October 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Ray]

A few things flowering here now bye Ray

[Ragged Robin]

Ray, you are lucky!  Such lovely flowering things with you, Muscari comosum alba caught my eye and the little gladiolus, thanks.

[Tecophilaea King]

I frequently use Kohlein's book Bill and think highly of it in general. Mathew 1, Kohlein 2, Waddick/Zhao Iris of China 3.
And if you don't have it already, you MUST get Janis Ruksans' "Buried Treasures."

Yes I've heard of this famous, very knowledgeable person and would love to get hold of his 'Buried Treasure'.
Any idea where I can purchage a copy of this book?
And I like that black violet as well, take a few more cuttings Lesley, would love to try it when you get more plants in the future.
Could you also send us your postal address by PM please?

[Michael J Campbell]

Bill,you will find it here.

http://www.amazon.com/Buried-Treasures-Finding-Growing-Choicest/dp/0881928186

[Tecophilaea King]

Today the weather has improved a lot, mainly sunny, with a balmy temp. of 20 dec C. good for taking more pictures.
The Leucocoryne species from South America, commonly known as glory of the sun, have scented long-lasting flowers which are
very good for picking. They are ideal for pots and containers, growing in the winter months and flowering in spring.

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill,you will find it here.
http://www.amazon.com/Buried-Treasures-Finding-Growing-Choicest/dp/0881928186

Thanks Michael, I go and have a look.

[Tecophilaea King]

Two more little charming little Iris species that I bought at the flee market yesterday, and of couse no names.
Any idea what they could be Lesley? Paul keeps telling us that you are the expert on the Irisses. Is that true? 
Thanks anyway.

[daveyp1970]

Ray that Ixia is simply stunning love the gladys as well

[Tecophilaea King]

A few more of the colourful Babiana species putting up a nice display, all are spring flowering.

[ranunculus]

Leucocoryne species to die for, Bill ... many thanks for posting.

[Paul T]

Ray,

That Ixia monodelpha is a cracker.  If you can spare a corm at the end of the season, or it sets seed and you have a couple spare, please think of me fondly!    Just love the markings.

Is anyone growing Ixia rouxii?  I mentioned it somewhere on the forum recently..... I so want to track it down again.  Huge black centre to it, but I lost it all one year and it never set seed for me.  I've never seen it again but would love to get it.  Ixias are VERY cool!    I've take photos of some of mine, but haven't prepared them for posting yet.

Gorgeous Leucocoryne and Babianas Bill.  I have purpurea and vittata about to flower here, but nothing like the display of them that you have of course.  Excellent pictures as always.  As to your irises..... the yellow is one of the Pacific Coast hybrids I would imagine, it's definitely one of the complex anyway.

[Maggi Young]

And if you don't have it already, you MUST get Janis Ruksans' "Buried Treasures."

Yes I've heard of this famous, very knowledgeable person and would love to get hold of his 'Buried Treasure'.
Any idea where I can purchage a copy of this book?

Bill, I think David Shaw might have the book in stock in the SRGC Bookshop, for £27 plus postage.... you can email him @ delftshaws(AT)hotmail.com     

[cohan]

more wonders!
ray--looks like you have a lot of choice little species--love that Glad-roseum, i think it was!
bill--some of those Babianas look like colour altered photos!
lesley--i'd missed your post with the black viola, but everyone kept mentioning it, so i had to go look--its really black!
 i have a group of tricolors that have popped up where the only other viola (besides wild ones!) within 100m (and a house between) is a V labradorica (not the real one, the european impostor that gerd mentioned, i've forgotten the name) and its not in an old bed, its a spot i dug sod on this summer... could the labradorica (also new) have crossed with something at the nursery and spawned these perfect little tricolors?

[Lesley Cox]

Bill, both little irises are Pacific Coasters, the yellow almost certainly a nice form (selection) of I. innominata, perhaps bred up a little. The second has wider foliage so probably has some douglasiana in it. There are super dwarf forms of douglasiana, some only 15 cms high. I have a nice one a bit taller and just beginning to bud up now. The colour is the same as yours but the petals a bit wider. Pic below. You can have some fresh seed later if you like.

[Lesley Cox]

Bill, to meet Janis you should be looking at the crocus topics. Start with Crocus October 2009.