Early spring in the Southern Hemisphere

[Rogan]

Spring is a very special time of the year and a proverb by Gary Buckley expresses this sentiment well: “The scent of massed leucocoryne fill nostrils, it is good to be alive and gardening”.

My nostrils have been filled lately by the spicy fragrance of Moraea tricolor which produces a succession of exquisite blooms to announce that spring has come at last to KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa is not well known for alpine plants, but some of  the winter-growing bulbs from the Western Cape grow naturally at high altitudes and are occasionally covered by a blanket of snow.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy this pot of Moraea regardless of whether it is alpine or not 

Regards
Rogan.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Lesley,
yes, I knew that all the Sindpers now in cultivation originated from NZ because it died out everywhere else during WW2, but I didn't realise that your part in getting it to Australia!
Anyway, I had time to get a better pic this morning, so here it is again!
Now, two "retics":
Iris "George"
and I. "Harmony"
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

There are a few Narcissus also in bloom.
First "Bambi" which unfortunately is virused and headed out of the garden (just as well I got another potful at the last plant Sale!);
Next a "lost label" but most likely another Glenbrook "Detective Series" Hoop - "Smarple";
And the cross between the tazetta type and a jonquil: N.x intermedius;
Lastly another look at what I have as Narc. cantabricus var clusii.
cheers
fermi

[David Nicholson]

Rogan, please try again I would love to see them.

[David Nicholson]

Fermi, looking out at yet another grey, windy, rainy day in our disastrous Summer it's good to see that Spring will surely come

[rob krejzl]

Rogan,

Anything that the G'ster says is alright by me.

I only wish that, despite everything,  he'd take to posting a little once more.

[Rogan]

Well! Let's blame it on advancing years and fading faculties, here's (hopefully!) the picture of Moraea tricolor that was meant to accompany my earlier posting 

[Paul T]

Rogan,

Very nice!!  Certainly is a nice Moraea.

[Maggi Young]

Success, Rogan! I knew you could do it! You had succeeded even before I read your email ! Well done.
You realise we will be expecting many more pix now?
What a super Moraea... I love all Irids.... we cannot really succeed with them outside here and the Bulb Despot is very mean about sharing his glass house space... otherwise I would hope to be growing a range of Iridaceae which would certainly include more Moraeas.... currently, I think , we have two!

[Lesley Cox]

Hey Hey Another southern Forumist, and from South Africa. That's great. A warm welcome Rogan to this bunch of crazy people - all good friends and now you're one of us.

[mark smyth]

where about in KZN?

[fermi de Sousa]

Welcome, Rogan,
Nice to have another contributor from the Southern Hemisphere.
Very nice looking Moraea; I don't think I've seen one that colour before.
Looking forward to seeing more of your pics,
cheers
fermi

[Rogan]

Thank you for all your welcomes, it is great to be here.

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  However, we do have some alpine cushions in South Africa, but you have to climb to nearly the top of the Drakensberg to see them! My main plant interests are bulbs and succulents, but I do try and grow just about everything else - at least once...

The first picture is of a species of Helichrysum growing at an altitude of 10,000 feet, quite close to the Lesotho border. The second photograph of Cypella hauthallii subsp opalina (South America) I have included just to make Maggi jealous! If I had to choose my favorite top ten bulbs, then this would certainly be one of them.

I look forward to talking to you all again soon.

Regards
Rogan.

[ranunculus]

A very warm welcome Rogan and thanks for posting such impressive images.
The Cypella is very 'Calochortus' like.....and incredibly beautiful, of course.

[Paul T]

Rogan,

That is a stunning Cypella.  I don't think I've seen that one before.  Aren't Cypellas just the coolest flowers.  Feel free to post pics of them any time you want!!