October 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Anthony Darby]

I need more pots!

[Tecophilaea King]

Hello Bill   Not sure if this helps with our climates being so different,however i find it easy to a point that one of my clumps about a fortnight ago had 20 flowers .
No part of this property can be called 'baked'   , and although it is in a partially sunny position growing in a sand bed with very minimal humus, you can see it probably needs more light as the leaves are well advanced at flowering time.
Cheers Dave.  

Dave, now you got me all upset and envious , at this rate it will take me another 10 years to catch up with your record number of 20 flowers.
I think you might be right, this little iris must be happier in the South Island with the cooler temps.
I will try different micro cooler spots and the sand bed in the nursery and try to get even close to your 20 flowers. Well done,  I am still jealous  

[t00lie]

Dave, the unflowered seedling of G. palmatum from Louise and I think from Alistair's stock, did come pure white which pleased me very much.

Pleased to hear that it comes true Lesley ---my young seedlings are only from last years AGS of BC seedex ,however they have grown so well i planted them out recently. .

Dave - Superb photos of your fresh looking Glaucidium. You've made my day.

johnw   

Thanks John
Benefit of taking shots early in the morning i guess and also I'm becoming more confident in using the manual settings on the SLR --It's only taken me a year ........

Dave, now you got me all upset and envious ,  Well done, I am still jealous 

Envy goes both ways Bill   --i look at some of your beautifully grown South African bulbs and i drool....

Cheers Dave.

[daveyp1970]

This is the elusive, temperamental Iris minutoaurea, barely 2.5 cm (1inch) across,  native to Japan and China,
Must try again, and find a spot in the nursery that is dryer and get a real good baking, will try anything

Hello Bill

Not sure if this helps with our climates being so different,however i find it easy to a point that one of my clumps about a fortnight ago had 20 flowers .

No part of this property can be called 'baked'   , and although it is in a partially sunny position growing in a sand bed with very minimal humus, you can see it probably needs more light as the leaves are well advanced at flowering time.

Cheers Dave.

Dave if your little stunner happerns to form seed would it be possible to get a few.......pretty please!

[Maggi Young]

This is the elusive, temperamental Iris minutoaurea, barely 2.5 cm (1inch) across,  native to Japan and China,
Must try again, and find a spot in the nursery that is dryer and get a real good baking, will try anything

Hello Bill

Not sure if this helps with our climates being so different,however i find it easy to a point that one of my clumps about a fortnight ago had 20 flowers .

No part of this property can be called 'baked'   , and although it is in a partially sunny position growing in a sand bed with very minimal humus, you can see it probably needs more light as the leaves are well advanced at flowering time.

Cheers Dave.

Dave if your little stunner happerns to form seed would it be possible to get a few.......pretty please!

If it's sets seed, me too, please, Dave  .... I'm in love with the little cracker!

[JohnLonsdale]

Hi,

I'm not sure about Iris minutoaurea's need for cooler temperatures and more moisture.  The ones shown in flower here get a good deal of direct summer sun and temperatures in the 80s and 90s F for several months. They also get pretty dry in summer, certainly never constantly moist.  The ones in more shade flower less well.  See:

http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/Plants_album/The%20Plants%20-%20%20Complete%20Collection/Iridaceae/Iris/Subgen%20Limniris%20Sect%20Limniris%20Ser%20Chinenses/I.%20minutoaurea/index.html

5" of snow here, with trees still in leaf, and the fall crocuses in full bloom.  The snow should be gone by day's end, but the broken trees won't.

Best,

J.

[Maggi Young]

5" of snow here, with trees still in leaf, and the fall crocuses in full bloom.  The snow should be gone by day's end, but the broken trees won't.

Best,

J.

Just seen this report.... "At least three people have been killed as a rare early season snow storm hit the east coast of the US, causing traffic chaos on roads, flight delays and massive power outages.

Governors have declared states of emergency in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and parts of New York as the freak winter storm dumped record-breaking snow as it churned from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.

In Pennsylvania, which was worst-hit by the storm, an 84-year-old man reportedly died when a tree toppled onto his house while he slept.

Another man was electrocuted by fallen powerlines on the side of a road in Springfield, while a motorist died in a traffic accident caused by icy road conditions in Colchester.

Residents have been urged to avoid travel altogether with many roads closed and speed limits reduced across affected areas.

Dozens of planes have also been grounded with passenger's facing long delays, as the National Weather Service says high winds and more wet, heavy snow is expected.

As many as 2.7 million homes and businesses have lost power in the storm with officials warning that it could be days before it is fully restored.

"A historic October storm is still crushing New England with heavy snow and howling winds," US meteorologist Meghan Evans said on Sunday.

The storm blanketed New York city's Central Park with 1.3 inches (3.3cm) of snow, breaking an 86-year-old record set on October 30, 1925, of 0.8 inches (2.3cm).

Canada's east coast is now braced for the wild weather, with forecasters predicting up to 20cm of snow for parts of southern New Brunswick.

The storm is also expected to hit south western Nova Scotia with high winds and up to 35mm of rain." .....
pretty bad weather for October.  We Scots will keep quiet meantime, we're  much luckier than this.

[t00lie]

Dave if your little stunner happerns to form seed would it be possible to get a few.......pretty please!
[/quote]

If it's sets seed, me too, please, Dave  .... I'm in love with the little cracker!

I'll see what i can do Davey and Maggie.

Hi,

I'm not sure about Iris minutoaurea's need for cooler temperatures and more moisture.  The ones shown in flower here get a good deal of direct summer sun and temperatures in the 80s and 90s F for several months. They also get pretty dry in summer, certainly never constantly moist.  The ones in more shade flower less well.  See:

http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/Plants_album/The%20Plants%20-%20%20Complete%20Collection/Iridaceae/Iris/Subgen%20Limniris%20Sect%20Limniris%20Ser%20Chinenses/I.%20minutoaurea/index.html



Best,

J.

Gee John
I hope Bill is sitting down when he views your pics as it appears mine is just a tiddler 

Cheers Dave.

[Lesley Cox]

I've had I. minutoaurea off and on over 40 years I would say and have never seen a seed pod. It's quite possible that all the material in NZ comes from a single clone from many years ago. I may be wrong but I have a slight memory about Mark McDonough growing it and getting seed. Worth an enquiry as he seems to have a number of those little species from the far east.

I'll be glad when this beastly day is finished but there are more to come.

[Lesley Cox]

Just looked at John L's link. Oh My God!!!!!

[fermi de Sousa]

Sorry, I've been away from the Forum for a few days and had little time before to post the rest of the pics from the FCHS Show, so here are some more!
Firstly more from the Rock Garden Section
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Some of the Floral Art

[fermi de Sousa]

Some Vireya Rhododendrons,

[fermi de Sousa]

Some Australian Native flowers

[Tim Ingram]

Fermi - and here's one in our garden! Grevillea rosmarinifolia 'williamsi', a really good coloured form of the species that is said to have arisen in New Zealand in the 1920's (according to that wonderful tome 'The Grevillea Book'). It flowers almost continuously throughout the year and withstood our tough last winter (though admittedly tucked up against the house). I find the Australian Proteaceae completely fascinating, as is typical of a gardener living in a place where very few of them can be grown!!