January 2011 - Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.

David,

They said on the news yesterday that the current 3 flooding rivers will affect an area of Queensland the size of the entire New South Wales (another state of Australia), which is approximately 800,000 km².  This is not all flooded at the same time, but will be affected as the floodwaters flow down these rivers.  NOT fun.

Trond,

Yes, Australia is an island, with a size of approximately 7.5 million km².  I think the "continent of Europe" is around 10 million km², and the United States has a total of around 9 million km², just to give you an idea of relative sizes.  We are physically the 6th largest country in the world, apparently.

[Hoy]

I know, and tiny Norway is 67. in the world and 6. in Europe (5. if you count the arctic region of Svalbard)

[cohan]

Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.

David,

They said on the news yesterday that the current 3 flooding rivers will affect an area of Queensland the size of the entire New South Wales (another state of Australia), which is approximately 800,000 km².  This is not all flooded at the same time, but will be affected as the floodwaters flow down these rivers.  NOT fun.

Trond,

Yes, Australia is an island, with a size of approximately 7.5 million km².  I think the "continent of Europe" is around 10 million km², and the United States has a total of around 9 million km², just to give you an idea of relative sizes.  We are physically the 6th largest country in the world, apparently.

more than all of alberta, at 661,185 sq km, 4th largest province in canada.. that's a lot of water, hope it passes with a minimum of damage we have no forumists in that region?

[Lesley Cox]

Latest I've heard is that Queensland's flooding is now three times as large as the whole of New Zealand! We can't imagine it here, with whole towns disappeared under water and countless millions and billions worth of animals and crops lost as well as housing and infrastructure. During our own recent earthquakes and mine disaster, so many Australians come across to help us. Apart from Civil Defence teams, I'm not sure what we can do in return but we certainly want to help in any way we can.

[Lesley Cox]

On a happier note, while my garden should be covered in flowers at present, it's not at all, except for a few roses and other oddments. But Tropaeolum ciliatum has been good - though it is a horrible weed - and Genista aetnensis is a wonderful, if somewhat straggly shrub whose flowers smell of a luscious fruit salad.

[Hoy]

Lesley, nice to see a well grown T ciliatum! I have one which barely flowers (too much shade I presume) and not weedy (I want it more weedy!).  I haven't tried G aetnensis but it looks worth trying!
Regarding flooding or earthquakes, I am glad we don't need to worry about such catastrophes here. If you look at the bright side: In Queensland they don't need worrying about bushfires for a while. . .

[fermi de Sousa]

Hoy!
With a sense of humour like that you could almost be Australian!

Here are a few things that have been in flower in our garden over the last  two weeks,
Calochortus macrocarpus from Seedex ?2004


Calochortus fimbriatus


Lilium "Silk Road" - an "Orient-pet"


A lovely climber, Clematis "Golden Tiara"






cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

I didn't realise that Calochortus would still be flowering this late in the season.  Wow!!  I too have 'Silk Road' flowering at present, but unfortunately after a dozen or so year I think my 'Golden Tiara' has gone to the great garden in the sky.    I loved it, so such a shame.  Another related one I used to have was Clematis tangutica, which I bought 15 or so year ago and have NEVER seen available since then.  Had the most fascinating coconut oil scent to it (smelt like the old tanning lotion!  ).

Great pics.

Lesley,

I rather like your Tropaeolum, weed or not.  I think that would be a very pretty weed to have in my garden.

[Paul T]

A few more things in flower here at the moment....

Crinum aff schmidtii
A native terrestrial orchid called Diplodium decurvum
Elisena longipetala
A Gerbera I have in flower at present.  I just love the colour blends.

[cohan]

A few more things in flower here at the moment....

Crinum aff schmidtii
A native terrestrial orchid called Diplodium decurvum
Elisena longipetala
A Gerbera I have in flower at present.  I just love the colour blends.

nice stuff, the orchid is very cool! is this a sun or shade loving plant?

[Paul T]

Cohan,

Most of the Pterostylis (which is what this used to be) are probably dappled shade, open woodland types of plants, edged of forest or amongst grasses types of things.  They don't tend to be out in the open I think, but a large grass tussock is enough shade to start the colony, and in some Pterostylis species the colony can end up metres across.  They're dormant in summer predominantly (obviously not this particular species) but vary according to species as to flowering from summer through to spring.  When they're dormant there is no sign above ground that they were there at all, just little round brown tubers underground.  Glad you liked it. 

[cohan]

thanks for the added info, paul..
i'm in a phase of thinking about potential indoor plants that i can grow in medium light conditions (that is, behind or beside the mostly cacti and succulents and few bulbs that are in front of windows) as opposed to endlessly trying to fit in more plants that all need full indoor light..lol..
so, anything 'woodland' or shade loving catches my eye (of course dappled sun outdoors is often full sun indoors), and i have been looking a bit at orchids again--just so pricey! but there actually are some interesting orchids available in canada unlike some other categories of plants!

[fermi de Sousa]

Here are a few more pics from our garden.
I've just been told that the place is inundated due to a cloudburst but at least it hasn't gotten into the house!
Hopefully some of these are still standing!
Lilium "Silk Road"


Lilium "X-Phi"


Mixed yellow trumpets ("Serendipity Mix" from Coal Creek Bulb Farm)


Kniphofia grown from seed from NARGS Seedex (ex Denver Bot Gardens) as K. porphyrantha




Habranthus martinezii


Now I'm off home to inspect the damage!
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Beautiful, Fermi.

I rather like the X-Phi, I'm assuming a henryii hybrid by the look of it?  Nice Kniphofia as well.  Is it as green as it looks in the pic?

[Paul T]

Here's a few more Lilium to add to yours above, Fermi.

A regale hybrid (I'm assuming hybrid, no idea really) with some nice back markings.

A lovely yellow trumpet set off by red Dahlias. 

Lilium henryi citrinus

Lilium 'Lady Alice'.  I just love the colour combination.

A photo of 'Silk Road', even though Fermi just posted one, because you can never have enough pics of something so beautiful!