May 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

A few autumn colour pics then a few flowers. We had some nice days earlier in the week but back now to fog, drizzle and heavy rain tonight. We're living in a swamp at present.

Polygonum affine 'Donald Lowndes,' a great ground cover, neat and tidy when green, beautiful with pink flowers which age to red then this wonderful crimson autumn colour. This changes to a bright tan which is held through the winter.


Diapensia lapponica in its trough corner has gone from green to a reddish bronze shade.


Two pics on opposite sides of the tree, of Sorbus sargentiana. It flowered and fruited this year but the fruit fell off quickly and seemed not to have seed in them.




And my most favourite tree of all, a beech, now about 5 metres or a bit more. Pink leaves as they open in spring, blackest black in summer and this amazing Titian/auburn in autumn. I would have killed for hair this colour in my younger days.

[Lesley Cox]

Oxalis massoniana has been later this year, perhaps because we've have little sun for a few weeks.


Colchicum baytopiorum is paler than usual but will have a second flower for the first time since the original bulb in 1993! The whole patch is now about 18cms across.


I had just two seedlings from seddex seed of Cyclamen coum ex 'Tilebarn Elizabeth.' They're quite different, the first is small, tight and with well marked leaves but not flowered yet.


The other is much larger, with big, pewter group foliage and a huge flower of rich cherry pink, in a very attractive shape.




And finally, a Dianthus seedling from D. alpinus 'Joan's Blood.' All in the batch of 30 were true except this one which appears to be a cross with D. deltoides 'Steriker.' Impossible to duplicate the colour here, a brilliantly startling deep cherry red, very hot, on a plant looser than alpinus but still short and compact. I am going to name it but haven't decided what, yet. Maybe 'Catherine Elizabeth' for my sister, maybe not.

[Tecophilaea King]

Yes, I have been very busy with the mail-orders as well and planting out thousands of bulbs again, which tasks seems to get harder every season, or is it that
I am slowing down   and of course a bout of the old flu did not help either.
Not to worry, life goes on and so does the work in the nursery, no rest for the wicked.
Anyway, to start with the mysterious green autumn flowering, strongly scented Narcissus viridiflorus, a truly fascinating little plant and worth growing for the scent alone.
The beautiful and rare Cyrtanthus herrei is a very temperamental species, but for some unknown reason, has been free flowering this season.
Also flowering is a fine specimen of the Brunsvigia bosmaniae and the erratic but always welcome exquisite Paramongaia weberbaueri which is finished now and hopefully will produce some seed.

PS: Lesley your surprise parcel with the healthy Scoliopus bigelovii (I think) roots has arrived safely and already planted. Much appreciated.

[Maggi Young]

Good to see that hard work hasn't done for you yet, Bill! 

I've resized your paramongia pic for you... it was WAY over the 760 pixels wide rule!

[angie]

Bill your picture of Cyrtanthus herrei is lovely. I like the dark background it really shows the plant of well.

Angie

[Maren]

Hi Angie,

you have taken the words out of my mouth. Love that Cyrtanthus herrei. Wish we could get it here.

[Gerdk]

Yes, I have been very busy with the mail-orders as well and planting out thousands of bulbs again, which tasks seems to get harder every season, or is it that
I am slowing down  and of course a bout of the old flu did not help either.
Not to worry, life goes on and so does the work in the nursery, no rest for the wicked.
Anyway, to start with the mysterious green autumn flowering, strongly scented Narcissus viridiflorus, a truly fascinating little plant and worth growing for the scent alone.
The beautiful and rare Cyrtanthus herrei is a very temperamental species, but for some unknown reason, has been free flowering this season.
Also flowering is a fine specimen of the Brunsvigia bosmaniae and the erratic but always welcome exquisite Paramongaia weberbaueri which is finished now and hopefully will produce some seed.

PS: Lesley your surprise parcel with the healthy Scoliopus bigelovii (I think) roots has arrived safely and already planted. Much appreciated.

Congratulations for the superb grown pot with Narcissus viridiflorus!!

Gerd

[Anthony Darby]

I second that and hope to be able to repeat this in due course as I have just received seeds of this species and Narcissus obsoletus (it used to be classed as serotinus so I think it is allowed?).

[Anthony Darby]

Just had a visit from Bill. Had a long chat and am now in the happy circumstance of needing to find 30 pots to plant all the seeds and bulbs he parted with.

[Lesley Cox]

That was kind of him Anthony. You are in the happy position of being able to start garden notes from scratch, and keep good records of seed sown, plants planted etc, something I mean to start every New Year but it never extends beyond about Jan 5th. If only I could go back 63 years!

[Anthony Darby]

I was just listening to the sweet music that must play in IY's glass house on 1st September? The sound of air bubbles rising in well soaked pots. That's the bulbs planted! Now to find a source of cheap square pots. Thank goodness I brought my black labels and Dymo machine!

[angie]

Anthony great to hear that you have been given some bulbs and seeds. Gardeners are so generous.
It will be great to hear and see how you get on growing over there. You will have a longer growing season over there and you will have so much fun getting new plants.
I would be in my element growing so much plants that would be tender over here.

Angie

[Anthony Darby]

I think the growing season here is measured in years Angie.

[Anthony Darby]

Spotted protea this in a garden near Botany Downs Shopping Centre.

[Tecophilaea King]

Anthony, just a picture of Arum creticum you mentioned before, just to wet your appetite.