August 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Ezeiza]

Of course "Lapeirousia cruenta" is that easy. Here it also sets seed about freely and surprisingly it is a great shade plant. For a number of years has been placed in the genus Freesia as Freesia laxa. Michael Campbell has produced a great range of forms.

True Lapeirousias like those shown by Rogan are dryland plants, need deep pots, etc.

[Lesley Cox]

Have you left a door open Lesley? There's a terrible draft coming from you direction!

It's from the dog door, which Roger cut in the front door some time ago. Entry and exit for Cain and Teddy but as the edges are not yet finished properly, there is a shocking draught on any windy day.

[Anthony Darby]

Well, it seems to have blown some snow over Auckland!

[Lesley Cox]

Did you enjoy that Anthony? Lovely TV pics of Aucklanders rushing from their offices and holding out their hands to catch a snowflake, squealing with childlike delight when they had one landed on them. The flakes seemed to fall at about the rate of 3 per sq metre, every minute or so. Down here, I'm SO over it by now. I haven't seen a crocus, narcissus, iris or cyclamen since Saturday. Snowdrops could be there but too well disguised to see.

[fermi de Sousa]

Not sure if this will work as I can't see the pics once they are posted! But here goes:
Retic iris "Springtime"


"Clairette" - which differs from the above....by???


"Pauline"


"Alida"


cheers
fermi

[Tim Ingram]

Fermi - those Iris retics. almost make me look forward to next winter! 'Clairette' is one of my favourites, not so readily available, and it is rather distinctive with those really deep coloured tips. There is a species, bakeriana, which has the same look and I have always wondered whether 'Clairette' derives from this?

Despite these irises being thought of as relatively easy in the garden I have had trouble keeping them, but 'Clairette' has done well in the sand bed so I am learning!

[Otto Fauser]

Tim , I. ret. 'Springtime' and 'Clairette' are also in flower in my garden just now . Both have I. bakeriana in their breeding -easily seen in their leave structure . I. bakeriana has 8 sided leaves and these 2 hybrids usually 6 ( or sometimes 5 or 7 ).

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Tim,
our climate in central Vic seems to suit the retic iris and we have a reasonable increase in them each year. When I lived in Melbourne I would possibly get a flower the first year, then basically leaves for the rest of the bulb's life! Apparently the spring heat without the cool nights meant they never built up enough bulb to re-flower!
 Some non flowering bulbs released into the garden when we first got here took a few years to get to flowering size, but not all have thrived. 'J.S. Dijt' seems to have died out as have 'Gordon' and 'Marguerite'. 'Harmony' is most profilic followed by 'George'. I've now invested in some McMurtrie hybrids (via Janis via Marcus) and I hope they prosper here despite being bred in Ontario!
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

So far as I can find out, Iris 'Clairette' is bakeriana x reticulata and 'Springtime' is reticulata x bakeriana, hence their similarity to bakeriana and to each other.

[Anthony Darby]

This vireya rhododendron is  little peely wally for my liking. The magnolia pic was taken on 11/8 and they are looking a bit battered a week later.

[anita]

Of course "Lapeirousia cruenta" is that easy. Here it also sets seed about freely and surprisingly it is a great shade plant. For a number of years has been placed in the genus Freesia as Freesia laxa. Michael Campbell has produced a great range of forms.

True Lapeirousias like those shown by Rogan are dryland plants, need deep pots, etc.

Alberto,
Now you've got me intrigued. Anything that needs a dry summer. I'm off to read up on Lapeirousia. Anita

[Ezeiza]

Anita, thousands of species from the winter rainfall regions of South Africa grow fantastically well in winter rainfall Australia and  good number of bulb species are naturalized in Oz. But, there is a list of forbidden species.

[Lesley Cox]

I like the Rhodo Anthony. The flowers look less Vireya than many tho' it's obvious in the foliage. Was this one there when you moved in?

[anita]

Anita, thousands of species from the winter rainfall regions of South Africa grow fantastically well in winter rainfall Australia and  good number of bulb species are naturalized in Oz. But, there is a list of forbidden species.

Thanks Alberto, With the guidance of Messrs Goldblatt and Manning and Madam Snijman (not to mention the contributors to this website), I'm learning as much as I can about the flora of the Cape regions of S. Africa in the hope of adding to the species which flourish in my garden (Mr Duncan's new book is ordered!). I'm on my way with various Freesia, Sparaxis, Gladiolus and Babiana but I'm on my first steps on a long (and enjoyable road). Of course I can't help roping in the the species from Southern California and the Mediterranean either, not to mention the parts of South America which share the dry summer, winter rainfall pattern. But the of joys of mixing geographies are many.. today in the garden I've got Arum creticum, Chasmanthe floribunda (both orange and yellow variants), Clivia, Freesia leichtlinni, alba and refracta in bloom plus Gladiolus tristis, Ixia Golden Empress, Iphieon and Sparaxis in bloom and spring's just kicking off..in coming weeks more Ixia, Sparaxis, Babiana and a slew of Watsonia . I'm conscious of the potential of some species to escape.. Freesia, Chasmanthe and Watsonia have all escaped cultivation here and are smothering native annuals but as I'm deep in the heart of suburbia there is little risk. I'll grab the camera and post some pictures later. Anita

[Anthony Darby]

I like the Rhodo Anthony. The flowers look less Vireya than many tho' it's obvious in the foliage. Was this one there when you moved in?

No, I bought it in March when it was in bud. This is its second lot of flowers since then.