November 2012 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Rogan]

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have just returned from a trip to the southern Cape. It is late in the season (for flowering bulbs) but some plants were still in flower or just going off:

#1 is Gladiolus liliaceus, the roadside verge was full of bloom after abundant rain;

#2 is the more-or-less typical form of Watsonia laccata;

#3 I was extremely fortunate to find this albino-flowered form nearby (yes, it is still there...  );

#4 a putative hybrid between this species and W. aletroides, colonies of which grow nearby.

[Stephen Vella]

Hi Marcus,
The land was owned by the Brunette family in the 1930s as a cut flower farm to supply the Sydney market. He grew lots of bulbs, lilacs and rhododendrons in between cherry laurel windbreaks. The brunettes also had a collection of trees which gives the garden a mature look with very grand stands of conifers, fagus, oak, redwoods, dogwoods and Porthaea. The Brunettes donated the garden to the Sydney bot garden in the 1970s and  major landscape works commenced. The garden was carved into the mountain and yes there are large native sections of cool temperate and we are hoping for a new alpine house to be built that will display Australian and new Zealand Alpine's, it may become a big draw card for enthusiast to come and see in one place especially with climate change pressures.

..and Marcus keep on posting those bulb picks, very nice collection
Cheers

[daveyp1970]

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have just returned from a trip to the southern Cape. It is late in the season (for flowering bulbs) but some plants were still in flower or just going off:

#1 is Gladiolus liliaceus, the roadside verge was full of bloom after abundant rain;

#2 is the more-or-less typical form of Watsonia laccata;

#3 I was extremely fortunate to find this albino-flowered form nearby (yes, it is still there...  );

#4 a putative hybrid between this species and W. aletroides, colonies of which grow nearby.

Thank for posting Rogan lovely stuff!!!

[ashley]

Yes indeed.  Wonderful to see these southern beauties Rogan

(looks like a Namibian penguin to me )

[Hillview croconut]

Great to see wild plants in their native homes and haunts. Makes a change from our captive specimens.

Stephen, thanks for filling in with the history of Mt Tomah, fascinating how many of the major gardens in Victoria and New South Wales began as cut flower farms.

A few more flowers from Hill View:

Euphorbia seguieriana ssp niciciana  - a great garden plant and one of my favourites. Must be one of the parents of E. "Compton Ash"
Allium fimbriatum var. purdyi  - From Ron Ratko seed collection, a quietly attractive little onion.
Campanula tridentata or C. aucheri  - Do know which and not expert enough to call it. Longtime resident from Pavelka seed, I think.
Achillea ageratifolia  - reliable and incredibly floriferous dryland species.

Cheers, Marcus

[fermi de Sousa]

Nice pics, everyone,
I especially like those alliums, Marcus.
I have the first flowering of a rare Turkish Convolvulus nitidus!
And the Scutellaria alpina is in flower again.
cheers
fermi

[Hillview croconut]

Great stuff Fermi!! Its great to see these more difficult species being grown Down Under.

I have some nice plants of C. compactus and C. assyricus but they rarely grace me with their flowers

Cheers, Marcus

[Hillview croconut]

As the bulbs start to disappear the rockgarden now comes into its own.

Pardon this indulgence - a few shots from Hill View:

Part of the lower border to the upper rockgarden (2 pics)
Part of the seed raing area for bulbs starting to fall into dormancy (and considerable unkemptness)

Cheers, Marcus

[Hillview croconut]

Smelly plants, one inherently so and the others when crushed.

Arum dioscoridis - I like it - reminds me of my kindergarten romance with Little Dot comics
Allium schubertii - a seriously wonderful architectural colosus but hard to photograph (too much clear air)
Allium bodeanum - from Harry Hay seed - Large spheres of gorgeous metallic stars and strappy leaves
Allium acuminatum - Ron Ratko seed - easy little American - reliable, cheery flowers

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul T]

We need a bigger picture of the rockgarden etc, Marcus.  Can't see all the treasures in there from a distance. 

To add another quick aroid to your Arum dioscoridis....... here's Dracunculus canariensis, flowering for me at the moment.  A shame the flower is timed to the leaves dying off. 

Click on the pic for a larger version.

[Mini bulb lover]

Fermi, I bet you're happy with the Convolvulus nitidus. It looks beautiful.

Marcus - It looks like you certainly have your hands full with all those boxes of seeds.
Good to see you're doing your bit for the environment by putting the polystyrene boxes to good use for your bulb seeds! I asked for some spare polystyrene boxes from my local green grocer last week and was told they had all been broken up and put in the rubbish. It's such a waste.

Paul, that Dracunculus canariensis looks quite majestic. Is it tall and does it have a fragrance (albeit one that repels neighbours)?

Below is Geissorhiza aspera. I found it hard to photograph because in most of the photos I had taken it looked paler than it really is. I think it's time to upgrade my camera...

[Paul T]

John,

Blues and digital cameras tends to be a common trend of difficulty.  Mine suffers as well (although mine really is getting to the stage of needing and upgrade).

The Dracunculus canariensis is about 70cm tall I think, not as majestic as D. vulgaris, and has a fruity sort of smell.  The flower in the picture is less than 2m from my front door, and as yet I have had not a whiff of scent of any description from it, but I haven't actually stuck my nose into it to check this year.  In past years it has been fruity.  It doesn't have the spotty markings on the leaves etc of the D. vulgaris, and is altogether much more elegant.  Otherwise, very similar to it's kin.  Multiplying happily as well, although as yet I have still only ever had one flower each year.

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Everyone,

Paul, I think you, Lesley, Otto and me have the same camera?? I can't afford to upgrade right now though this little unit has been very servicable.

John, the good old polystyrene box has been the back bone of my seed raising efforts but can be a problem when they break when in midstride! Have you tried getting in closer with your camera or can't you find a focus point up close?

I love that dracunculus - it reminds me of a tall white chocolate latte. Anita, she occasionally of the Forum, sent me two lots of seed of it but I don't find it long-lived. How old is yours Paul? My poor old Dracunculus vulgaris are languishing down at my partner's place. No flowers, and looking very drawn and forlorn. Didn't realize how much they need very high light levels.

Cheers, Marcus

[Paul T]

Marcus,

If you want a corm or two of the Dracunculus canariensis just let me know.  I've had mine for something like 6 or 7 years, given to me as a corm originally rather than seed grown.  It's multiplying slowly, so I think fairly happy.  It gets plenty of sunshine, but is in a slightly protected area as it is suppsoed to be a bit more cold sensitive than vulgaris?  My vulgaris haven't done well the last couple of years with out different weather recently.  I expect them to be back to normal next year as this summer is forecast to be back to our normal heat etc.

[Lesley Cox]

I've always used polystyrene boxes because they are so very light and even full of plants are quite carriable for a rapidly aging female. I suppose better for the environment but the mushroom boxes we used to get are now replaced with cardboard but I was fortunate recently when one of my market vendors retired - he and his wife were both in their early 80s so I suppose that was fair enough - and wasn't able to sell his market garden as a going concern so he sold me 124 polys for $1 each, all brand new and in perfect condition and boy, have I needed them, so many of my older ones showing their age. My son, now aged 40, when really mad at me for some reason, used as a small boy to go out and kick a few, reducing my supply but in those days we could buy them from the supermarkets for 20c or else just take them away for free.