.
Cheers dave.

Dave, thanks for your valuable advice, I will be more careful with the growing/storage conditions next time.
If you ever would like to try out some of our (common or exotic?) bulbs, you'd be more than welcome.