November 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lvandelft]

Luit,
thanks for that info; I didn't realise it wasn't around over there - are there other brown coloured ones? When I was young I used to buy the bags of "Mixed Dutch iris" in the hope of getting a brown coloured flower like it showed on the picture on the pack! Only ever go blues and yellows!

cheers
fermi

Fermi, there are two newer brownish Dutch Irises and I think Tiger Eye will be in trade at many places in the world.
Iris hollandica Lion King
Iris hollandica Tiger Eye ( or Eye of the Tiger) which I showed both in the Weekly Lisse Show thread.

[t00lie]

Thanks Angie

The Moraea sets plenty of seed  --should grow okay in a glasshouse if kept dryish over winter.
Suggest send me a PM if interested.

Ps --great meeting up with you in person the 'other day'

Cheers dave.

[kiwi]

Another rainy day has canned a planned trip into the mountains, maybe tomorrow.
At least its a good reason to post some garden shots...

Clianthus puniceus the white form looks great against my native backdrop.
Anaphalioides bellidioides.
Carmichaelia nana flowering in pots and trough at present.
Iris 'coal bucket' a stunning dark flower.
Dianthus 'lionrock' in my daughters trough.

[fermi de Sousa]

We had the great pleasure of hearing Ian Christie speak at the FCHS Rock Garden Group meeting on Saturday.
His pics of the nursery and garden at home were great - especially the blue poppies!
Afterwards we got a pic of Ian, Les Worsley the FCHS President and me in the FCHS garden,
cheers
fermi

[Otto Fauser]

Dear Maggi , another photo of the 'Scottish Rocker' . Ian and Ann send their best wishes . We showed them several gardens up here in the Dandenong Ranges and they were amazed at the variety of plants we can grow successfuly . Before Ian's lecture to the Ferny Creek Hort. Soc . they had lunch at my home (see pic) and I also took Ian to a friend's garden , Shirley Carne, whose garden is devoted to Australian native plants only. -of great interest and joy to Ian - his camera went into overdrive . No doubt he will post many photos ,also of New Zealand , where they will spend the next 2 weeks .

[Maggi Young]

Otto, and Fermi, it is good to see you are making such a fine job of looking after our dear Ann and Ian of the Christie kind... they are precious souls and deserve it, of course! I don't doubt they are having a wonderful trip... we have seen some of the delights your gardens provide... and lunch looks every bit as outstanding!! 

[Tecophilaea King]

I couldn't help myself of posting one more picture of this beautiful Weldenia candida
Sanguinaria canadensis f. multiplex the incomparable Double Bloodroot, without which no woodland garden is complete.
Cypella houthallii ssp.opalina, another rare species to complete the all white collection this time.

[fermi de Sousa]

Some real gems there, Bill.

Maggi,
it was great to see Ian of the Christie kind here in Oz (NZ is only missing a visit by Ian B. to complete the set!)
cheers
fermi

[angie]

Bill wonderful pictures. I really love the Weldenia Candida I was lucky enough to purchase the plant when I was at one of the big shows in England. I bought two in case one died on me. I keep them in the greenhouse.
Your Sanguinaria is also one of my favourites.
I just love white flowers.
Thanks for showing and please post more, cheers me up on a dreadful winters day.

Angie

[Paul T]

Angie,

The Weldenia actually multiply quite well.  My single one from a few years ago (Thanks again Otto) is now around 9, plus I have given pieces to a couple of people as well.  Much easier than I thought when I coddled it carefully the first couple of years...... I've even planted some of it in my garden now, which was a bit nerve-wracking.  The main clump in the pot has opened it's first 3 flowers for the year today.  Brilliant!!

[Maggi Young]

Maggi,
it was great to see Ian of the Christie kind here in Oz (NZ is only missing a visit by Ian B. to complete the set!)
cheers
fermi

 I think the Bainbridges have been to NZ, fermi..... a few years ago.

[angie]

Hi Paul
My Weldenia is being coddled,this usually this means I will kill it. I hope they do well in your garden. It is such a lovely flower.

Angie

[Lesley Cox]

A beautiful Cypella Bill, unlike any I've seen before. I always associate that genus with blue shades.

My Weldenias haven't started to flower yet. Everything is very late this year. Even some of the younger trees are only starting to leaf up; acers, gleditsias,and cercis in particular. I thought they were dead except that the stems were obvioulsy NOT dead. Leaves are just starting this week. I think they need a good soaking.

[Lesley Cox]

The Bainbridges were here, I think in the sumer of 1995-6 for the NZ version of next year's conference. I remember they were very interested in Dunedin's Royal Albatross colony. Although our little city has many fine buildings and other merits, it's best known, especially to overseas people for very non-city things, like the albatrosses, penguins, seals etc.

[Lesley Cox]

I meant to add Bill, that I have a few seeds, still green yet, on your Trop. azureum. They will be sown VERY fresh in due course.