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Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1641
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 7:56 pm: |    |
October 28-9 saw just over 100 Trillium lovers converge on the southern city of Invercargill. Most were from the South Island but a few from the North and a single, charming gentleman from Australia (single as in just one of him).
We all visited around a dozen gardens over the two days, had an excellent dinner Saturday night, a very brief annual meeting, a short talk with slides and an interesting plant sale at the end of that evening. Most went home with new plants.
In the process we saw inland parts of Southland, a lush and prosperous countryside with green rolling hills backed by mountains still with some snow cover.
If the weather was far from perfect on the Sunday, no-one's spirits were dampened as Southlanders fully lived up to their reputation within NZ for friendly generosity. In short a good time was had by all, especially me.
On Friday, as I went south I visited Louise Salmond at Hokonui Alpines and hoped for a good chat and a cuppa but that didn't happen as there were many others at the nursery and without her usual help (living it up in Auckland), Louise was rushed off her feet. So as well as buying some plants (my third lot from her this spring) I took many pictures in a relatively new scree bed. (I should mention that the flash was still working on my camera, in bright sunshine so colour is less than it should be. It was fixed next day by my favourite Australian.)
One of several fine plants of Celmisia semicordata at the entrance gate
The scree is above a beautiful stone wall, many years old now and built entirely by Louise herself. It is cleverly planted with many hanging alpines
Dianthus `Whatfield Wisp'
Almost all the following plants are growing in the scree above the wall and I'm sure by now Louise - if she is lurking - will be happy to offer me a substantial commission on any of the plants sold, of the species below. If not, she should be! (Seriously, any alpine gardener who visits NZ MUST visit this wonderful nursery, phoning first, of course.)
An older plant of Myosotis `Hokonui,' (shown yesterday on "October 2006 Down Under") showing the flat cushion shape. It's great to have something quite new in NZ, given the difficulties (impossibilities) of importing new herbaceous material.
The American Hymenoxys grandiflora
Low-growing Incarvillea `Bee's Pink'
A very tiny Globularia species. There wasn't a chance to check some names
This little composite had foliage typical of a Townsendia species
Erysimum pulchellum is perhaps the smallest wallflower, mat-like and very neat
Full of flowers, Campanula pilosa revelling in warm sunny conditions. Further north it likes a cooler spot.
Penstemon davidsonii menziesii microphyllus (???) was one of many low penstemons.
Penstemon nitidus, 2 seedlings from one batch, the shades quite different. Imagine each of these with richer, more intense colour, to get the right idea.
And the delightful Penstemon procerus v. brachyanthus
My favourite thistle relative, Carduncellus rhaponticoides. I think a bird has flown over!
And finally on the scree, this ancient plant of Bolax gemmifera (Syn Azorella trifurcata)
Just one to go
Iris verna totally at home in a sunny trough.
Usually Louise lets me have a poke about in her propagating and stock plant area. Not this day as there were so many people about and those areas were closed off. A pity, as I would have loved to photograph in a long tunnel house, literally hundreds of plants of Meconopsis punicea, all in glorious flower and some with seed already forming for a commercial crop. I'd be surprised if so many have ever been seen together anywhere in the world.
I took many more pictures at Hokonui, but enough already! On to Invercargill.
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
John Forrest (Jof)
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Username: Jof
Post Number: 1008
Registered: 12-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 8:24 pm: | |
Lovely pics Lesley. Why do you have no Trillium pictures though?
John Forrest, Blackpool, North West England, UK |
David Shaw (David_shaw)
Advanced Member
Username: David_shaw
Post Number: 127
Registered: 10-2003
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 8:56 pm: | |
Echo John's question. Also what is that Quatermas plant in the ?second picture down of the beautifully crafted dry stane dyke - is it Raoulia or a Bolax from South America?
David Shaw, Forres, Scotland |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1643
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 3:28 am: | |
Well, you know how it goes. You plan an event a year ahead and then the climate lets you down so that everything's either finished flowering or won't start until next week. So it was with many trilliums this year. All the same, there are not many at Hokonui anyway. This was a private trip, on the way down to Invercargill, not part of the weekend itself.
The big green certainly is a Bolax, the same as in the second last pic. Louise and Peter's mother gardened here many years ago, at least 50 I think, and it may be that this plant is one of the original inhabitants.
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
Senior Member ( posting super hero)
Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1644
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 4:24 am: | |
Here are a few from Dave's garden and a few others.
A general scene with troughs
Paeonia delavayi. We saw many of these through the weekend, all beautifully scented. Some were bronzy hybrids with P, lutea ludlowii and others were almost black
Dave told me the name of this clematis, but I've forgotten. Albo-something I think. A little herbaceous species with thick, furry flowers
The delightful Leucoium nicaeense in Dave's scree-like mixture
Dave's garden is cool and moist and this Paris was looking very good
Clematis montana had clambered to the top of a native conifer, maybe 15 metres or more
In another garden, Tropaeolum tricolor (syn. tricolorum) was outstanding on a wall
I thought this was a Physocarpus but comparing it with mine when I was home, it doesn't seem the same. Any ideas?
Bruce and Joan Allen's garden is utterly packed with alpines and others, all based in the original vegetable garden so well fed.
I believe this is not Rhododendron `Cream Crest' as I noted, but a NZ hybrid called `Lemon Lodge' raised at the famous garden of Pukeiti, in Taranaki, west coast of the North Island.
A pristine Primula sieboldii
Glaucidium palmatum was classy as always
One of many fine plants of Anemone obtusiloba patula
Known locally as NZ lilac, this is Hebe (now Heliohebe I think) lavaudiana
Another native, the kakabeak, Clianthus puniceus
There are hundreds of the lovely Chilean Firebush, Embothrium lanceolatum in Southland, revelling in cool moisture
A lovely form of Iris innominata, very short stemmed and compact
And finally for Saturday morning, another native, the Chatham Island forget-me-not
Myosotidium hortensia
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
Senior Member ( posting super hero)
Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1645
Registered: 10-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 4:30 am: | |
All this time the flash was working on my camera with resultant paling of the colours. At Saturday lunch, the delectable Tim fixed it for me then further rewarded me with this. The background's not up to much but the subject is very special
My lovely friend Tim Orpin, occasional poster to the Forum
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
J.Ian Young (Iyoung)
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Post Number: 742
Registered: 2-2002
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 9:31 am: | |
Great series of Pics Lesley you all look to have had a good time mixing with plants and people.
I am surprised that Leucoium nicaeense and Tropaeolum tricolorum grow out side as they do not survive outside for us. It is more the cold wet that kills them than the frost as both survive in unheated glass houses.
Ian Young, Aberdeen, North Eastern Scotland. |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1646
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 10:07 am: | |
Both do well outside here Ian. Certainly it's damp down there but if the drainage is good.... I've only seen the Tropaeolum on walls, under eaves so that probably keeps it sufficiently dry.
A few more tonight then the rest tomorrow. You'll be relieved to see there were a few Trilliums after all. these are from various gardens, a mixed but lovely bag
The sumptuous tree paeony `Black Panther'
I never saw such a hairy Pulsatilla as this one
A glorious Rhododendron, a x Loderi hybrid
A very fine (as in slight, slim) of Trillium pusillum v. ozarkanum
This Trillium chloropetalum was reasonably pink as distinct from red. One of very few of this species which hadn't passed its best
A lovely hybrid from Trillium simile
Trillium grandiflorum `Snow Bunting,' the true form with layer on layer of petals, making a fairly flattish flower. Margaret Garthwaite had several clumps of this super plant and had raided them to put a couple of flowers on each of the 12 or 13 large dinner tables and the same for lunch the next day, probably close to 50 flowers in all. Still her clumps were huge!
This beautiful soft pink clematis was sprawled low to the ground and had both trilliums and potatoes growing through it. All looked very healthy!
With a dull day and rain, the meconopsis colours were almost eye-hurting
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
Nelson Delaney (Canyoncreekman)
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Username: Canyoncreekman
Post Number: 10
Registered: 7-2006
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 6:40 pm: | |
Thanks for all the inspiring photos. We just had our first snowfall and I was enjoying 'spring' down under while sipping on a hot cocoa in front of the fireplace.
The photo of the Carduncellus is interesting. We have similar looking plants high above the treeline in alpine zones of our rockies. Some are named species but others tentatively lumped in with the genus 'Saussurea' or 'Sawworts'.. I grow these in our alpine beds. Some have mauve rossettes, others bluish rossettes. The seeds are like those of a thistle but fortunatly the leaves aren't prickly.
There's a photo of a Saussurea west of Calgary in it's stark native habitat about half way down this webpage. It's just started going to seed. These would bloom two months earlier in lower scree in glacial moraines. Please ignore the other stuff on the page as it was put together briefly for a geology field trip.
http://www.geocities.com/truenativeplants/a.html?1 093225542900
(someday I'll have to figure to add photos to this forum. I've tried and just get a number and usually a message about photo too big).
All photos you post are much appreciated as our world turns white. Inspiration and hope for next spring. |
Anthony Darby (Adarby)
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Post Number: 1506
Registered: 6-2003
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 7:38 pm: | |
Superb! I just love these places and the variety of plants found there.
Anthony Darby, Dunblane, Perthshire. |
David Nicholson (Deesen)
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Username: Deesen
Post Number: 83
Registered: 3-2006
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 7:49 pm: | |
beautiful pictures, beautiful plants, and oh! that scree bed.
David Nicholson
in Devon, UK
More enthusiasm than skill-but learning! |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1647
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 8:35 pm: | |
Thanks for encouragement. I'm sorry to be so prolific all at once. No doubt Dave and Doreen will show other pics. But I'll be offline from tonight until next Tuesday so it's now or never for me.
Here we go again.
I have seen Sorbus aria in fruit and have a small plant myself, but haven't seen it in bloom yet. I was very impressed with these
Cornus `Eddie's White Wonder is very popular in NZ gardens, with good reason
This young plant of Rhododendron grande had new foliage developing but there were no older leave. Perhaps they had been frosted off? We could see none on the ground
An attractive planting in the same garden, of hostas and other moisture-loving plants
Although Sunday started with rain, there were many interesting plants to see, none more so than this unusual blooming of a species I'd not seen before. There was seedling variation showing many colours
This gentleman is friend Dave in front of a hedge which he cuts regularly. Because I am a very nice person I shan't mention that he also recently cut the power cable which lies above it
This little cottage has a pretty hat on, of Clematis paniculata
Sececio candicans creeps around a bit but is a superb foliage plant
The shiny-leaved angelica makes a different and beautiful groundcover under a weeping willow. I like the green on green
A planting of primulas, hostas and irises edging a dark pool
A richly perfumed rhododendron hybrid, growing under eaves to protect from frost. Perhaps this should have been a rhodo weekend, we saw so many
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
Heather Smith (Peridot44)
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Post Number: 149
Registered: 6-2005
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 2:02 am: | |
Gorgeous pics Lesley! I love the Penstemons especially. Beautiful raised beds - how much time do you spend in the garden? 25 hours a day I should think!
Only one little quibble: the Hymenoxys grandiflora doesn't look anything like this plant as I know it in the Rocky Mountains. The flower is usually not so many or just single and huge compared to the size of the plant. It is always held vertically facing the sun. If you see an area with them they will be well separate from each other and all facing the same way, clearly recognizable at 100 yards. Quite a sight! I have a little plant of (I hope) Hymenoxys grandiflora which has not flowered yet but I am by no means certain it is the right thing. However, as I have never grown it to flowering, I don't know if it is different when out of the mountains. I hope not as it is so striking - even in seed (Old Man of the Mountain). There is a Hymenoxys acaulis (I think) which looks more like your pic. but not exactly the same (stems shorter).
Heather Smith, Bleary, N Ireland |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1648
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 2:46 am: | |
Thanks Heather, I wasn't too sure about the name myself as I would have expected a bigger, chunkier plant and flower. This isn't my garden of course and Louise is usually very good with names. I'll leave it to her to fight out with you.
The biggest garden we visited by far, is called Maple Glen, perhaps 50 acres or more near Wyndham in Southland. Any visitors to NZ interested in our gardens should have a look at this one. It is quite intensely planted and as well as the garden itself, there is a nursery and an extensive collection of exotic birds which are housed by night but fly free in the trees during the day. They can be overly friendly though and apparently like to perch on bald heads!
From tiny rhubards elsewhere to this stately giant, Rheum tanguticum with dramatic leaves and a whopping flower stem of crimson flowers
Several trees have been cut hard to the ground in order to produce new young and coloured foliage. This is Acer `Brilliantissimum'
There are many hundreds and perhaps thousands of rhododendrons at Maple Glen and most seemed to be at their perfect peak
There are many large ponds or perhaps small lakes, planted with many kinds of water loving species. I specially liked the gunneras
Iris pseudocorus `Variegata' is outstanding by water, for colour, form and general contrast with other species
I should like to know the name of this small tree
The flowers of Prunus paddum
One of the local inhabitants. Crimson rosella I think (?yes), an Australian native and known there according to Tim, as flying rats
Tim and I played musical chairs briefly
The only way I know to look small
and a final picture from the weekend,
A lovely transition from garden to farmland at Maple Glen
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
Louise Salmond (Louise)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 5:15 am: | |
Thanks Lesley for putting those pictures on. One or two corrections necessary. Penstemon procerus brachyanthus is actually P.paysoniorum, the Townsendia species is T.montana. Both are from Rocky Mountain Rare Plants seed which has been excellent and all the plants which we've grown on have given us and visitors a lot of pleasure. The plant shown as Hymenoxys grandiflora is Erigeron linearis, and no, a bird had not actually flown over the Carduncellus rhaponticoides - it has been liberally splashed with a rabbit repellent made of fresh eggs, water-based paint and water. Actually once the repellent has been made up for a few months it also repels humans. The smell of the egg protein is supposed to repel herbivores - and it does too! |
John Forrest (Jof)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 8:22 pm: | |
Wonderful pics Lesley. I've given you the 5 star medal of honour for brightening up the increasingly wintery British days.
Now that's more like a rhubarb.
Wouldn't mind one of Tim's flying rats in my garden. I've put out a bit of cheese just in case.
John Forrest, Blackpool, North West England, UK |
Susan More (Susan)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 - 8:38 pm: | |
Lesley, the tree looks like Crataemespilus a hybrid between the hawthorn and the medlar. I bought one some years ago. It also has great autumn colour. I noticed it a few weeks ago when I was at Maple Glen. Ours is somewhat later so is just coming into flower now.
Susan
Susan, Dunedin, New Zealand. |
Dave Toole (T00lie)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 10:57 am: | |
Finally some belated pics of last weekends get together.These shots are of plants in the garden here that haven't been shown yet ,with a couple taken in the lead up to the meeting.Unfortunately although i had my camera with me ,i omitted to take any shots of the other gardens visited.Probably had something to with being on the organising committee and the mind on other matters!!.
First the Trilliums--Sulcatums
Trillium flexipes
Zigadenus fremontii .Taken only a few days before the conference but well over when people visited.
An orchid that i guess qualifies as a rock garden plant on account of often being found in the wild in rock crevices in the eastern states of Australia.Easy to grow here under cover with attention to watering in winter.
Back in early 04 Doreen came down to give a talk to our local Alpine Group on her trip to Alaska.She brought a wee bag of seed goodies with her.This is the result.Sown 5/04 .Germinated last spring 9/05.
Lamium armenum
Cheers Dave
Dave Toole.Invercargill.Southland.Bottom of the South Island.New Zealand .Zone 8. |
Lesley Isabel Cox (Lcox)
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Username: Lcox
Post Number: 1649
Registered: 10-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 8:58 pm: | |
Glad to see some of the Trillium species we saw Dave. I'm surprised you had any photo time. The whole weekend was superbly organized; very friendly and everything going without a hitch. No VISIBLE hitches anyway, always the measure of a successful event.
Thanks Heather, Susan and Louise for ID comments. I'm always happy to be corrected and much prefer your method of doing so than that of someone else who simply tells me I'm wrong in such a way I feel like a liar. Still stand by my comment however, re Trillium `Snow Bunting.' My own source and source of information was Gordon Collier who had the original SB clone from John Bond of the Saville Gardens.
John, many thanks for the stars. I'll take them gratefully as a reward for endurance rather than for photo qualiy.
Lesley Cox, Lower South Island, New Zealand |
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