South African bulbose plants 2009

[cohan]

Not really,just the usual garden centre stuff. To be honest I was afraid to buy anything because of the risk of introducing virus into my collection.
As a rule I don't buy the dutch trade stuff anymore.

well, then, that gives purpose to the discipline!

[Lesley Cox]

I went into my local garden centre today and they still had their full range of Autumn bulbs  for sale ,all with a 50% reduction in price. I viewed all 150 boxes carefully, and left without making a purchase. How is that for discipline?.

Better than our garden centres then Michael. They were still offering autumn bulbs (i.e. to plant in autumn) a month ago, mid spring, and not a CENT off the original price. Some would have been OK, Glad. nanus forms, some late Lachenalias et al.

[fermi de Sousa]

This is a gladdie which was grown from Silverhill seed as G. grandiflorus.


Here's a better pic of Babiana spathacea,


This is a little one called Ixia rouxii


The ixia I grew as I monadelpha turned out to be missing the dark central zone


This moraea was a volunteer in a pot from a bulb grower who says it's most likely to be M. gracilenta,


And finally, Chincherinchees, Ornithogalum thyrsoides,

looking a bit better than it did last year.
cheers
fermi

[Susan Band]

Fermi, stop this,
I will be growing broke by the time I have ordered seed of all the lovely things you keep showing us. I already have most of silverhills Gladiolus germinated and am considering a buying a new tunnel specially for SA bulbs. Unfortunately they will never be as glorious as the ones you have been showing us due to our lack of summer sun, that's if they survive the winter.
Susan

[ranunculus]

Wonderful plants, Fermi ... the Moraea is especially nice. Many thanks for posting.

[cohan]

great stuff--i love the views of your garden--esp the silvery plants against those wonderful red rocks!

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Could you please set some seed for me on the Ixia rouxii?  I've mentioned earlier in this topic that I have been trying to find it again.  I just love the dark eye zone.  I also love that little volunteer Moraea of yours, nice markings/shadings.  The white Ixia without the eyezome looks to me like one of the Ixia polystachya.  Do you have others of that species?  Mine are a few days off, not much more than that, and I have a white like that, 'Baby Blue Eyes' (white with a blue eye) and some "pastel" ones from a friend in WA which come from white through to mauve with purplish eyes of various intensities.  I have seed (very old, but still extremely viable last time I checked) from the originals sent from WA if you'd like some.  I'll post some pics of them within the next few days I would imagine, given this heat.

And that little Gladiolus is gorgeous.  Not one I recall ever hearing of before, but that isn't really that surprising with how many Gladdies there are.    Thanks for the excellent pics.  

[angie]

Hi Fermi
Love the pictures   , My favorite was Ixia Rouxii, but would love to have them all.
Angie

Susan
Stop considering the polytunnel for the SA bulbs, we need some- one with your experience in Scotland to grow these plants that we can get supplies here.
Wouldn't that be a dream for me .
Angie

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful show Fermi !! 
Thanks for making us drool every now and then... 

[Lesley Cox]

Keep them coming Fermi, a real treat for me too. I've only had a few south Africans over the years but will try more as the garden grows a bit and I may get to invest in a small glass house soon. I love the little Gladiolus species and it's worth mentioning that many are deliciously perfumed too, not only the night-scented G. tristis.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely stuff Fermi.

[Lesley Cox]

I have this little (assumed) Gladiolus in bud and I await with great interest to see what it will be like as I've no idea where it came from or what it is. The pot label said Anemone blanda! Needless to say, there will be a pic in due course. It is just 30cms high.

[Maggi Young]

I have this little (assumed) Gladiolus in bud and I await with great interest to see what it will be like as I've no idea where it came from or what it is. The pot label said Anemone blanda! Needless to say, there will be a pic in due course. It is just 30cms high.

        Oooh, a surprise Glad...... or even a Glad surprise..... I love surprises like this!

[Lesley Cox]

You're beginning to sound like Pollyanna Maggi.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I have been watching this little stem come up on a volunteer (obviously in the recycled potting mix) in my crocus garden..... I'd messed with the flower and knew it was red, but that was it.  It finally opened yesterday and was Gladiolus cardinalis, with just a single flower on the stem that was 15cm tall, if that.  As the crocus garden is all pretty much into dormancy now there isn't any watering going on, so it obviously miniaturised in the conditions as the species normally flowers well over 60 or 70cm with lots of flowers per stem (they've just started flowering in other parts of the garden).  I hope yours isn't just an escapee 'Blushing Bride' that is a bit smaller because it is in a pot.  Then again, 'Blushing Bride' may not be the common almost thug for you that it is here.  Brilliant flowering from them for me this year in one spot in my garden, over a metre tall.  Normally they don't get that tall.  Nice to see them at their peak to remind me of why they are very nice in the garden, instead of the periodic weeding out of them that I do in some areas where the corms seem to get spread around by birds very easily.

Good luck with you little unknown being something very special.