January 2013 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Lesley Cox]

That's rather nice Anthony. I'm sure there has been something the same or very similar on Luit's Dutch flower show thread. I've never wanted to grow the larger, modern Gladiolus forms - too close a reminder of Dame Edna, but I see in my new garden, there are several in bud now that I'd not noticed before so it will be interesting to see what eventuates. Every time I go down there, about 3 times a week at present, I see new things. My deep red Calla (shown here a day or two ago as 'Midnight Red' but I have it just as 'Midnight') and my very dwarf pink Eucomis are out too. Choc. cosmos in bud so lots of reds at present. I even bought an ivy geranium the other day, deepest boysenberry colour, for growing on our morning deck.

[Anthony Darby]

I found it in bush being cleared for building. Tree ferns and manuka being bulldozed, so I rescued it. A pair of California quail (Callipepla californica) kept me company.

[Otto Fauser]

The last days have reported that in Australia and Tasmania forest fires and the terrible heat. Colleagues, worried about you!

       Natalia , I very much appreciate your concern for our safety here in Australia and Tasmania . As far as I know no FORUM members have been threatened by fires . There were a few smaller bushfires some 20 km from here on Friday when the temperature climbed to 40C , much cooler today ,only 16 C . but more heat on the way

[Ezeiza]

it's a form of G. daleni, with a serious thrips attack

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks. The white on the petals is mostly loose pollen.

[arillady]

Anthony what is the rose in the pot next to the Gladiolus?
I finally met Marcus and Susan in Hobart on Wednesday evening when my hosts and two other Heritage Rose Execs met for dinner at a riverside restaurant.
It was a lovely evening and to finally meet face to face

[Tasmanian Taffy]

Hello Anthony,
Your gladiolus looks very much like one that I have growing here in my garden sold as (Las Vagas) herein Australia.
regards John.

[Anthony Darby]

The rose is labelled "Hybrid tea Dioressence (Deldiore)".

[Lesley Cox]

I bought 3 roses at the market yesterday. They're being held for me until we have moved. In spite of there being so many roses at 661, most are either miniature which I don't like very much, or in harsh orangey colours which I don't like very much (in roses) or are so old that there are huge stumps with maybe just one or two growing stems from them and in my opinion, should be dumped. There are also standards which I don't like at all! It's very picky of me I'm afraid but the resident roses will be either abandoned altogether or replaced with others, climbers or shrubby. The 3 I bought are 'Mme Alfred Carriere,' 'Alberic Barbier' and 'Gloire de Dijon' so it's easy to see the general direction in which I'm heading. I'm looking at rose catalogues which I've never done in my life before.

[arillady]

Excellent selection Lesley of old roses. Mme Alfred is nearly thornless and flowers for ages and ages. Alberic Barbier will probably cover a shed fairly quickly in your conditions - mine is a mound on the ground - mainly spring flowering with lovely yolk yellow double flowers which fade nicely to cream. Gloire de Dijon can be a good gentle climber but most of the ones in Oz are not very good growers. Hope the NZ form is more robust.
Anthony I looked up your rose on www.helpmefind.com/roses as I did not know it at all. Helpmefind also has a section for paeonies.
Great websites.

[Anthony Darby]

Vivienne received the rose as a gift from a cousin in Australia via something akin to Interflora.

[arillady]

But it would have to come via a NZ source surely.

[Lesley Cox]

Yeah. If I send flowers to my sister in Tauranga for her birthday - she has everything else - they are delivered from a Tauranga florist, not from Dunedin. Planning to send red roses to David N for his 70th next month and to Otto for his 75th the month after.

[Lesley Cox]

I had Alberic Barbier and Mme Alfred Carriere in my first non parental garden, when I married. They were gorgeous and I've always intended to grow them again so now will be the time.

A large friend of Roger's is coming this week and we'll move troughs and other heavy stuff down the road. It's really happening now.

[Anthony Darby]

Yes, that's the way Interflora works - order from one place, source from another. Vivienne's sister in Stirling also received a rose. It was in remembrance of their mother. Not sure if it was the same one? It has a lovely scent, though my favourite scented roses are "Blue Moon" and "Zephrine Drouhin". I'm going to the tennis next weekend for my birthday.