October 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[John Kitt]

Thought this little Chocolate lily (Dichopogon strictus) flowering for me at present might be of interest.  I think it 's a sweetie.

[Maggi Young]

Very nice, John .... for all sorts of reasons! 

This is another of these plants which suffer under name changes.... the PBS still has it under Arthropodium strictum  on this page:
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Arthropodium ..... where we can see that there is even argument over which family it belongs to. 

[John Kitt]

Thanks for that info Maggi.
I will change the label. I can confirm that your info is correct (as if I would have the temerity to doubt).
University of Tasmania has an index of Vascular Plants which suggests the changes in nomenclature is relatively recent. So now I need to check other Tasmanian plant names for accuracy.
Aside from all that, it is a joy to see it bloom.

[Maggi Young]

John, there are as many folks opting for one  name as the other....taxonomy is SUCH an inexact pursuit.... as many opinions as there are days in the week ! 

[Paul T]

Ah, but how many days there are in a week is open to negotiation!!  An advert recently on TV for the show "Beauty and the Geek" featured one lovely blonde lass who said something along the lines of...... "I had 4 boyfriends at one stage.  One for each day of the week!"  So there are obviously only 4 days in the week, as the television said so.    I mean we all know that everything on the television is true and to be believed... don't we? 

Needless to say, I didn't watch the TV show.  I think I'd rather swallow razorblades.  

OK, I'll stop digressing now.

[Tecophilaea King]

This beautiful Alstroemeria pelegrina alba add an exotic touch to any garden and a refined look to any flower arrangement with their pure white colour and intricately marked flowers.

[Tecophilaea King]

OK, one more picture of this little charmer, Iris lacustris alba

[Tecophilaea King]

Ah, but how many days there are in a week is open to negotiation!!  An advert recently on TV for the show "Beauty and the Geek" featured one lovely blonde lass who said something along the lines of...... "I had 4 boyfriends at one stage.  One for each day of the week!"  So there are obviously only 4 days in the week, as the television said so.    I mean we all know that everything on the television is true and to be believed... don't we?  

Needless to say, I didn't watch the TV show.  I think I'd rather swallow razorblades. 

Paul, I believe you this time, but don't lie again  

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, fantastic Hippeastrum and photo.

Also, your Iris cristata flower looks particularly dark color, is the color accurate?  Is it a named form of I. cristata?  Looks to be a very good form.

Mark, this Iris cristata is one plant with this colour and flowering for the first time that I selected from a batch of seedlings, grown from seed from our own NZ Iris Society seed pool, and hopefully will retain this good form.

[fleurbleue]

Alstroemeria peregrina alba is a pure beauty Bill !

[Paul T]

Ah, but how many days there are in a week is open to negotiation!!  An advert recently on TV for the show "Beauty and the Geek" featured one lovely blonde lass who said something along the lines of...... "I had 4 boyfriends at one stage.  One for each day of the week!"  So there are obviously only 4 days in the week, as the television said so.    I mean we all know that everything on the television is true and to be believed... don't we?  

Needless to say, I didn't watch the TV show.  I think I'd rather swallow razorblades. 

Paul, I believe you this time, but don't lie again  

Bill,

Just the thought of the show is nauseating.  I just don't understand why people like to embarrass themselves on national (international!) television. 

Maybe the razorblades was a bit harsh...... but only a bit.

[Lesley Cox]

These plants are out at present here in the south. We've had occasional beautifully warm days, and many more chilly, even miserable days. Not the nicest spring. Today started warm but by lunchtime has turned very cold with fog rolling in off the sea.

These first ones are in a raised bed which is badly in need of refurbishment and weeding. It surprises me that everything seems to come through the cover of weeds. This Dactylorhiza maculata is itself a seedling, blown in from elsewhere. It flowered last year and will soon put up another stem. I see I have around 50 in various places to lift and pot for later sale.


Haberlea rhodopensis virginalis is at an odd angle for a photo, so is sort of sideways.


Haberlea ferdinandi-coburgi is at the base of a trough in one of the very few cool spots I have. Planted just before the winter it is doing well.


This little native clematis is hiding its light inside Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon,' another "seeder arounder" here.


Iris lacustris is, in effect, a smaller version of Iris cristata.


I love this little Rhododendron 'Oban' but can't capture the true colour which has a touch of terra cotta in the pink. One of Peter Cox's little gems.

[Lesley Cox]

A favourite for total reliability, very free flowering and generosity with seed, as well as sheer beauty of course, is Lathyrus laxiflorus. It is never watered, in a hot trough which it totally fills now.


This odd little fritillaria, I have as F. ojaiensis, apparently closely related to F. affinis but the flowers - and they're very late - are just 1.5cms across, fully out. The inner markings are very pretty, red spotted on light yellow. These are the first flowers from seed, Jane McGary's I think.




And finally today, the first of my crevice troughs, with Daphne petraea 'Persebee' in flower. The other, is still in bud in a cooler place. This is the lanky one which was in my tunnel for quite a time. The plants to the right are seedlings of Degenia velebitica and the little mist of green immediately to the right of the daphne, is Campanula zoysii, come through the winter and actually beginning to move about. Saponarias are in bud as are Myosotis capitata and M. Hokonui. Pictures of those later.

[John Kitt]

Enjoyed the pics Lesley. Particularly like the Rhodo and the Daphne.

I have a Clematis which I bought as "Sweet Heart" some years back which I have previously noticed resembles the NZ one.

Do you think they are are the same?

[annew]

I enjoyed them too. The clematis/euphorbia combination is lovely.