December 2011 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a couple of weeds I found in my lawn yesterday, plus a pic of one in a meadow.

[Lesley Cox]

They're not down here so far as I know. The first yellow looks like a small Mimulus maybe? and then one of the pesky little Sisyrichiums perhaps. Clover of course in the third but I guess you mean the yellow. Could you do a close-up of the flower. Looks a lit like an Orobanche or Pedicularis but I don't think we have any Pedicularis in NZ. Never heard of one being here anyway. Maybe a bigger version of the Mimulus?

[Anthony Darby]

Yes, the second one is just a full grown version of the wee yellow one. It just spotted it at Sonshine Ranch at Clevedon on Lucy's school activity trip today (but that's another story). I'll take a closer look before it gets mown to oblivion.

[arillady]

It has been a bit of a drought (flowers) lately but a Lilium columbianum ex NARGS 4189 in 2005 has flowered for the first time. It has been flowering for a few days and just when I bring the pot inside to photograph the camera battery is dead. Ah well - in the morning.
Liliums don't last very long with me so I am hoping this little spotted orange species does - under cover in the nursery of course. I have quite a few nice pots of different paeony species seedlings and seedlings from named varieties doing well in their pots so far. They are only babies though.

[Otto Fauser]

A snapshot of whats going on here at the moment.

Dactylorihza "Harold Esselmont"
Allium sikkimensis
Primula bulleyana
Euphorbia ? glabrescens I collected this as seed near Mount Falakron up on the Greek/Bulgarian border, I really like it and I think it has a big future as a garden plant.
Lastly a primula that is a mystery to me. Don't know from whom it came from and haven't a clue about its name. Anyone help?

Cheers, Marcus

Marcus ,  have just come across your posting . I do have a clue about the identity of the Primula . It is growing with great vigour in my garden - I shared it with you some years ago . I grew it from seed labelled P. erosa . Don't know if it is correctly labelled .

   My clumps of Dactylorhiza have been the best ever - no doubt to our wet and cool spring .

              cheers  Otto.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Otto,

Yes thats it! I was saying to Susan only this morning that I suspected it was the primula we received from you two Novembers ago when we came to stay. I remember now we were doing a bit of weeding down the front (you were just recovering from surgery) and I noticed it and you generously dug up a piece there and then!

Do you know where you might have got it from?

I don't know why but I can grow D. fuchsii and HE, but not your,  D. elata well. Why? Yours always look so good. Do you know if David Kennedy might be able to grow seed of these things if I collected some?

Cheers, Marcus

[Tecophilaea King]

Here's a Gloriosa from Bill Dijk. I think it's superb!

Well done Anthony, you're way ahead of me with flowering, have been busy in the nursery, only planted the tubers a fortnight ago.

[Tecophilaea King]

Puya alpestris has a sensational rosette of serrated spiny leaves. It probably has the thinnest, most elegant leaves of all Chilean Puyas. It will form a spike filled with blue-turquoise flowers. Puya alpestris is supposed to be the most hardy one of all Chilean Puyas. Given a very well-drained, sheltered position, alpestris is almost fully hardy!
Sprekelia formosissima: Also known as the Aztec lily, this elegant bulb native to Mexico bears a large flower of deep, rich, velvet-textured crimson with a most distinctive and attractive appearance, it looks rather like an Amaryllis that wants to be an orchid.

[Tecophilaea King]

A big thank for the lovely Happy Birthday card and best wishes sent by Maggi and the SRGC forumists.
Yes 75 years young, and still going strong, for now, although nowadays  it takes twice as long to look half as good
Some days  when you wake up with that morning-after feeling, you realise you didn't do anything the night before.
Never mind there is always Happy Hour and a little nap after lunch to recharge whatever need recharging.

While we’re on the subject,  last weekend we were very lucky and fortunate to celebrate our 50th golden wedding anniversary with the family and friends.  
I just want to show you the bouquet of 50 beautiful red roses I organised for this special lady, my wife Wilhelmina, in appreciation and to mark our 50 years of wedded bliss, well.. most of the times      
I think, I scored enough brownie points to last me for a few more years, hopefully  
BTW: the long kwila timber table specially build  is a present from all our children.  

[Maggi Young]

Bill and  Mrs Dijk, many congratulations on your Golden Wedding anniversary  

Very lovely flowers and what a table! Good for several hundred years, that, I shouldn't wonder if there are grandchildren celebrating their golden weddings at that table!  


Thought you must have been up to something, Bill, since you weren't around for a while.
I was advising someone to get in touch with you about Tecophilaeas......

[Hoy]

Here's a couple of weeds I found in my lawn yesterday, plus a pic of one in a meadow.

Yes, the second one is just a full grown version of the wee yellow one. It just spotted it at Sonshine Ranch at Clevedon on Lucy's school activity trip today (but that's another story). I'll take a closer look before it gets mown to oblivion.

Anthony, what an exiting lawn! I do like lawns like this much better than the green carpets many strive to develop (sorry folks - i know it is hard work to get a perfect green carpet )
Do you have the heart to mow it?

[Hoy]

Puya alpestris has a sensational rosette of serrated spiny leaves. It probably has the thinnest, most elegant leaves of all Chilean Puyas. It will form a spike filled with blue-turquoise flowers. Puya alpestris is supposed to be the most hardy one of all Chilean Puyas. Given a very well-drained, sheltered position, alpestris is almost fully hardy!
Sprekelia formosissima: Also known as the Aztec lily, this elegant bulb native to Mexico bears a large flower of deep, rich, velvet-textured crimson with a most distinctive and attractive appearance, it looks rather like an Amaryllis that wants to be an orchid.

Bill, what an elegant and beautiful Puya! (Not bad that Sprekelia either.) I have always dreamed of growing such plants in my garden since I visited Ecuador 10 years ago. Unfortunately I haven't found any that tolerates my climate yet. So how hardy do you think it is?

BTW congratulation with the first 50 years of marriage Think you understand what this means:

[David Nicholson]

Bill, many cogratulations to you and your wife. That sure is a lovely table.

[Anthony Darby]

Congratulations from me too Bill.

[angie]

Bill congratulations on your 50th anniversary. Like the roses but love your Puya alpestris what a show. Must be a dream to have something so special growing n your garden.

Angie