February 2011 - Northern Hemisphere

[Hoy]

Here (or where I work) the witch hazel flowers now:
(Hamamelis x intermedia 'Pallida')

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Here is my Primula Tantallon starting to flower. I have just taken off the "winter snow" from its bed

Well done Ian !  Looks really good !

[Paddy Tobin]

Here is my Primula Tantallon starting to flower. I have just taken off the "winter snow" from its bed

Wow, Ian, these are out of this world fabulous. Really brilliant.

Paddy

[ian mcenery]

Ian, this is one of the prettiest primulas I have seen!
Your cold and draughty side of the house, is that the north side?

Paddy and Luc thanks  these are difficult plants for me and I have lost a few


Trond my draughty place runs north to south but at the the southerly end there is a wall. My house and wall is painted white and so is the house nextdoor hence the reflected light

[Hoy]

OK, I see!

[Michael J Campbell]

Fount this pot in a corner of the greenhouse today.

Oxalis versicolour

[ashley]

Fount this pot in a corner of the greenhouse today.

It says a lot about the delights in your greenhouse Michael if a spectacle like this could be almost overlooked

[Paul T]

The Oxalis is cool.  I often find them in full flower at my place.... unless you happen to see them with the flowers open you have no idea they're there.  The flowers when closed have the red stripe to them and are quite dark, whereas when open you can't miss them.  All you need is a few days of murky weather and you see nothing at all.

Not that I am saying that Michael's greenhouse is not a delight.  We see so many treasures shown by him, it MUST be hard to keep an eye out for everything.

[freddyvl]

For the moment the witch hazels are in full bloom. Here a few overall pictures of Hamamelis in the garden and in pots.

[Maggi Young]

Welcome, Freddy!
What a colourful display... and there must be a fine fragrance , also,  from so many Hamamelis flowers

[freddyvl]

And a few close-ups of Hamamelisvarieties:

1) H. int. 'Andrea' (van der Werf, NL)
color: good clear yellow, some red tint at base, calyx deep maroon-red, slightly scended
2) H. int. 'Arnhem' (van Heijningen, NL) recent introduction
color: reddish orange, fragrant
3) H. int. 'Copper Cascade' (De Belder, B)
color: yellow-orange grading to red at base, calyx red-purple, scent faint
4) H. int. 'Cyrille' (De Belder, B)
color: straw-yellow, strawberry red from base to midway, calyx maroon-red, slight scent
5) H. 'Doerak' (van der Werf, NL)
color: celandine-yellow, calyx pale maroon-red, sweet scent, very long flowered period
6) H. int. 'Georges' (De Belder, B)
color: light red at base fading to coppery red at tip, calyx deep purple red, no scent
7) H. int. 'Jelena' 'De Belder, B)
color: red at base becoming ochre-yellow at tip, calyx claret-red, no scent
H. int. 'Strawberries and Cream' (De Belder, B)
color: tip yellow grading to red-purple at base, calyx purple, scent faint

[TC]

I could not find the Snowdrop page so I have posted this here.   Back to Fullarton Woods in Troon to see the Snowdrop spectacular a few days ago.  No heat or sunshine so the flowers were shut but still worth a look.  It's amazing to think that after all the terrible weather we have had, nature,in the wild, still bounces back.  If the weather warms up I will take some better pictures.  I even tried to see if there were any different varieties or sports but after 10,000 or so I was suffering from Snowdrop blindness which is cureable.  Luckily, I have not been struck down with Galanthophilia from which there is no known cure.

[daveyp1970]

Freddy welcome from me as well,and what a start love the planting combonation with the snowdrops and crocus stunning and a very pretty property to boot.

[freddyvl]

Oeps ... forgotten to say: for the Hamamelis description I have to name Chris Lane who also is the writer of the beautiful book 'Witch Hazels', thanks Chris !

[Hoy]

Marvellous, freddyvl! Do you intend to plant all those plants still in their pots out in your garden?

TC, is Fullarton Wood a public place or private? (Reminds me of my visit to England last week )