December 2012 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

Here we are on day 3 and no-one has started this thread yet?

On Saturday at the market I bought Olearia angustifolia from a plant stall which only does natives. It is a smallish shrub at present and I thought it might grow to perhaps a metre or 1.5m. I checked with the Flora this morning and find it will grow to 6m!!! It loves wind and though it grows around all our coastline, this form with lavender flowers was collected originally at the Wellington Heads, surely one of the windiest places on earth - and I am moving to a very sheltered garden. Already there are cuttings crying to be taken and I'll do a few today. The first pic shows a foreshortened plant. It is about 60cms high at present. The lavender rays and dark discs are very beautiful especially when sprinkled with golden pollen specks.

[Anthony Darby]

Not exactly flowering now as I missed it, but then I wasn't really expecting a flower of this Acis nicaeensis, seeing as the seeds were sown in August 2011!

[fermi de Sousa]

Hmmm, I thought Paul or Lesley would've started off this topic already! 4 days in and no SH tread?!
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

But I DID Fermi. I'm sure I did, on the 3rd, or is my mind going completely? I don't see it in the Index so maybe it is. I've had some issues with things not uploading properly and maybe it's slipped through the cracks. I thinks there were pics but I can't remember what they were.

[Lesley Cox]

I've found it now. I accidentally started it in the General Forum instead of Flowers and Foliage now. It was on the 3rd and there are some pics of Olearia angustifolia. Maybe Maggi could move mine to the right place please? So much on my mind lately.

In the meantime Fermi, have a look at Blog 661.

[arillady]

Well here are a few photos from a very flowerless garden at present.
Lilium columbianum grown from seed and it flowered last year as well. I have fun trying to keep Liliums going.
Iris fulva hybrid taken late November. Anyone know how to join lead statue pieces back together? This statue was originally in the Adelaide Botanic Garden with Venus rising above the two cherubs on the dolphin. Harry found the base of cherubs and dolphin in pieces in a recycle shop years ago and it was put in the courtyard before the house. One poor cherub has lost its head and there is an arm there somewhere too.
'La Mortola' - not for the rock garden! but great to cover a shed. Stays green and has lots of small red hips later on. A Rosa brunonii hybrid. Beautiful grey green leaves.

[daveyp1970]

Pat is that a red telephone box in the bacckground?

[Anthony Darby]

The roof is wrong.

[Maggi Young]

Hmmm, I thought Paul or Lesley would've started off this topic already! 4 days in and no SH tread?!
cheers
fermi

But I DID Fermi. I'm sure I did, on the 3rd, or is my mind going completely? I don't see it in the Index so maybe it is. I've had some issues with things not uploading properly and maybe it's slipped through the cracks. I thinks there were pics but I can't remember what they were.

It was in the General Section, Lesley, rather than "Flowers and Foliage Now" - I hadn't spotted that, but I've  merged the two here now.

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you Maggi. One day I'll hear you quote my mother. "I'm tired of always having to clear up after you."

Gorgeous rose Pat and I must try Iris fulva again though Louisianas don't do well here. They grow fine but don't have many flowers. Not warm and humid enough in the summer I think.

We had a great Iris show at this last weekend but I didn't have my camera. It was on Saturday and I could only go in for an hour or so after work though I'd helped with the set-up on Friday night. Brian Harris whom I'm sure you'll know, was there with stems for ordering and I was allowed to bring 5 home with me, really sumptuous things, mostly blues and of course I ordered some. Don't know where tall beardeds will go yet, but I'll have a little hot, dry border by the house where oncos may do.

[arillady]

Yes I have met Brian Harris and his sisters Lesley. Yes it is an old telephone box!

[Lesley Cox]

These two gems are in flower now. The primula is one of two plants from Hokonui (I lost my previous ones) and the second is going to flower but a little later. I hope a few flowers will be out before all of these ones go over, so I can cross pollinate. 3 pics showing the whole plant, from the top and the floury insides and stem. This is a choice species we are lucky to have. My original import was in 1981 and I found it could be propagated from little cuttings which sprouted from the roots as it was damaged slightly during weeding around it.

Then the dramatic - Roger says sinister - Iris chrysographes a wonderful black seedling. It varies though dark purples, bluish or reddish and this wonderful black, often marked with fine gold veining or dotting. All are beautiful I think and it makes lovely hybrids of purple and gold, variously marked, with Iris forrestii. A super thing all round.

[David Nicholson]

That looks a very nice form of Iris chrysographes Lesley. Some of the ones I've seen around are a bit wishy-washy, maybe they are hybrids.

[Tim Ingram]

And the Primula is just beautiful! Does it have a scent? Many, many years ago I grew P. reidii (seed from Jack Drake's nursery) before I knew this was impossible in the south of Britain, and its fragrance is unforgettable.

[Anthony Darby]

And the Primula is just beautiful! Many, many years ago I grew P. reidii (seed from Jack Drake's nursery) before I knew this was impossible in the south of Britain, and its fragrance is unforgettable.