May 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

I understood Proteas liked peaty soil, though I don't grow any myself.

Bill's Chrysanthemum is like some of the recent Osteospermum cultivars with quill-like petals.

[Anthony Darby]

Here it is today after 24 hours of torrential rain.

[ThomasB]

I've seen that flower type before but not on a chrysanthemum. [/i].

There are Osteospermum varieties with very similar flowers sold for some years.

Oops, I should read all posts. Lesley has been way faster. 

[Ezeiza]

'Whirligig' and 'Pink Whirls' are two of them.

[Lesley Cox]

I was trying to think of 'Whirligig' when I posted that note. It was named as such by Terry Hatch of Auckland (Pukekohe) when he bred and released it years ago then someone in the UK called it something else.

[Ezeiza]

Wouldn't be surprised  at all if that one got a lot of money from Terry's plant.

[Tecophilaea King]

The first of the Iris species to start off the season is a charming NZ selection of the Iris unguicularis Purple Trinity which I acquired from a local member of our BoP Iris group.
Another interesting early flowering hybrid is the Narcissus viridiflorus X Narcissus Seadream, seedling,  a fertile, standard daffodil with a green corona, a welcome, charming early addition to this time of the season,, with the same powerfull delicate perfume of the species.
I have saved more pollen to make more crosses later, hopefully with some of the fertile, smaller species.
Not a bad start, wouldn't you agree Anthony,

Thanks Lesley and Alberto for the helpful info regarding the Chrysanthemum.

Iris unguicularis Purple Trinity
Narcissus viridiflorus seedling
Narcissus viridiflorus seedling (closeup)

[Anthony Darby]

I would say a ****** good start! You are really teasing us Bill.