May 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere.

[arillady]

I do love your Dianthus Fermi. When you see the old catalogues so many were available - how many are available now here in Australia? - not many. Marcus sent me a couple of bulbs of Arum pictum - I will look forward to flowers next year. Marcus seems to be having a one man fight ( not quite the right word) with Biosecurity in Tasmania. They keep tightening the import restrictions - especially Tasmania.

[Lesley Cox]

Very few of the "old" Dianthus here now either Pat though there are some more recent seedlings around which are to all intents and purposes the same, under different names. Fermi's flaked seedlings are probably based on the old 'Highland Fraser' of long ago.

[Maggi Young]

Talk of "old Cottage Pinks" made me think fondly of Mary McMurtrie a local artist and plantswoman who wrote and illustrated a book on the subject....a wonderful woman, still painting at 100 years old, she died in 2003... she visited the Aberdeen show in her last year.
http://haston.fireflyinternet.co.uk/sunhoney/books.html

[arillady]

Maggi I have Mary McMurtrie's Scots Roses book which I love for the illustrations.
Oh wow a book on pinks too.

[Tecophilaea King]

With winter nearly upon us, it might be strange to welcome a few species of the Narcissi family, especially the early flowering "hoop petticoat" Narcissus cantabricus, which can be very variable with several subspecies, and not to forget the little, charming, scented Narcissus viridiflorus, the green flowering autumn species, always a delight to grow in a container, permeating its intoxicating perfume all around the nursery.

[Tecophilaea King]

Lesley, while we're on the subject of the beautiful Weldenia candida, when do you start taking those cuttings, do you wait until dormant, or split them up green, like Dave showed us in his posting?
I would like to have a go with the Weldenia you send me, and like to know where I can find your posting regarding that method. Any other tips?

[Maggi Young]

Some useful Forum links for you re Weldenia:

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=295.0   thread subject: Weldenia candida

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3510.msg94862#msg94862   : this thread includes Lesley's AGS Bulletin article .

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=474.msg13106#msg13106 :  splitting merntioned

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4103.0  : switching hemispheres

[cohan]

With winter nearly upon us, it might be strange to welcome a few species of the Narcissi family, especially the early flowering "hoop petticoat" Narcissus cantabricus, which can be very variable with several subspecies, and not to forget the little, charming, scented Narcissus viridiflorus, the green flowering autumn species, always a delight to grow in a container, permeating its intoxicating perfume all around the nursery.

the green is fascinating! a good one for someone often not a fan of narcissus....

[fredg]

I've never seen Narcissus viridiflorus before, very interesting 

[Lesley Cox]

Hi Bill, the links Maggi gave will probably tell you everything you need to know, but since I'm here, I take stem cuttings right now or a little earlier, as soon as there is obviously new growth from the main greenery. The new is lighter coloured and a little finer leaved. It usually starts after some decent autumn rain, which we in Otago haven't had this year but I've watered enough to make a few new shoots. Take them with a node (not easily seen) and keep them green as long as possible so they can callus before dying off. They should come though again about October. I do mine into dampish gritty sand with some potting mix underneath.

I divide a bigger plant toward the end of dormancy, say August/Sept. Once lifted and if not too old, it usually just falls into separate pieces.

[Tecophilaea King]

Some useful Forum links for you re Weldenia:

Thanks Maggi, as always vigilant and on the ball.

Lesley, thanks for the tips, what about tissue culture, my neighbour (Orchid grower) has got a laboratory ?

[Lesley Cox]

I hadn't thought of it associated with tissue culture Bill. Good Lord, we might start seeing it in the garden centres next!

[james willis]

Thank you for the photo of narcissus viridiflora, not always the most photogenic of plants but always fascinating.  I kept three bulbs for four years which I flowered twice but last year they just vanished off the face of the earth leaving not a trace behind them - as the song has it, "I should have loved you better"- but I will be trying again.

[Tecophilaea King]

After some welcome, overdue rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning and a few heavy semi-tropical downpours over the weekend, all of a sudden most of the (recently planted) dormant container bulbs made good growth and pushing up above the surface, waiting and in anticipation of the spring to come in the near future.
Already, a few charming species like Polyxena ensifolia and Polyxena paucifolia  could not wait, displaying their floral delight, with more bulbs to come, hopefully to start off another successful upcoming season.

[ashley]

Both lovely Bill.  Well grown and well photographed.