March 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Dionysia]

A few more plants from the greenhouse (or fridge in some cases)
Paul

    Dionysia 'Adrastea' 
    Dionysia 'Lunaris'
    Dionysia 'Lysithea'
    Dionysia 'Manuela'
    Dionysia 'Markus' 

 edit by maggi to add plant names to text

[Dionysia]

and more.

    Dionysia 'Monika'
    Dionysia oreodoxa DZ I 01-06-4 
    Dionysia 'Orion'
    Dionysia tapetodes 'Brimstone' 
    Dionysia tapetodes ENF92-1 



 edit by maggi to add plant names to text

[Dionysia]

and more.

    Dionysia termeana JLMS02-34-PMR2
    Dionysia viscidula x freitagii RFB-MK1992-3 
    Dionysia zschummelii T4Z166-Go2
    Dionysia PMR08R1980-1 f3 ex PMR-MK03127-6
    Dionysia PMR-MK1160a-9 f1 ex khuzistanica
 
 edit by maggi to add plant names to text

[David Nicholson]

Really lovely Paul. I would envy but I'd never have the dedication nor the patience.

[Dionysia]

Thank you David. I can't pretend it isn't more or less a full time 'occupation'. My mother once said it was an obsession and it's difficult to argue with her as they certainly don't tolerate any inattention. At this time of year moving them from sun to shade, from greenhouse to patio to fridge takes a lot of time.
Paul

[Maggi Young]

Must be worth it for those results , though, Paul.  I hope a good few of these make it to Loughborough at the weekend.
I love Lyisthea and  Dionysia PMR08R1980-1 f3 ex PMR-MK03127-6 is a bosker!

[Anne Repnow]

Back home from breast cancer surgery, an inspection of the garden greatly lifted my spirits today. (as do those beautiful Dionysias, Paul!) So much has grown over the past few days and there are so many old friends to discover. A little selection:

Crocus chrysanthus 'Ard Schenk'
Allium 'Ambassador'
Pachyphragma macrophylla (a great favourite of mine)

[WimB]

The ovary and the stamens of the dark flowering Jeffersonia dubia.

[Maggi Young]

Those gems were clearly waiting to welcome you home, Anne.
May I wish you ALL the VERY BEST with your recovery and future health? 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

and more.

    Dionysia 'Monika'
    Dionysia oreodoxa DZ I 01-06-4 
    Dionysia 'Orion'
    Dionysia tapetodes 'Brimstone' 
    Dionysia tapetodes ENF92-1 



 edit by maggi to add plant names to text

Gorgeous plants, Paul !
I believe I recognize 'Monika' from a meeting at the Harlow show last Saturday... 

[Cyril L]

Fantastic dionysias again Paul and perfectly well grown.  I had not appreciated you actually put them in the fridge.  This is total dedication!

[Dionysia]

Luc, you're right. The Monika was at Harlow as indeed were many of the others, hopefully many will still be OK for Loughborough. Judicious use of two fridges (not the food fridges!) can extend or delay flowering but you have to be careful. In general I don't leave them in for more than two days at a time. They may however go back inside after a night of fresh air. Glad you like Lysithea Maggi. The plant shown is a cutting from a seedling I originally raised in 2003 from seed received from Michael Kammerlander collected ex Emmely. I don't like Emmely, it's too vigorous and untidy and not the best colour. It has however given rise to many f2 and f3 hybrids including Tess and Geist. Lysithea is compact for an Emmely seedling and after opening pale yellow, fades to near white. One or two other people now have it including Aberconwy although it is not in their current list. PMR08R1980/1 is a better colour than the picture shows, being a deep pink with a red eye, and it's approx 12mm in diameter. Most of my seedlings are from seed received from friends on the continent as seed is more reliably set there. I don't have time to deliberately pollinate my plants but occasionally, when dissecting a dead plant I do find seed on some of my own plants. This is the case here. It's seed parent is an f2 hybrid which itself was a seedling I raised from seed from a sibling of Cinderella (freitagii x microphylla) Judging by it's colour PMR08R1980/1 may be backcrossed with freitagii.
Paul
PS Cyril I haven't forgotten the white afghanica hybrid.

[Maggi Young]

Great background info, Paul - thank you.

[ashley]

Very best wishes Anne.

That allium is striking, almost like a bromeliad

[fixpix]

Welcome back Anne!
Always thought early spring bulbs are the best. When there's nothing else, these do make a difference day by day!

Love your little hills of color Dionysia... none of these would grow out there in the garden???