December 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[cohan]

Cohan,

I try to stick to mm in sizes and rainfall here, but in this case I thought that the traditional inches worked as a measure to aim for as "more than" (if you know what I mean).  Saying that the last time we'd had "more than 50mm" just didn't have the same ring to it as "more than 2 inches".  It was actually a deliberate choice.

deliberately mixed up --much better
official precip statistics here are in mm and cm, but rarely have i heard anyone use those in conversation, for either rain or snow..
...in many years of hairdressing(all of them well after our supposed conversion), i had exactly one client ever who referred to the amount of hair she wanted removed in cm!

[Tecophilaea King]

A few days ago, just before Chrismas, Lesley kindly send me a very nice, healthy plant of Weldenia candida.
No need to say I was pleased to once more own this treasure, since I unfortunetly lost mine.
After careful unpacking, I did repot in a bigger container to allow for future increase.
Anyway, I gave it a drink and  I put the plant away in a safe place in the nursery.
Imagine my surprise and delight, when checking the plant after 2 days, the Weldenia had produced this beautiful display, this late in the season.
Lesley, any idea or explanation why this Weldenia all of a sudden exploded in this unexpected, magnificent spectacle? 

[Maggi Young]

A real treat indeed, Bill.

I can only think that Lesley had kept the plant on the dry side, to prepare for its journey and when it got a new pot and some water, it decided to have a celebration.
Must have not fully finished its quota of flowers and is making the most of the situation... what a lovely thing a Weldenia is!

[Casalima]

Such a stunning plant!
Congratulations Bill and Lesley!

[Tecophilaea King]

Its freezzzzzzzzzzzzzzing here in Scotland.
Angie

Angie, why don't you join us for a swim along the the beach, a balmy, sunny day, 28 deg. C.
Christmas in Tauranga, New Zealand.

[David Nicholson]

OK Bill, don't rub it in

[mark smyth]

Looks very nice

[angie]

Thanks Bill I am feeling warmer already
Lovely picture of Weldenia Candida.
In my next life please, please may I be born in a warmer place.
 
Angie

[cohan]

OK Bill, don't rub it in

yep, that was definitely a rub..

[Lesley Cox]

I'm pleased the Weldenia is behaving nicely Bill. Yes, it was on the dry side as everything is here (less than 2mm of rain for me over the last week ) and another I have exactly the same size from the same dividing, has only remains from a week ago. So a bit of TLC has been beneficial. It looks to have the beginnings of new shoots at the side so those will be more flowering noses for next year

[Paul T]

Lesley,

What is the longest you go between rain, and then how much do you usually get?  What is your yearly average rainfall?

[Tecophilaea King]

Erythrina crista-galli (aka Cockspur, Fireman's Cap Tree, Brazillian Coral Tree)
One of the most striking of the flowering coral trees, this species is a common ornamental in some parts of the world, roundly appreciated for its bright red, profuse blooms.

The beautiful red flower, born en masse during warm months, have a sort of pea flower-like look to them

[Tecophilaea King]

A barrowload of petunia's in my neighbour's garden always make a nice welcome splash of colour on the terrace..

[Lesley Cox]

The Erythrina is superb Bill. Is this in your garden? I planted one once in Timaru but it was too frosty for it and it died.

Paul, those are hard questions to answer because every year seems different. The yearly average is dropping each year as another year is added, if you see what I mean. Dunedin city gets about 1000mm per year but here, just 18km from the city centre but over a climate-changing hill (Saddle Hill) we get half that, a mere 500 or so. Most is in winter and spring with summer very dry and autumn usually dry too, but not always. At this time of year and especially after the longest day, there may be a month or 2 or 3 months with no rain at all. Sometimes we get sea fog which helps but not much. (We live in a dip between two hills and the fog pours over the dip. We are just about 1 km from the coast as the seagull flies.) We here are lucky to get 10mm in any decent rain and I long for the days when I lived in Timaru up the coast and we'd have 3 days of easterly rain which set the garden up for months to come. It just doesn't happen now. The whole east coast of NZ even as far south as you can go, seems to be in almost perpetual drought mode over the last 12-15 years.

[Tecophilaea King]

The Erythrina is superb Bill. Is this in your garden? I planted one once in Timaru but it was too frosty for it and it died.

Yes this deciduous Erythrina is a very colourful small tree in our garden and easily raised from seed from the bean like seedpods, freely produced after flowering. The current growth that produce the flowers, usually dies right back during winter, and have to be pruned back to the base, to sprout new shoots once again in the spring.
Yes, I agree it is frost tender, and usually confined to the warmer or frost-free coastal areas.
Lesley, if you would like to try again, I might have some seed available later.