November 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Ragged Robin]

Iris chrysographes (the black iris) is another stunning plant and one of my favourites.

Bill, this iris is absolutely stunning, so dark, so full of deep colour but with higher tones still retaining the wonderful flowing shape - a a solitary specimen its fantastic and I wonder how effective it would be in a group?

[Lesley Cox]

Lesley, is this still your current postal address? How old is this label?
Drop me a PM for your current postal address please?

I guess the label is about 12 years old Bill and though we live in the same place, the road number is different. I'l email you. Wow! did I charge $12 for a weldenia back then? A bit less now.

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, Thank you for showing all these stunning Spiloxene species.
New to me that the genus is found in Australia and NZ also.
Do they need a dry resting periode?  Gerd

Sorry about the delay Gerd, have been away with the campervan for the weekend, fishing ann relaxing along the beach.
Anyway, we normally dry the Calochortus off, tip the containers, sort, clean and store the corms in a cool and dry place, and plant them again in the autumn when the soil cools down.

[Tecophilaea King]

I guess the label is about 12 years old Bill and though we live in the same place, the road number is different. I'l email you. Wow! did I charge $12 for a weldenia back then? A bit less now.

Don't worry about the price Lesley, must have been worth that 12 years ago, I was just joking and reminiscing with the old label.
BTW: send off your little parcel with a few small plants of Wachendorfia thyrsiflora, by fast post
Should arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. Please let us know when they arrive safe and in good health.
Price-list is coming, my wife broke her wrist, and is still in plaster, and I am hopeless in the office  
No jokes please  

[Tecophilaea King]

Its that time of the season when the calochortus are flowering again.
There is considerable diversity among the species, and most have exacting requirements for succesful cultivation.
It is important to know the natural habitat of a particular species, so that its cultural requirements may be determined.
Calochortus venustus, sometimes called the mariposa tulip is diverse and beautiful species.
The range of flower colour includes shades of pink, red, cerise, scarlet, gold, cream, lavender and bronze with various markings.
Calochortus luteus, is known variously as gold nuggets and yellow mariposa.
It is similar to Cal. venustus and has similar requirements.

[Tecophilaea King]

OK, two more, beautiful, not so well known Calochortus species.
Calochortus tolmiei and Calochortus momophyllus.

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, this iris is absolutely stunning, so dark, so full of deep colour but with higher tones still retaining the wonderful flowing shape - a a solitary specimen its fantastic and I wonder how effective it would be in a group?

Robin, a group of these magnificent black iris I imagine would be spectacular, I will have to wait till they clump up.
Thanks for your interest, most appreciated.

[angie]

Bill
Thanks for sharing more of your amazing plants, How I would love to live in New Zealand and be able to grow all of your plants.
Sorry to hear your wife has broken her wrist
Angie

[Gerdk]

Bill, Thank you for showing all these stunning Spiloxene species.
New to me that the genus is found in Australia and NZ also.
Do they need a dry resting periode?  Gerd

Sorry about the delay Gerd, have been away with the campervan for the weekend, fishing ann relaxing along the beach.
Anyway, we normally dry the Calochortus off, tip the containers, sort, clean and store the corms in a cool and dry place, and plant them again in the autumn when the soil cools down.

Bill, that doesn`t matter -  unbelievable during our cold and foggy november days - I would like I could change hemisphere for 3 months.
Although your Calachortus are just as nice and interesting as the Spiloxene please let me know whether the last ones need a resting periode too.

Gerd

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Your Calochortus' look just as stunning as all your other postings Bill !
 

[Lesley Cox]

There's no doubt that Calochortus with their often tall, thin stems, look best en masse.

[Lesley Cox]

Four pics this morning, the first a Miniature Tall Bearded iris (Table iris) called 'New Idea' and I think this will be a very good variety as in the first place the foliage is very healthy, and the two stems on this new plant will have about 10 flowers. The foliage is short so the flowers are well above it and the flowers have something of the look of the regelia hybrid 'Vera' though I don't think there is any aril breeding here.





Something completely different. This little plants hangs on year by year but tends to die off in small patches. It is lovely though, Asperula nitida puberula.



And the annual pic of Ranunculus parnassifolius, a few more blooms each year. I'm hoping for some more seed as well. The first is in flower still in its seed pot, from 2007. Just one came through then a lot more came up in 2008 which is why I didn't disturb the first one.

[Stephen Vella]

Lesley nice Ranunculus parnassifolius

[Luc Gilgemyn]

And the annual pic of Ranunculus parnassifolius,

We shall never get bored of it Lesley ... and I bet Mr Buttercup won't either ! 

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, Although your Calachortus are just as nice and interesting as the Spiloxene please let me know whether the last ones need a resting periode too.   Gerd

Gerd, wheather they are the winter or summer flowering Calochortus species, I treat them the same as most other bulbs, as a rule they all appreciate a dormant dry, cool storage spell during the hottest part of the summer, before planting again in the autumn when the soil cools down, after which the cooler soil will trigger the bulbs in making rapid root growth again.