Early spring in the Southern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

Cypella hauthallii subsp opalina (South America) I have included just to make Maggi jealous!

Well, it's working 

[SueG]

That Cypella would encourage envy in anyone - it's wonderful!
Sue

[David Nicholson]

I live in Pietermaritzburg, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal where our climate is relatively mild with minimum winter temperatures seldom falling much below 0 deg C for short spells of time. Winter days are sunny, dry and warm - summer days can be hot and humid which spells disaster for most alpine plants.

Rogan,

If you ever feel like importing rain I could export it in spades. Here on the South Western peninsular of England we get first go at all the bad weather our cousins in America send over the Atlantic, and if I don't get it first Mark in Northern Ireland and Paddy in Southern Ireland do.

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi Rogan,

Great to have you with us. Your postings from South Africa will certainly bring a fresh range of plants to all who visit the forum. Looking forward to more of your interesting plants. The cypella is an outstandlingly beautiful plant.

Paddy

[fermi de Sousa]

A few more iris and daff pics.
First, 2 views of Iris"Clairette", which I've been told is an I. bakeriana hybrid;
Then my favourite, "George";
Iris "Harmony"
Lastly, a narcissus which I got as a triandrus, but which is obviously a joquill, perhaps N. wilkommii, any comments?
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

You're definitely ahead of my garden, that is for sure.  I have the very first retic or two out, but that's all.  Our Eranthis here are over in some parts and only opening in other parts (of the same pot I might add.... go figure!!??).  Lots of different Hellebores of course, Prunus campanulata is opening, plus P. x bleiriana, first daffs etc.  Nothing near as advanced as you. 

Great to see your pics, although jealous of those large clumps of them.  Give mine a few years and they'll be the same! 

[Lesley Cox]

A full week with no sun but very cold windy weather or, like today, just cold. The thermometer at mid-day said 3degC. As a result, the crocuses aren't opening nor the snowdrops, and overall, I'm thoroughly sick of it.

A blurry pic to start with, of Nar. cyclamineus



Then another blurry, Iris reticulata `Pauline'



I don't know what this dark violet one is. Any suggestions? It is a misfit in a small patch of the light blue `Cantab'



And `Cantab'



Then `Harmony.' This is the little goup that were bought last year as I. danfordiae. I was able to replace them this year and according to others who also bought some, they actually ARE danfordiae this time. But not mine, the whole 15 rotted



Iris `Katharine Hodgkin' can't rival the big patches from the northern hemisphere but she's coming along all right.

[Lesley Cox]

Then, what I really went out to photograph.

Primula clarkei. It's hard to get the right colour in this grey weather. Last year's pic is better.





And finally, Primula bhutanica.

[fermi de Sousa]

Nice dark retic - "Lesley's Misfit" has a ring to it as far as names for new plants go!
When you find out if it's a new'un or not, we'll have dozen!
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

A nice Spring show Lesley

[Lesley Cox]

I doubt if it's new Fermi, certainly not a seedling. It was one in the packet from a local garden centre last year but didn't flower till this. I wondered about `Violet Beauty' or `Purple Gem' neither of which I know from having grown them, only seen them in northern catalogues.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Here is a pic of what I have as 'Violet Beauty'.  I can dig up a pic probably of 'Purple Gem' too if you want?



plus....

Ipheion 'Charlotte Bishop'
Muscari Steupii
Prunus mume pendula (looking stunning at the moment)
Hermodactylus tuberosus

[Paul T]

Ah, what the heck.... here's another couple of pics.



Colchicum luteum, one of the winter flowering members of the genus.




This is a silver or pewter leafed Cyclamen coum with the most intense colouration to the flower.  The combined effect is impressive.  It also has far less edge of green as the majority of the silver leaf forms of this species have (well that I have seen anyway).  The picture doesn't do the colour of the flowers justice, but they just won't come out properly in pictures (I find that all of the darker pink coums have this problem) no matter how many times and in how many different lights I try it.  The colour of these flowers are much brighter than the normal magenta of the species.

Enjoy.

Lesley,

I have checked my pics and what I have under the name of Purple Gem has white signals.  'J.S Djit' has gold signals but it is more of a purple than that bluey colour of your pic of your unknown.

[ranunculus]

Super shots everyone....many thanks.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great show from down under !!!
Makes us long for Spring in the midst of "Summer"... well, that's what it says on the calendar anyway..
Thanks for keeping our spirits high !