February 2011 - Southern Hemisphere

[Otto Fauser]

I'm enjoying 2 fairly common plants at the moment , which did not suffer at all during the last few days of 40 degrees heat.
One of several clumps of Campanula x stansfieldii in my driveway - seems to enjoy a very spartan diet of about 90 % limestone chippings and 10 of loam.
  and a paler shade in Cyclamen purpurascens  - all my other plants are a darker crimson

      Marcus is your Campanula x stansfieldii growing on your Juno slope ?

[Rogan]

It's a good seedlist though, Conan - full of interesting stuff to try on your windowsill...  

[Rogan]

"Petronymphe is not on our ICON database, unless it has a synonym?"

Bessera elegans?   

[Lvandelft]

I'm enjoying 2 fairly common plants at the moment , which did not suffer at all during the last few days of 40 degrees heat.
One of several clumps of Campanula x stansfieldii in my driveway - seems to enjoy a very spartan diet of about 90 % limestone chippings and 10 of loam.
  and a paler shade in Cyclamen purpurascens  - all my other plants are a darker crimson

      Marcus is your Campanula x stansfieldii growing on your Juno slope ?

Fairly common for you Otto, but I never see Campanula x stansfieldii here  . It is certainly a beautiful Campanula!

[Tecophilaea King]

Things are slowly starting to get back to normal after the big downpour, flooding and the cleanup.
At least all that rain might have triggered some of the Lycoris species and hybrids to burst into flower, after a hot, dry resting period during the summer months, to promote and produced a splendid display of these beautiful spider lilies.
Lycoris can be temperamental and take a long time to settle down and to sus out their cultural requiremnts, but well worth the wait.

Sorry, just discovered I am in the wrong month, see you in February.

[Tecophilaea King]

Things are slowly starting to get back to normal after the big downpour, flooding and the cleanup.
At least all that rain might have triggered some of the Lycoris species and hybrids to burst into flower, after a hot, dry resting period during the summer months, to promote and produced a splendid display of these beautiful spider lilies.
Lycoris can be temperamental and take a long time to settle down and to sus out their cultural requiremnts, but well worth the wait.

Lycoris albiflora hyb.
Lycoris albiflora
Lycoris aurea
Lycoris chinensis
Lycoris hybrid
Lycoris hybrid 2
Lycoris rosea
Lycoris x haywardii

[Paul T]

Beautiful, Bill.

I love the albiflora, rosea and the hybrids.  I don't think I can remember seeing those species before.  Lycoris are rare things for me to flower, but I've been putting more into the ground so we'll see what happens with them in the future as they settle in.  Fingers crossed.    You've certainly got some beauties, and you've obviously got their cultural requirements right for flowering now.  I can only hope that will happen with me in the future.

Glad you're recovering from the flooding.  I hope not too much was damaged?  Did you retrieve the floating polyboxes you mentioned left the nursery?

[Tecophilaea King]

Just a little "first" for me - Petronymphe decora, a close relative of Bessera elegans, also from Mexico. Oh, and it took me four years from seed.   

Rogan, that Petronymphe decora is an interesting, seldom come accross, exquisite species,  wouldn't mind trying that from seed some times.
BTW: the Bessera elegans that was mentioned is just budding up for us, I am always looking forward to that display.

[kiwi]

Tigridia vanhouttei,
Cheers Dave, its a beauty.

[angie]

Yes Doug I would agree with you that's a real beauty.

Angie

[Paul T]

Doug,

Yours is a few days ahead of mine.  The bud sheath is up there waiting, but as yet no actual flowers out on mine.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Everyone,

Wonderful plants and fabulous pictures! What a great gift for all of us and what a tremendous invention the Internet is. My mind spins when I contempate how far we have come in being able to "share our children" and talk across the world in an instant.
I have taken a break from packing bulbs to make some jam and take the camera quickly around the garden.
Here is a short series of shots.
Firstly, Campanula isophylla, I only have the white version but Fermi frequently beguiles me with suggestions that he has the blue tucked away up at Redesdale.
Next, Geranium "Rozanne", a poor photo of a superb summer flowerer.
Next, Geranium "Ballerina", I just love the crazy, scratchy striations on its flowers.
Lastly, Erodium "Spanish Eyes", a seriuosly impressive plant. At least I hope its this form, or maybe its "Natasha"? Marco Ryan from Lambleys patiently explained the difference but I still can't tell them apart.

Cheers, Marcus
PS Otto I have some of the campanula in the juno bed now.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi again,

 couple more then its back to the packing bench.

First is a rather weather-beaten few flowers of the lovely and now quite rare Geranium "Apple Blossom"
Next the good old summer stalwart, Campanula cochlearifolia (with bindweed).
Finally, a euphorbia that really impresses me, E. "Compton Heath" (with Balotta pseaudodictamnus, I think?). Does anyone know its breeding?
Cheers, Marcus

[rob krejzl]

Marcus,

Lovely photographs.

Can I take this opportunity to thank you for all the 'extras' you put into my package; things I never thought to see except on forums like this. Thanks very much.

[Lvandelft]

Will have to wait some months to see some flowers like thast here

Next the good old summer stalwart, Campanula cochlearifolia (with bindweed).
Finally, a euphorbia that really impresses me, E. "Compton Heath" (with Balotta pseaudodictamnus, I think?). Does anyone know its breeding?
Cheers, Marcus

Marcus I never heard of that Euphorbia name, but maybe the right name is E. Copton Ash?
And looking the pics again I don't think the Camp. is cochlearifolia

The beautiful Geranium Apple Blossom is rare too here, it's a rather delicate (sensitive) plant.