April 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

I'm back!!  I haven't visited in over 3 weeks, just been too busy.  I'm preparing some photos at the moment and will post some here shortly I hope.  I'll include pics I've taken in the last week or so as long as they're still in flower today at the commencement of April.  I've also got heaps of pics from March which I'll post in the March topic.

Even more amazingly, I didn't even turn my computer on for a week.  I have been having withdrawal symptoms from these forums. 

[Lesley Cox]

Welcome back Paul. I know about busy. I've sown over 400 pots of seed this last week. Today is cold so I'm catching up with the dishes on the bench.

[fermi de Sousa]

Welcome back Paul. I know about busy. I've sown over 400 pots of seed this last week. Today is cold so I'm catching up with the dishes on the bench.

What do you sow in dishes?  

Sternbergia sicula is looking nice at the moment,




The first autumn crocus are finally out!
Crocus speciosus "Albus"




Crocus kotchyanus


cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Mould if they wait much longer.

[Paul T]

OK, finally some of the pics I promised.

For starters....

Cyclamen rohlfsianum is blooming very well for me this year.  Nothing like some of the wonderful pics I've seen here on the forums where people are growing them in glasshouses etc, but I don't think I'm doing too bad for out on my back non-covered verandah.  This one has 9 flowers on it this year, with 2 others sending up flowers as well.  Cross pollinating has already been undertaken. 

Biarum ochridense

This is a Crocus banaticus that originated from Otto.  Thanks Otto!! 

Arisarum vulgare has commenced it's little hooded gems.  It wanders about a bit, and I never get a good clump flowering but rather just the odd flower here and there.  I still love it though. 

[Paul T]

One of the Amaryllis belladonna varieties I have flowering at present.

Euonymus alata 'Compacta' has never set seed like this before.  Obviously the extra rain we've had has been ideal for fruit set.  They look brilliant!!  Such a great surprise to find them there the other day.

A red Gallardia.

One of the Sternbergia lutea that are flowering now.  I only ever get a few flowers, while a neighbour has them flowering en mass every year next to their driveway.    I wish.

[Paul T]

And lastly for tonight....

Not exactly flowering now, but a couple of images of a wind farm in the distance, about a half hour north of here.

[Lesley Cox]

I very much like wind farms and there was an open day at the new Lake Mahinerangi wind farm near Dunedin yesterday. It's fully commissioned now. Unfortunately I couldn't go as I had to work.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Yeah, it's frustrating working weekends.  So many things you can't attend!    That's the one thing I don't like about working every weekend...... otherwise it is just another day and doesn't bother me at all.

[David Nicholson]

Good to have you back posting Paul.

[Paul T]

Thanks David.  It's good to BE back posting. 

As it is, I've only managed to catch up with maybe 10 topics so far, so I've missed lots and lots.  As I prepare more pics to post I'll probably wander further afield finding places to post them, or sticking my nose in here and there where it isn't wanted. 

[Lesley Cox]

There should be heaps happening at present in the southern hemisphere but not a post since April 4th. With Otto and Fermi away, things may be sparse for a while yet.

Today, the 12th, is the day that Roger officially becomes an OAP!

Apart from that, I thought I would show my saffron crop, all two flowers of it. There will be a couple more but not soon enough to photograph with these two. More flowers than I've ever had before, perhaps due to deeper planting (15cms) or to the very damp summer we've had. As you see, I've done some weeding between the two pics. The weeds weren't there a week ago, but it's been wet and cold then wet and warm the last few days so up they come in double quick time.

Crocus sativus x 2

[Lesley Cox]

It's a great autumn for colour this year, again, perhaps, because of the damp summer. These three are Sorbus reducta, Acer rubrum which I have as 'Columnare' and Rhus typhina. I was thrilled to find this in a garden centre last weekend as I've wanted it for years and as I have plenty space, was looking forward to it suckering all over the place. Wasn't until I got it home that I realized it has been grafted on a standard of something else, expressly to STOP it suckering. It will still be gorgeous but just singly. These reds are as red as my car!

[Ezeiza]

Lesley, I have grown saffron for over twenty years and it likes this climate very much. Corms that are in a raised bed in gritty soil bury themselves deeply, some 30,some 40 cm. deep. These make huge corms. Corms planted at "normal" deep will not flower until they go really deep. Flowering is during this month.

[johnw]

Lesley - Yours autumn colours are as good as you ever see in the northeast of North America in a great year. Well done.

johnw