October 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Tecophilaea King]

What an exciting time in the nursery, with spring in the air, and flowers bursting out all over the place.
The irises of course will have pride of place for the next couple of months with treasures like Iris gracilipes alba, Iris verna a few PC's and MDB irises flowering at the moment and starting off the Iris season.
Happy gardening.  Bill

Iris gracilipes
Iris verna
PCI Lilac Lullaby
PCI Starshine Bright
PCI Blue seedlings
MDB Yellow Doll
MDB Dark Vader

[Anthony Darby]

I like those, especially Dark Vader. Here are two Watsonias from The King.

[Lesley Cox]

Do you know which they are Anthony? I have W. coccinea which Dave Toole gave me. It's very like the redder one, but it varies between light orange and rich red so these could even be the same? Mine's nowhere near out yet but this is not the banana/mango/pineapple belt that is Tauranga

No, not the same now I have a magnified look. I like the dark stems on the first one.

[daveyp1970]

I would love to know the name of the dwarf one that would look fantastic in my greenhouse.

[Lesley Cox]

I think it is coccinea or something very close. If I's known earlier Davey I could have sent seed. It's sown now and germinated. Next year hopefully?

[daveyp1970]

I think it is coccinea or something very close. If I's known earlier Davey I could have sent seed. It's sown now and germinated. Next year hopefully?

Lesley i have always stayed away from Watsonias thinking them to large a plant to house in the greenhouse,but that one is lovely and small and yes yes yes if you do get seed please think of me.

[Michael J Campbell]

Davey, Watsonia laccata  only grows to about 45cm and is a good greenhouse plant.

See below

[Anthony Darby]

I got them both from Bill Dijk. The dwarf one is 25 cm tall. The other more than double that. I will see if they produce seed.

[Lesley Cox]

I think there are several low-growing species Davey and certainly there is a range of low hybrids in various pinks, red, paler and darker. These could be the work of Terry Hatch or his son at Pukekohe, near Auckland.

[Tecophilaea King]

I think there are several low-growing species Davey and certainly there is a range of low hybrids in various pinks, red, paler and darker. These could be the work of Terry Hatch or his son at Pukekohe, near Auckland.

Yes Terry Hatch was responsible for hybridising a large selection of these dwarf Watsonia's.
Somewhere in the nursery I still have a few containers of these dwarf bulbs floating around, must find them and if they set seed, will be more than happy to share the seed.

[daveyp1970]

Thank you everybody but i feel you awakened a sleeping giant in me.
Michael do you recommend any others.I have just ordered a few sp seed.

[Michael J Campbell]

Davey, this is the only other small one I have and I don't have a name for it,grows to about 60cm, more erect than laccata and the flowers are more tubular. I will have some spare corms next summer if you remind me,unfortunately too late this year as they have  started into growth and are 10cm already.

Cheers

[daveyp1970]

Davey, this is the only other small one I have and I don't have a name for it,grows to about 60cm, more erect than laccata and the flowers are more tubular. I will have some spare corms next summer if you remind me,unfortunately too late this year as they have  started into growth and are 10cm already.

Cheers

OMG :oThat is stunning Michael,i would love a corm if you have spare next summer.

[Michael J Campbell]

No problem Davey, I have put your name on file for next summer.

Cheers.

[Ezeiza]

Watsonia aletroides