November 2007 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you Paddy. I was about to say "Little Weldenia! The cheek of it" then noticed some small note of Irish humour to follow. Good luck with your yellow. In fact, I grow that one quite well too.

The Mt Stewart kowhais must have been a super pair, a shame, as you say, to lose one. Wind maybe? The (Maori) word is pronounced as co-fy (as in fly).

The aciphylla is relatively common here so it should be possible to get some seed in the late summer for you. It germinates well.

I had hoped the rose would come true from seed but I've grown two small batches and they were all harsh pinks. Not nice at all.

Here are a few more from the Clive Lister Garden, part of the Dunedin Botanic Garden and funded by a bequest from an American academic who wanted to thank the city for the great time he had had at Otago University.


For yet another year I didn't get to see the Fritillaria imperialis in flower and have had to make do with seed pods (pots too. I was given seed from both oranges and yellows from these last summer). There were dozens of similarly laden stems so they must have been a great sight a couple of months ago.


David Lyttle has had a recent trip to the Chatham Island off the east coast of NZ. He saw this native plant, planted out in long borders. A smaller group here of the Chatham Is. forget-me-not, Myosotidium hortensia. (I think the astelia in the above group must be the chatham Is species, A. chathamica).


Its back to the world, but the outer markings on Arisaema nepenthoides are seen clearly. Another group across the path, was labelled, inexplicably, since both groups were identical, as A. exappendiculatum.


Beside the last group was this group of very short and delicate-looking plants of A. tortuosum. They must be first flowerings as when I took a pic of this species last year, in the same area, they were well over a metre tall. These were barely 40cms and with small flowers, but very pretty.

The hose among them seemed to follow me right along the path (there were several actually) and every time I got close enough to take a picture, the arc would come my way and drench me. By the time I went up to the cafe for a cup of coffee (and a delicious cheese, herb and sun-dried tomato muffin), I was just about dripping and the camera too, had to be dried off. But it was a really hot day so I didn't mind too much.


Tall grasses are not to everyone's taste and I think a really big space is needed to show them effectively. Here they sit well with a larger/taller allium, the soft grey/greens and purples looking well together.




In a large pond setting, Siberian irises come into their own with space and plenty of water making for optimum growth. This is Iris sibirica `Castle Grace,' an early NZ raised seedling which is one of the finest of all, in my opinion, always reliable and free-flowering, tough as old boots and has the grace and elegance of older hybrids which the modern cultivars lack. It's height means that when a wind blows, it sways and moves like a breeze through a field of reeds, a lovely sight.

[David Nicholson]

It looks a lovely garden Lesley.

[Maggi Young]

This is super, Lesley, you are doing your civic duty, arranging cutting material, seeing and sharing the Clive lister garden with us AND you DID get to the Ian Rankin Talk! What a busy week this is!

[Lesley Cox]

That's right Maggi, a right little dynamo, that's me! The weather has obliged too which has made all the tripping about easier and more pleasant.

Here's a final batch from the Clive Lister garden.


I never tire of the big, bold foliage plants, such as Ligularia `Britt-Marie Crawford.' Planted en masse, it's magnificent with or without flowers, which are more or less typical yellow daisies on tall stems. Puts my small clump to shame.






The ostriche fern Matteuccia struthiopteris (one of horticulture's more interesting names), is another I've planted for its magnificent cover, having seen it in its glory here. But with me it will only grow to half the height probably, for lack of water. The autumn colour is a glowing gold before it browns off.




There's great diversity of foliage here and it's this that I love about this garden; the size, shapes, colours and textures make such a rich and varied tapestry and combined with water, the oversal effect is hugely satisfying.




I can't get enough of Podophyllum `Spotty Dotty,' though I hate its name. This planting has many flower stems hiding coyly under the leaves so when they're out, perhaps another week, I must go back for more pictures. I've never seen the flowers yet.


A final picture, looking back to the little lookout gazebo. I was well watered there too, with a sprinkler among the huge hostas not quite missing the pathway.

[Lesley Cox]

The Ian Rankin thing was excellent and very funny. He's a great speaker as well as writer. Not a bad singer either. I had him singing "Scots Wha' Hae', Wi' Wallace Bled" while he was signing books and yes, I was in the queue.

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

Wasn't the light in that garden simply wonderful. You have used it to great effect in some of your photographs - the ferns in particular but the frittilaria seedheads also.

I grow that ligularia but have never bother to divide and spread it. It certainly looks well when planted in a group. It is an idea I must follow. The podophyllum with the dreadful name is also wonderful planted in number. Purchasing such a number for one's garden would be quite expensive.

Great show of photographs. Well done;many thanks. Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

I can't claim any artistic know how with the light Paddy. Literally, just pointed and shot. It was very strong light that day and the sky quite cloudless. The frits had the light in front of me, the fern, behind but I think all those soft greens seem to glow at this time of year before the harder look of summer foliage developes. Pleased you enjoyed them.

[fermi de Sousa]

Flowering from SRGC Seedex seed sown in July 2007(!) is Silene hookeri "Ingrammi Group"




The Campanula troegerae which flowered last year for the first time is heavy with bud! Actually I think this is a sister seedling as the original "flowered itself to death"!


Mike asked if the rain we'd had resulted in any rainlilies and it sure has:


Habranthus tubispathus "Roseus" is quite prolific and fairly quick from seed. If Zephirine or anyone else is still interested in seed please let me know asap by personal message as otherwise it'll be "Off with their heads!"
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Lesley and Paddy,

OK, I have to ask about the yellow(?) Weldenia?  Given it is a monospecific genus I am doubting there are other species, and not a ground cover.  An in joke, or something else that I am supposed to understand?? 

[Maggi Young]

Aha! I'm glad you asked that, Paul, because i was just going to ! Yellow Weldenia???

[Paddy Tobin]

OK Time for me to get out and check on my label. Obviously I must have made a mix up here.

Five minutes later: You had better appreciate this. It is freeeeezzzzzzzing outside and I dashed out in my usual house-wear, shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops and on the way back into the house noticed how heavy the frost was on the cars. BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Anyway, the purpose of the exercise. What I am growing is Waldsteinia ternata. Ah, I was close enough. Just a little mix up in my senility.

Sorry, if I raised hopes that there was something easy in this rather special genus.

Time to put the kettle on here.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

Oh dear, I done 'im wrong! I really thought you were having a little joke Paddy and were talking about dandelions or something simlar, referring to the ease (ahem, ahem,) with which I grow Weldenia, which was why I said I grew that one well too. But from previous pictures of your own garden, I should have known there would be no such things along your paths. Commonplace here I'm afraid.

[t00lie]

Quote---"hope Dave Toole is pleased to note that the iris he gave to me is doing well. This beauty is a regelio-cyclus hybrid called `Vera."

Lesley --i'm shocked --You are actually agreeing to calling it Vera now !!!!--this confirms to me that you have come over from the 'dark side' and seen the light.Smile --i said earlier you'd keep and i have a long memory.(I owed you that one Ms Cox).

Nice to see it healthy and in bloom.Unfortunately the parent plant has refused to flower here for me for the past two seasons.The only spots i have left have been too shady-- so today i promised it to a good friend who has a sunnier garden.She has has plenty of room under the eaves of her house facing north to give it the baking i presume it needs. 

Suppose you'll miss next weekends Otago group field trip,Saturday being Market day ?.

Cheers dave.

[Paddy Tobin]

Oh Lesley,

Plenty of dandelions here.
Sorry about the mix up.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

Dave I'm hoping to go to the Blue Mountains next Saturday. I can take a day off and I haven't been anywhere in the mountains for so long (except over the old Dunstan Rd yesterday). I phoned John Fitz this morning and left a message on his phone. Don't know if Roger will come though.

Regarding the iris, I'd (conveniently) forgotten that I'd argued about the name. It's not as I remember `Vera' when I had her but that was 30 years ago and God knows, my memory ain't what it used to be. So I'll go along, for now anyway. It should need a good open sunny place and dry in the summer. I believe Marion Rutherford grows it out on the open garden so even Southland can be warm enough it seems. Mine's in a pot for now but I plan to plant it out in the later summer.