July 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill,  It has the look of a South African Micranthus sps ---maybe junceus .
Cheers dave.

Thanks Dave you're spot on, I googled it on the internet and came up with identical flowers of Micranthus junceus.
Another mystery solved, what would we do without our knowledgeable members and the internet.

[Paul T]

Very nice.  I love the floral arrangement.

[Lesley Cox]

Nearly had myself tied in a knot there, mixing Micranthus with Microtis, our little native green orchid. Also mixing Micranthus with Miscanthus. It is the beginning of the week after all.

[fermi de Sousa]

What's this peeking out from the dead iris foliage?


Here's another a bit clearer coming up in the gravel.

Sternbergia candida! Originally grown from seed by Otto Fauser a most generous friend!

Galanthus "Lady Beatrix Stanley"




And Galanthus "Comet" again,


cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

There's hope for my Sternbergia yet then. Still in bud I thought it was looking decidedly like a snowdrop. Still a few days to go.

[arillady]

Wow that is a nice Sternbergia Fermi.

[Tecophilaea King]

Sternbergia candida! Originally grown from seed by Otto Fauser a most generous friend!

That's a very nice Sternbergia candida Fermi, that's one species I haven't got, and would love to grow.
If anyone on the forum (from a New Zealand grower) have one to spare I would gladly pay or exchange for any other bulbs.

[Tecophilaea King]

Despite the frost, some of the early bulbs are on the move again, including some of the early miniatures.
This time I have a couple of the Androcymbium ciliolatum and Androcymbium pulchrum in flower, always welcome for something different.

[Tecophilaea King]

I also have a tiny, dainty miniature seedling flowering for the first time, I am very impressed with this seedling.
This is a Gypsy Queen X N.cyclamineus cross, the flower is barely an inch across, and hopefully fertile, a little treasure.

[angie]

Bill your Androcymbium ciliolatum is really lovely...another plant I have never seen before, like you say something different.

Angie

[Paul T]

Fermi,

I love the white Sternbergia.... tried it once and rotted it unfortunately.    Nice to see it from afar there though, knowing I can't kill it via the computer.  

Bill,

I love the Androcymbiums..... I am watching a pot (the only pot I have) of them that I think might have a bud in it..... can't recall the species, although the pulchrum sounds kind of familiar.  I'm looking forward to finally flowering it, as I have had it quite a few years from seed now and never got big enough to flower it until (hopefully) now.  Neglect hasn't sat kindly with it it would appear.    Congrats on the Daff seedling, it looks to be a beauty.

Thanks for the pics.

[cohan]

Despite the frost, some of the early bulbs are on the move again, including some of the early miniatures.
This time I have a couple of the Androcymbium ciliolatum and Androcymbium pulchrum in flower, always welcome for something different.

these are great! the word 'miniature' always catches my eye 

[Lesley Cox]

A delightful little Narcissus seedling Bill. Get your propagating boots on. N. cyclamineus is such a fine parent. This seedling is especially good because it increases very quickly, each flowering bulb splitting to 5 or 6 flowering bulbs each year.

[Paul T]

Wow, Lesley.  That's a cracker.  One of your own hybrids, or brought in from elsewhere?  Very, very nice.

[Lesley Cox]

It was one of a batch of seedlings from 'Gambus.' Most were just about identical to 'Gambus' so I assume were self-pollinated (this was "accidental" seed, I didn't pollinate or intend it). A few obviously had some cyclamineus in them (from some growing nearby) but this one was especially strong. The plant in flower is about 8 or 9cms high (a little more as it finishes and seeds, yes, it's fertile) and this pic is of ONE bulb, in its second year from being taken off the parent bulb, a full dozen flowers!