Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Paul T on January 01, 2008, 12:03:28 AM
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Howdy All,
Taken this morning (more to come shortly).... a rather lovely picotee edged tuberous begonia.
Enjoy!!
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And some more beauties.....
The two Liliums are Oriental x Trumpet (OT) varieties. Both just beautiful!!
And the Eucomis vandermerwei is a first flowering for me, quite small and rather intricate. The markings and the lovely ripples to the leaf edges are great.
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A great start to the year Paul. Too hot here at present for much new to be out. And I'm too lazy today anyway. :)
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Forecast 33 here today, but the mornings are sort of OK. Was intending to do mulching this morning, but sun was already too much so will wait until this afternoon when that area is in the shade.
There's actually a lot out at the moment..... Liliums, Dahlias, Salvias, Buddlejas, Agapanthus, Echinops, Roses, Gazanias, Wisterias spot flowering, Clematis (limited types), Scaevola, waterlilies, Cactus, Begonias, Eucomis of all sorts (most still in bud, but a few already out), Verbena, Abutilons, Crepe Myrtle, Beaugainvillea, Tulbaghias, Cyclamen (purpurascens predominantly, plus first of the hederifoliums and intaminatums), Arisaema, Nemesias, and more that I can't put a name to right now.
And this morning as I was watering etc I saw and heard lots of birds....... Cockatoos, fairy wrens, silvereyes, wattle birds, blackbirds and crimson rosellas. Haven't seen as yet today the Easter Spinebills that are here so regularly, but they'll be through later. Nice start to the year bird-wise this morning.
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the downpours of rain that we got a week before Christmas resulted in a fabulous display of rainlilies.
Here is a clump of Habrantus tubispathus
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and the pink form, "Roseus"
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More spectacular were the forms or hybrids of H. robustus, first, the one I got as "Russell Manning"
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and then a row of the seedling I raised from it:
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Next, the hybrid between H. robustus and martinezii
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which has the colouring of H.robustus but the size and shape of H. martinezii, which was also in flower:
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This has been the first time that I've seen all these in flower at the same time so I was able to compare and, of course, do some x-pollinating!
cheers
fermi
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Also in flower were a couple of Zephyranthes,
One which I got as Z.rosea and as Z."Grandjax" which I believe is "Grandjax"
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Then one which I raised from seed as Z. fosteri, but which I think maybe Z. rosea!
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The rain also inspired an Acis autumnalis to put forth a flower-stem:
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but the heat undid it and the third and final flower never opened.
This morning these paperdaisies were relishing the hot weather! They came as "Helichrysum sp. ex Catberg Mts"; perhaps Rogan might be able to shed some light on it?
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cheers
fermi
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Having had a cooler December (until the last week) that usual our Acis roseum aren't above ground yet. Normally they surface around Crhistmas. I got a few flowers on the rainlilies, but mine are in pots and not in the ground. Wish I had the space for them in the ground as would be easier!! ::)
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Lovely show folks, keep 'em coming.
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An "herb" that does well in the Rock Garden at this time of the year is Satureja spicigera, a relative of "Summer Savoury" but with purply blue flowers.
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cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
Unusual little thing. How big actually is it? Sort of looks like a small version of rosemary, although flower not quite right.
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Hi paul,
the plant is currently about 18" to 2' tall but tends to sprawl abit. It would probably stay smaller with a "Haircut"!
cheers
fermi
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Lower, (to about 20cms) is Satureia montana which has white flowers. In flower at the moment and covered with bees, but I can't photograph it because it has sorrel through it. I'm doing a massive retrieval job at the moment, pulling the sorrel and painting it with Roundup as it reappears but it's taking for ever to have much effect.
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Hi Lesley,
yes, Satureja montana is neater and we grow it in another Rock Garden (in the herb garden it's called "Summer savoury").
Last year I posted a pic of a Ledebouria with spotted leaves; it's now in flower:
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And another topic we discussed, Lesley, was Seedlings of Dianthus "Whatfield Wisp"; I also had one which was similar to yours but it's now produced a couple of different flowers with basal markings!
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Unless this is a sister seedling which had been overlooked until now?
One happy thing which occurred after the apparent ravages of the drought (which is still with us) was the re-emergence of a Verbascum "Letitia" from the root!
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You can see the stump of the original plant which was 5 years old and had made a considerable sread but simply wilted away, one branch at a time, at the start of the flowering season in spring. My fault for posting a pic of it the previous year!
cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
Nice Ledebouria and love that Verbascum!!
Here's some more stuff flowering today.....
The Dietes bicolor always flowers well every year. This genus is just such a good do-er!! ;D
The Salvia 'Mulberry Gem' I picked up at a local nursery a couple of years ago and had never seen it before or since then. No idea whether it is correctly named or not, but it is a brilliant one. The flowers are at nearly face height (topping at 5 1/2 feet or so at the moment) on long straight stems with some leaves down at the base. This seems to be it's standard flowering mode, which is great as you actually get to see the flowers without having to get down to them. I haven't tried cutting them for a vase, but they certainly do have the perfect stem for it. One of these days I really must do some propogation of it just in case something happens to the one plant I have. Glorious colour, and furry flowers as well!! 8)
And lastly I have a couple of Wisteria spot flowering at the moment. This is a purple seedling from a W. floribunda and I also have a couple of racemes on W. sinensis as well. Nice to have a little more colour "up high" in the garden (all my Wisterias are standardised onto rose wheels, or onto the edge of the Pergola, so all growth is at least 6 feet off the ground).
Enjoy!!
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The Salvia 'Mulberry Gem' I picked up at a local nursery a couple of years ago and had never seen it before or since then. No idea whether it is correctly named or not, but it is a brilliant one.
It should be Mulberry Jam!
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Luit,
Thanks. I'll make note of that. I guess someone somewhere got the name wrong and it continued from there. Thank you again!!
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Paul, I remember having seen it probably in the book about Salvias of Betsy Clebsch.
I saw the book in a shop but did not buy it.
However I know the problem of changing names, I struggled often with that in the trade of perennials.
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Howdy All,
Here's a couple of pics which highlight just how much light differences can make to flowers....... They're both pics of two seedlings in a pot of Liliums ('Apricot Reflections' x 'African Queen') and show a clear yellow and a lovely apricot orange colour. In the shaded version (taken in the evening of the 4th January with the shadow of the house in that area) the apricot flower is much stronger in colour, while in teh sunny version taken this morning (in the full sun obviously enough!! ;D) the apricot is much more subtle. Truth be told the colour of the apricot is somewhere in between, with it more distinct than the sunny one, but not as dark as the shady one. I love both the flowers and will be isolating them as soon as they finish flowering and then potting them separately. I think both are going to make stunning plants in the future when they clump up somewhat. Thought you might like to see the difference in the pictures in the sun and shade though.
The other thing I particularly like with the apricot flower is that the anthers are much thicker, and decidedly darker than in the yellow flower. When you look at the flowers in person it is very noticeable. All in all I am very pleased with these two seedlings. The seed originally came as a free addition to an order over a certain amount. They were sown in 2003. I am not in the ideal conditions (and don't look afte my plants carefully enough) to get Liliums to flower in 18 to 30 months unfortunately. These really kicked on when I repotted them last year, and would have flowered last year if I had repotted them the year before!! You live and learn!! ::)
And thanks again Luit. 8)
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Two very pure specimen Paul - great flowers !
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Paul,
since you're keen on 'improving' regale, try backcrossing one of these to sargentiae - you should get white trumpets with a yellow throat and a good dark back to the petals.
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Rob,
Who says I want to "improve" regale? I just want a regale with the proper dark backing to the petals, unlike those we get here as regale in Aus. I don't have sargentiae, nor have ever seen it... I'm assuming it must have a dark back, or else genetics that bring it through in offspring?
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Paul,
I'll send you some stem bulbils from my best example of the cross. It's only the second year of flowering, so I've not had a chance to see a properly mature inflorescence, but the flowers have good substance - opening a little green and fading to a strong white.
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Thanks Rob. So it's one of those that produce stem bulbils too eh? Certainly makes it easier to bulk up clumps of a clone. ;D So how dark does the outside of the petals end up?
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Red-brown rather than the purple-rose one can get. After yesterday's 35C temps it doesn't seem to have faded too much either.
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That's pretty impressive, as so often what colour there is fades rather quickly. Great to have stronger colour and better fade resistance!
We have the 35'C or so up here today (judging by how it is feelign outside this morning it is definitely going to be around that), while yesterday we were only having around 27'C or so. Marcus H was saying yesterday that it was rather warm, and we were only on the phone around 9:30am. Forecasting 36 and 37'C here last this week, but remains to be seen how accurate that is when we get closer. The instability in Northern NSW could easily affect us down here as well by then, depending whether troughts form or not.
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The stem bulbil production will come from the L. sargentiae parent, won't it Rob. It's a good feature in a lily for bulking up a clone. But the problem with sargentiae in commerce is that it's prone to virus (well a bit more prone than usual - all lilies being a bit prone to virus) and virus is carried in the stem bulbils, so it's easy for nurserymen to build up and sell large quantities of virused bulbs from stem bulbils. When I was more into lilies, years ago, I never managed to get bulbs of sargentiae which were free from virus.
But it's a good parent for trumpet hybrids, Paul, as Rob says giving a good dark backing to the flowers. I wish you could still get some of the old Jan de Graff trumpet hybrids true to name - like Black Dragon and Green Dragon, or even the strains like Black Magic and Green Magic.
I just love big dark-backed white trumpets with brown pollen, and big green-white trumpets. What you get from the Dutch growers these days is a much reduced range, nothing like what Jan de Graff was producing in Oregon thirty or forty years ago.
Rob, if you know of any suppliers who still sell anything like those big Jan de Graff types Black Dragon and Green Dragon (or anything like a decent range of really good trumpets) I'd be very interested in contact details for a nursery and catalogue.
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Great bulbs Paul and Fermi!
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Sargentiae seed is regularly available on the lists (at least in part thanks to Chen YI imports) Martin. Mine came (misnamed) via the Gillanders & I assume was seed grown. Thankfully, virus is much less troublesome here in Tassie than it used to be back in London, where even henryi had to be watched and my hair came out in clumps.
Mentioning the old De Graaff hybrids takes me back to the days when bulbs still came dipped in wax. I'm too long away from the UK to suggest any bulb suppliers, but you might try the RHS Lily group. Seed of the Black Dragon strain still figures regularly there so it is still around; I think you'd have to search hard for any of the other De Graaff's. Failing that what about something derived from the Baas Manor group?
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Thank you, Mark.
Here are a couple more of the South Africans that make our place home.
We've discussed this irid elsewhere and it is commonly used as a streetside planting because it is so tough: Dietes vegeta (syn. iridiflora)
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Despite it being "common" it is a very welcome burst of pristine white with a touch of colour at a very hot time of year.
At least a month ago I posted pics of Moraea gracilenta and there are still blooms appearing each day towards evening.
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Not a great pic, but it shows that it's still producing flowers even as the seedpods ripen. next to it is a kniphofia grown from seed from Denver Botanic Gardens (via NARGS Seedex) as K.porphyrantha; it stays small enough to let it remain in the rock garden.
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cheers fermi
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Fermi,
Is that also D. irioides or is that something else again? Nice little Moraea.
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Oh dear God, Rob! Don't tempt me to get back into raising lilies from seed! I've enough problems with all the snowdrop seedlings! :)
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oops, I meant Dietes vegeta (syn iridioides),
cheers
fermi
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Some photos from today. Been meaning to take more pics all week, but last week's heat frazzled me somewhat and I haven't been so bouncy. Got out and took some pics today, and tomorrow hoping to get back to going through Crocus pots, and finding what I've done with the darn Cyrtanthus breviflorus. Too many pots!! ;D I know where pretty much everything is, but that one is currently eluding me!! ::)
A couple of Agapanthus which are looking lovely right now. BP is actually darker than PC, but it was in the sun so it appears paler. Still a lovely flower. The PC is pretty much spot on for colour. Both of these have a lot of Agapanthus inapertus in their parentage as they have the mophead flowers rather than the big round head of the "praecox ssp orientalis" types.
Clerodendron ugandense shouldn't grow for me here, but it does in a protected place against the house in full sun. I think it should be an autumn flowerer but for me it flowers whenever it feels like it when it isn't dormant in winter. Glorious blue flowers.
This is a little Tradescantia relative called Commelina coelestris which has absolutely pure blue flowers. Simply stunning!! Did I mention I like blue flowers?? ;D Seeds occasionally but isn't anything like it's more weedy Trad brethren. I wouldn't be without it given a choice. Flowers only last a single day, but you get them over long periods.
And lastly for this post..... Erica colorans 'White Delight' is a fantastic flowerer, which is probably one of the few flowers that are permanently in my garden. Their main flowering is autumn/winter, but there is ALWAYS at least a few flowers on it, providing food for the honeyeaters. I have put a second plant in last year (which is the one in the photograph) as I wanted more food for the birds year-around. Despite space constraints I will likely put another in before too long, as having flowers permanently on it is just so worthwhile. 8)
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Here's a couple more pics.....
This is what I bought as Gladiolus primulinus hybrid. Lovely markings and good grower, flowerer and multiplier unlike some Glads.
Grevillea bipinnatifida is the most glorious deep red, with deeply cut leaves that are decidedly non-grevillea looking. I can photograph the leaves if anyone is interested.
And I thought y'all might like some more Liliums.....
The glorious Lilium henryi and Leslie Woodriffe, which is a favourite of mine. Once LW settles in properly she'll be 8 feet tall or more, with a lot more flowers per stem than she has now (currently there's about a dozen). Big, outward facing flowers in a great colour combination. Too good for just one picture!!
I hope you all enjoy the pics. 8)
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Beautiful images Paul.....yet again.
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Stunning Agapanthus Purple Cloud, Paul!
Does Black Pantha have black stems?
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Nice surprise today Fermi! Thanks
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Oh dear God, Rob! Don't tempt me to get back into raising lilies from seed! I've enough problems with all the snowdrop seedlings! :)
No, I can see that getting between a man and his snowdrops would be a foolish idea when the white fever hits.... ...after all you seem to need to be very close in order to tell the difference between them. At least I can tell the difference between my things without use of a hand lens. ;)
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Super pics and plants!
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Actually, Rob, that reminds me I have to repot some L. monadelphum seedlings in new compost before they start into growth, take some scales off some bulbs of the lovely pink L. longiflorum 'Elegant Lady' that I don't seem to be able to buy any more (if the vine weevils haven't eaten them yet) and check on some L. chalcedonicum scaled bulbils in the lean-too. Don't tell the snowdrops, but I do still mess around with the odd lily or two! :o
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Paul,
Great selection of plants. It's been ages since I grew the Commelina, what a lovely blue indeed. I've never seen that Clerodendron previously; Clerodendron bungei is our more commonly grown one. The dark blue agapanthus are brilliant, a favourite plant. L. 'Leslie Woodriffe' is an outstanding colour but I have to opt for the Irish-connected L. henryi.
Actually, they're all great - I was getting long in the list here. Great photographs, Paul.
Paddy
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Martin,
I have to admit that I actually grow a few snowdrops.
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Paul,
you are well ahead of us with the Liliums! L. henryii is still away off and L. Black beauty ( a smaller version of LW) is still in bud.
In the Rock garden the Oreganoes are in full flower or at least in full bract!
Here's the very popular Origanum "Kent beauty"
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Next is one I got from a friend in the hope that it's O. amanum, but it maybe the cv "Buckland"; any clues from other growers?
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My partner, Will, asked me why some of our plants have "Use by"dates!
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I explained that the bread-tags are a handy way of denoting flowers (in this case Habranthus "Russell Manning") that have been cross pollinated: the tags are wide enough to write details of the cross and less likely to be blown away than a paper tag!
cheers
fermi
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Great stuff Paul !
I join Paddy in his praise for the Commelina : what a great bleu shade, terrific ! :o
Thanks again for sharing !
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Definitely O. amanum in the plant Fermi, as evidenced by the relatively large flowers but not the species itself which has small, bright green and non-hairy foliage. My 'Buckland' died so I can't compare.
Thanks for the note re bread bag tags. A genuine, recycle use which I'll go with from now on. Might also save them to write details and place in the bottom of seed pots since I seem always to have some where the original notes on the label have faded beyond telling.
A case in point is this below. If anyone can suggest an ID I'd be very pleased. The seed was sown in 2003 I think or perhaps 04 but has just germinated this past autumn/winter. I've looked right back though the records of all my seed sowings and the only thing it could possibly be is either Disporum cantonensis or a couple of Alstroemerias. But in each case I sowed only 4, 3 and 5 seeds respectively and I've potted up 12 of whatever these are. The seeds still attached to the seedlings looked like Lathyrus species but surely no pea would have taken up to 4 years to germinate and anyway, I've no record of having sown a pea except the ones I do each year, such as LL. laxiflorus and nervosa.
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Below is a superb little Salvia, from the microphylla group but whether that itself or not, I'm not sure. It's been in a hypertufa trough for about 7 years and has split the trough down every corner so that in effect, it's held up by 4 separate slabs of hypertufa. I'm sure the roots will be well down into the ground by now though.
The flowers are not my favourite colour and don't go well with our red brick house but the plant is so good that I'm living with that. Bumble and honey bees adore it and the small foliage is scented rather nicely of a meat paste I used to have on my toast sometimes, as a child.
After flowering, I cut it as hard back as possible (to about 15 cms, as it has very hard woodly stems under the hairdo) and it soon regenerates and flowers all over again. There is a little seed each year if anyone would like some.
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Lesley Cox A case in point is this below. If anyone can suggest an ID I'd be very pleased. The seed was sown in 2003 I think or perhaps 04 but has just germinated this past autumn/winter. I've looked right back though the records of all my seed sowings and the only thing it could possibly be is either Disporum cantonensis or a couple of Alstroemerias. But in each case I sowed only 4, 3 and 5 seeds respectively and I've potted up 12 of whatever these are. The seeds still attached to the seedlings looked like Lathyrus species but surely no pea would have taken up to 4 years to germinate and anyway, I've no record of having sown a pea except the ones I do each year, such as LL. laxiflorus and nervosa.
Lesley,
Looks like an Alstroemeria (or Bomarea- same family).
Gerd
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Thank you Gerd, from the bottom of my heart. At last (with help) the penny drops! I remember that Marjorie Smith in Tasmania sent me some seeds maybe at the end of 2003 or a few months later, of a Bomarea species (can't remember which, but that will come too, eventually). There were round about a dozen, and since then I've occasionally thought, what a waste that was because nothing germinated. So that's what they must be. The lesson learned - use the bread tags in the bottom of the pot and record EVERYTHING in my seed book.
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Bomarea kalbreyeri ? Lesley
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Glad you enjoyed the pics everyone. The colour of the Commelina is such a pure blue I adore it.
Fermi, my 4N Black Beauty is still a ways off flowering as yet, and unfortunately due ot an accident with a hedge trimmer my normal BB won't be gracing me with flowers this year!! <sigh>
Luit,
Dark stems, but not really black. The buds look almost black, but open to this deep blue-purple with a paler stripe. Overall it looks darker than Purple Cloud, although that isn't reflected in teh pictures.
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Thanks Dave, but no, it's Bomarea caldassii, from RK in Tasmania. I've already put a label on it. Ain't the Forum a wonderful thing?
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Fabulous Salvia, Lesley. Obviously being cultivated just as it requires as its thriving. Great plant. Pity the colour doesn't entirely suit you.
Paddy
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Any ideas on the name of this small Clematis--about 60 cm in height with stiff stems that require support.
Ta .
Cheers Dave.
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that's a great colour combination. Is it actually so blue?
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Don't know what it is but it sure is a nice one Dave !
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Thanks Luc.
Mark
That's an interesting question.
It's just on dusk here so i went outside and picked a flower.
Viewing it under artificial light it appears my shots haven't picked up the true colour .The shade is more towards purple as shown near the end of the petal tips in the first pic.
I'll take a few more pics tomorrow.
Cheers dave.
(Forecast to be warm and dry again tomorrow --mid to late 20s C--what a summer !.).
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Dave,
It looks a lot like C. viorna, although the colour is darker than I can find in any of my reference books (where they say it ranges from a dull purple to pink). Whatever it is it is VERY pretty, and well worth growing even without a name.
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Might be addisonii
Clematis addisonii
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David, when it's not C. viorna then it could possibly be C. pitcheri.
Though C. viorna comes first, but maybe a named cultivar.
There are several cvs. grown in Holland by J. van Zoest.
greetings
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Paddy,
Given your favouring of Lilium henryi earlier, here's the yellow version L. henryi citrinum (Thanks again Rob, it's delightful!!)
Also for everyone's enjoyment there's a shaggy double Shasta daisy that I have just been given a piece of. Not that into the Shastas, but this one is rather pretty.
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What a superb lily with those long elegant filaments.
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Perfect Paul,
A beautiful lily.
Paddy
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Why Thank you Paddy. But what did you think of the flowers in the pictures? ;D ;)
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Hi:
Exciting images. H. tubispathus 'Roseus' although validly published has no standing, as there are at least a dozen of different roseus in cultivation.
The one of 'Grandjax' is that hybrid.
The one of Z. fosteri is Z. fosteri. Z. rosea is a clumping dwarf species from the Caribbean not easy to grow at all. The flowers are not star shaped but rather rotaceous much as in Ipheion 'Rolf Fielder' and a deep, intense rose. It is very difficult to find material that would set seed suggesting that those millions of bulbs in cultivation in the Caribbean are a single clone.
From what can be seen in the image, it is of Dietes grandiflora. Dietes iridioides (D. vegeta) is shorter and the stems are not erect but typically pendulous, the flowers being a lot more drab than in the stunning grandiflora.
Best
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Howdy Ezeiza (Sorry, not sure of actual name to go with that),
Interesting re the Dietes. I had thought that irioides and grandiflora are exactly the opposite to what you had outlined, but that was only based on previous experiences of labelling/pictures etc. The taller, more upright variety is often seen here in Aus as plantings in public parks etc, and I had only been able to identify it as irioides in the past..... I have both of them, and as you say the taller is a more impressive flower, although the shorter with more droopy stems has it's own charm (and sets large amounts of seed unlike the other). The leaves on the shorter are a bit broader, and darker green I find. Sounds like I have to swap my mental labels as to which is which!! ::) Thanks for the info. ;D
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Ezeiza, it would be interesting to hear a little about you... where you live, what you like to grow, are you professionally involved in horticulture etc... it is much friendlier if we know some of these details about the Forumists :) There is a special page for you to tell us more about yourself, if you'd like to do that... it is here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=12.285
We look forward to learning about you, we would appreciate all new Forumists to introduce themselves in this way :)
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Paul,
I'll insert my comma appropriately next time, but then you are perfect really!
Ezeiza,
You have the thought patterns of a taxonomist but we won't hold that against you. Even taxonomists have their uses and are very welcome on the forum.
Paddy
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Hi Paddy:
So good! It happens that I grow many of those species mentioned in this forum and I am sorry I can not be of help more often.
It is so important to have the proper names of what one is growing, particularly with those genera in which pressed specimens look all the same.
Regards.
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Hi Maggi:
Please excuse my bad manners. I overlooked the fact that I had not sent a proper introduction.
Regards.
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Hi:
Dietes flower in volleys (hence the name "fortnight Lily") if well watered, but they do a lot better and flower for six months or more if faded flowers are removed. Iridioides set seed heavily but as a rule there is not enough peopel for so much seed. I have lots of clumps of this so if you need seed let me know and remove your faded flowers to enjoy a longer season.
Grandiflora does better if in full sun, but iridioides can take a lot of shade. Seed of Dietes germinates freely, like grass, when the capsules split open and fall as soon as ripe. I suspect many of our failures with South African seed is because the seed has been stored dry for too long.
Regards
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Alberto,
Taxonomists are on my mind at the moment as I have just fallen foul or one on this side of the Atlantic; have had my knuckles rapped for improper publishing of names etc.
Great to have you with us. A discussion which might interest has been ongoing in the Galanthus forum - the naming of galanthus cultivars.
Looking forward to your contributions.
Paddy
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Dave, are you going to the Study Weekend? If so, I'll bring my Clematis books and you can have a good look. My viorna is much pinker than that and not so intensely coloured, but there are many in that group, all American. I have a gorgeous deep purple form of addisonii but it is a climber to about a metre.
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Meant to add Dave, MAKE IT SEED!!!
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I have a gorgeous deep purple form of addisonii but it is a climber to about a metre.
Grey-Wilson's book has it that the stems of C. addisonii require support or they will flop over. He has the climbing forms in C. glaucophylla (though he notes that this is synonymous with C. addisonii sensu Gray). As always one pays one's money and takes one's choice. At least his book is in paperback, so the monetary cost of the 'choice' is low ;)
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Hi Alberto,
Thank you for your identification of the rain-lilies for me.
These are probably the easiest of the South American bulbs for me at present and I aim to grow as many as I can - Quarantine Authorities permitting!
What should the Habranthus tubispathus "Roseus" be called ? Just "pink Habranthus tubispathus"?
cheers
fermi
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Before Otto gets onto the "Moan, Moan.." thread to complain that I've neglected my duties, I'd better post these pics for him which he asked me to do before X'mas!
Allium mirum, grown from seed from Paul Furse in the 1960s.
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Calochortus venustus (pink)
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Dactylorhiza elata clump
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Iris juncea, a yellow xiphium from Spain, seldom seen
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A Nomocharis hybrid
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Two forms of Calochortus superbus, one with white background
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and one with a mauve background
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And finally, Iris chrysographes "Black Knight" which is much darker in real life!
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cheers
fermi
on behalf of Otto Fauser
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What a super selection, thank you, both Otto and Fermi!
I am due Otto yet more thanks, and apologies, since I have not been in contact to thank him for the super calendar he sent with some of the most gorgeous photos of the Tasmanian Wilderness. It was too kind of you, Otto , very much appreciated. :-*
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An excellent selection of plants, Fermi & Otto, Very nice indeed.
The Iris Chrysographes is difficult to photograph as it reflects light so much and consequently gives a lighter appearance than it actually has. I have a dark form in the garden, not named, grown from seed collected in China a few years ago. A good garden plant.
Paddy
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Super shots. Many thanks sirs.
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Fermi and Otto, for most of them we can only dream of in our gardens!
Thank you
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Otto, you grow some beautiful plants, thank you for sharing them with us, and thanks to Fermie for doing the technical bit.
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Splendid pics, thank you Otto and Fermi. I am particularly sensible to the beauty of Allium mirum. if seeds, no problem to swap ..... !
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Not much to offer from the Rock garden at the moment, but here's the Ismene which I also posted last year.
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I didn't think it was going to return but it's in a bed that gets watered over the summer and in the space of weeks it has come up and come into bloom.
A quiet "star" in the Rock garden is a shrubby scutellaria, S.suffruticosa, I think,
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Not the best photography when you're running late for work and don't want to get down on hands and knees in workgear! Likewise for the next one, the mystery teucrium which I grw from NARGS Seed labelled "Salvia caespitosa" (and I note that it came through last year's NARGS Sdx as well!).
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Any ideas from anyone about which teucrium it might be?
cheers
fermi
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No idea about its name Fermi, but quite cute. The little Scutellaria is too, or (s)cute, maybe.
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Super pix everyone !
That Allium mirum looks brilliant !!!! :o
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that is some selection from the boys and girls down under
I got excited at Christmas because a cousin got a job in Australia - asked if he would be interested to go by his employer - and I thought if I save hard ... alas he was so good at doing whatever he's been sent to new post in Hong Kong
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Hello, Friends,
A question just received from Stan Grainger in New Zealand...... I thought you folks were better qualified than I to make suggestions for the care of these plants, so all help gratefully received.....
"Here in NZ we are going through the early summer drought when all the early spring plants are heavy with seed and have lost their charm, eg. arenaria, asperula, aethonema, acquilegia, chieranthus, dianthus, draba, lewisia, nierembergia, oenothera, oxalis, plox, ptilotrichium, saponaria, vitaliana ,veronica etc etc. What do you suggest the best treatment to ensure their strong seasonal return: complete shearing off or such?
Thank you
Stan "
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Hello, Friends,
A question just received from Stan Grainger in New Zealand...... I thought you folks were better qualified than I to make suggestions for the care of these plants, so all help gratefully received.....
"Here in NZ we are going through the early summer drought when all the early spring plants are heavy with seed and have lost their charm, eg. arenaria, asperula, aethonema, acquilegia, chieranthus, dianthus, draba, lewisia, nierembergia, oenothera, oxalis, plox, ptilotrichium, saponaria, vitaliana ,veronica etc etc. What do you suggest the best treatment to ensure their strong seasonal return: complete shearing off or such?
Thank you
Stan "
And I thouhgt some really experts are just now in NZ. I would have them take a look and ask for advice! ???
Or did I understand the question wrong? :)
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I wonder who Stan Grainger is? The name does ring a quiet bell but the connection's not there at present.
If he's at the Study Weekend, perhaps he'll make himself known.
It depends whether you want to collect the seed I suppose. In that case you'd have to wait until it was ready, collect it, then trim off any other rubbish and give a good watering to encourage some new growth. I have masses of really shabby plants at the moment for this reason. And if we don't get good rain soon, many will die as I can't do much watering.
It might pay to give some shade (as cloth or something) to precious things. If the seed isn't wanted, just trim them over and after some rain/water, they'll come away again.
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Lesley, Stan didn't tell me where he is in NZ... all I know is that his email was from "Stan and Brenda Grainger" if that's any help :-\
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Great pics everyone. Just beautiful!! I love in particular that clump of Dactylorhiza elata. What a clump!! Thanks for posting them Fermi, plus your own pics.
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Hello, Friends,
A question just received from Stan Grainger in New Zealand...... I thought you folks were better qualified than I to make suggestions for the care of these plants, so all help gratefully received.....
"Here in NZ we are going through the early summer drought when all the early spring plants are heavy with seed and have lost their charm, eg. arenaria, asperula, aethonema, acquilegia, chieranthus, dianthus, draba, lewisia, nierembergia, oenothera, oxalis, plox, ptilotrichium, saponaria, vitaliana ,veronica etc etc. What do you suggest the best treatment to ensure their strong seasonal return: complete shearing off or such?
Thank you
Stan "
Some more info from Stan: "Further to my note, it should be mentioned that we garden in Central Otago, a fact relevant to the Forum people.
Thank you again
Stan Grainger (of Alexandra under the Old Man)"
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Oh well, in that case I'll modify my above suggestions slightly. Hi Stan and Brenda. Great that you lurk here, but take the plunge and join the rest of the mad folk who post. That would be even better.
Because of Central's consistently hotter, drier summer, once I'd collected seed I'd be inclined just to trim and NOT water unless there was real danger of the plant dying of drought. I'm a great believer in letting a plant's roots struggle down for moisture, instead of being encouraged up by watering, which leaves them vulnerable to the next hot day and drying wind. Sure everything will look shabby until there is natural water (rain) but in the long run, the plants may be better off. If you DO water, water deep, not just a light, surface watering. sometimes I leave the hose dripping onto the plant for hours (Roger didn't hear me say that), literally, a drip every few seconds, which after time does a thorough watering with no surface run-off and so no wastage. But maybe that's not a great problem with you, with the mighty Clutha at your door.
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Thought that I might put up a few things flowering the last week or so. Lilium Martagon did really well, up until some nasty wind a few days ago that knocked it around and finished it. It flowered for ages, and was late flowering, because of all the cold weater we had in December. Even today it isn't real warm outside, 10 degrees or so.
Also a photo of the Fernery, with Dicentra Pearl Drop and the climbing Hydrangea growing up one of the man ferns. Also on the side is the finishing buds of our yellow Tasmanian Waratah (Telopea Truncata).
Lesley
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:o :o WOW :o :o
I love your L. martagon field!! 8)
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Perhaps I could use this thread to see if Australian friends could help me a little.
Through the Seed Ex. I have seed of Diplarena morea and D. latifolia, and also Albuca shawii (of which Paul has a picture on the PBS Wiki). It's all part of my 'cunning plan' to try as many of the SH plants as I can and see how many of them are reasonably successful in the NH. The questions I have are:- are these Summer or Winter growers with you, and bearing this in mind when should I sow them?
Any help would be appreciated.
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See these two Bulb Logs to see what Ian has to say about Albuca shawii
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2004/190804/log.html
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2005/310805/log.html
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See these two Bulb Logs to see what Ian has to say about Albuca shawii
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2004/190804/log.html
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2005/310805/log.html
There's always a clue! In the 2005 item Ian says he was going to try Albuca shawii outside-did he succeed? Given that it looks like a Summer grower for us when would you sow seed ??
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Well, he hasn't actually got round to planting Albuca shawii outside yet, but he's had a potfull sitting outside the greenhouse for the last two years! It's fine! I'd sow the seeds now.
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Hi Maggie:
Seeing how well Albuca shawii does over here with a loooooong hoooot summer, I would only try a small bulb outdoors
in Aberdeen!
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I would only try a small bulb outdoors
in Aberdeen!
That's what I would have thought... it is extraordinary that the pot full has been okay... I suppose the fact that it is in a pot and with very free draining compost helps. There is nothing about Aberdeen, ever, that is long and hot!
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Dear Friends, I have received news via Tasmania and England of the death of the great plantswoman, Essie Huxley. Here is a note from Derek Bacon, Forumist and old friend of Essie......
" I am not sure how many on this Forum were like me and in contact with Essie Huxley in Longley, Tasmania but I have been asked to tell you that she passed away on 22nd January. I first got in contact with her about 40 years ago through the AGS; she was a wonderful Plantswoman, there was nothing she did not know about Tasmanian plants and sent seeds from her garden all over the world. A grand gardener, she will be missed.
Derek Bacon"
I expect that Essie's memory will be toasted at the NZAGS Study weekend, where many of her friends and admirers are gathered at present in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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We have indeed lost a great gardener, her knowledge of plants and bulbs was truly a revelation every time I talked to her. She will be missed by many :'(
Lesley
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It is terrific, though, Lesley, that Essie was able to share her knowledge with all sorts of people over the years, and even to be in contact at her advanced age, with bright young things like yourself, who can carry on her enthusiasm well into "new" century. 8)
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Sad, but not unexpected. Essie has been in and out of hospital in the last few weeks. When I last saw her a fortnight ago, the conversation turned to the decline of the garden of a recently deceased friend. She hoped that the same fate wouldn't happen to her own garden. I'm sure everyone who visited her and benefited from her generosity hopes the same thing.
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Her funeral was a lovely tribute to a great and generous lady. Bird song playing and heaps of flowers picked from her friends gardens. Judging by comments made, she will live on in the things she so generously shared with everyone. There were many happy memories of her shared yesterday. I miss her already! :( but I can see her everytime I walk around my garden.
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Dear Marj, yes, you have lost a wonderful friend but I am so glad that you have all those great memories to enjoy. Plant gift memories are almost as evocative as scent memories, so to combine the two should mean lots of happy thoughts.
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It is terrific, though, Lesley, that Essie was able to share her knowledge with all sorts of people over the years, and even to be in contact at her advanced age, with bright young things like yourself, who can carry on her enthusiasm well into "new" century. 8)
Very true Maggie, I was lucky enough to go around her garden with her a year or so ago and a few 'pieces' were generously given. She was always enthusiastic about gardening, evertime I talked to her I learnt new things.
Lesley
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See these two Bulb Logs to see what Ian has to say about Albuca shawii
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2004/190804/log.html
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2005/310805/log.html
Just for the record, we have a South African botanist/taxonamist living and working here in NZ, name of Fanie (NOT Fannie) venter. He pronounces the specific name of the Albuca as sharvii (sharv ee eye) not shawii (as in David and Carol) ee eye.
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I'm sorry to here that Essie has gone. I never met her, unfortunately living far too far from Tasmania, but would have loved to have done so given all I had heard of her.
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I expect that Essie's memory will be toasted at the NZAGS Study weekend, where many of her friends and admirers are gathered at present in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Yes Maggi, I assure you the southern Forumists, those able to be present, did indeed toast Essie, several times and in several different liquid media. We shan't forget her.
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I arrived home from Lincoln 90 mins ago and am starting to catch up on emails. There were over 400 in my Inbox, about 250 from the Galanthus January 2008 thread alone. :o :o :o No further comment is needed, I think.
I've promised Otto that I'll send personal messages to Thomas (Hubi), Paul (T) and Tim (O) but those will wait until morning when I have a little more time.
A great weekend though, Ian's and Finn's talks were brilliant - two thoroughly nice men who will be very welcome here any time they can come back.
Good field trip to Mt Hutt and hopefully some pics tomorrow or very soon. Susan I think has a pic of the southern Forumists, with Ian but I had stupidly left my camera in my room and didn't have time to get it.
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Lesley,
Yes, the white fever has taken a VERY firm grip here in the SRGC forum since Galanthus was assigned it's own special place here. Not entirely sure that is a good thing, as it leads to much gnashing of teeth in frustration here over unavailability of superior cultivars!! ::) ;D
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Nice to have you back Lesley, it's been quiet without you ::)
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Howdy All,
Been slack in not posting any pics of late...... so here's a few things in flower at the moment or very recently (Sorry, doubt any of these could be called Alpine's!).
I can't for the life of me remember the name of the first thing. Cute flowers though, and I think it is chinese. Sort of little shrubby thing to about 3 or 4 feet which more or less dies back each year. Has divided leaves. The closeup of the flower is furry and rather cute. Thanks to Rob, have now updated the name of this as Incarvillea arguta. Thanks Rob!
The Dahlia was most likely bought as potted colour. I like to get new dwarf dahlias to pop into the garden. They're seeding around the area and I keep getting new colours. This one is the best of the dwarf double flowered forms with dark leaves.
The Eucomis starts the season with lovely dark purple leaves. The flowers are actually pinker than in the picture.
There are a couple of other pics to show some other flowering things at the moment, and the last pic was from a visit to the National Botanic Gardens here in Canberra last week. The misters were on to increase the humidity and keep it cooler. The fog effect was rather nice and it even came out OK in the pics.
More pics later. 8)
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Would Incarvillea arjuta jog your memory Paul?
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Thanks for the ID Rob. Its appreciated. The incarvillea definitely matches. ;D The species name didn't ring any bells, but checking the references it certainly looks like I. arguta would be the one. For some reason I always get a blank whenever I try to think of the name of it. It's doing really well this year, around the 4 feet tall or so, and I have been asked by a couple of people what it is...... I just end up looking blank and telling them I can't remember. I really must write a tag for it so I can go and look at it when asked!!
Thanks again. 8)
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Paul's plant which could be incarvillea arguta isn't at all like mine. Sorry no pic, it's in survival mode at present, very dry. But mine sprawls on the ground, quite prostrate. The flowers are a deeper pink and the trumpet tends to be narrower and tubular. When it recovers I'll try to remember to photograph it.
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Lesley,
Mine can flop about a bit, but the stems definitely tend towards upright. I can take a side pic of one of the flowers if that is a help in ID? Anything else I can photograph to help?
Here's some other photos of stuff in flower at the moment....
Firstly a couple of Liliums.... first off the good old faithful tigerlily and then one called 'Mimosa Star' which flowers around 8 feet tall every year. Then a Salvia I bought the other day.... one of those which hs a basal rosette and then flower stems coming up from there.
Sinningia tubiflora I just love, although I know that at least one person here didn't approve of me growing it when I posted a pic of it on a list a few years ago, because I was growing it is less than ideal conditions. The flowers are in pairs and in this case there are 6 on the flower stem. A rather lovely Gesneriad!! 8)
And lastly a lovely stinky aroid..... Typhonium brownii. Next dormancy I really must send one of these to Ian as I had threatened to do last season. Maggi would SO enjoy that!! ;)
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Nice pix Paul :) - your colourful images of high Summer contrast strongly with our today's gusty winds, dark clouds and forecasts of frost and snow for the coming days... after the mild January we had, emerging Crocus, Iris, etc... might get a battering.... :'(
Thanks for keeping our hopes high. ;)
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Luc,
Glad you're enjoying them. That's why I post them.... I can see them outside in my garden any time!! ;D
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Here's something I picked up just recently, never having seen or heard of it before.....
Hydrangea involucrata. The buds look so much like Bethel sage (Salvia involucrata var bethellii) that obvious the bud form is the involucrata bit. ;D Just love it as they unfold from that tight round bud to the lovely deep blue-purple flowers surrounded randomly by sterile white flowers with purple centres. It has fuzzy leaves as well, making it stand out even more as a strange Hydrangea. Great Stuff!! Also picked up a piece of a double white/pale pink (H. i. 'Hortensis') at the same place, although this is just a rooted runner (Yes, it produces runners, something I've never seen in a Hydrangea before).
Enjoy!!
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I love your photo of tree ferns in the fog!
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Hydrangea involucrata. The buds look so much like Bethel sage (Salvia involucrata var bethellii) that obvious the bud form is the involucrata bit.
Paul, I always admired those people who could name a plant in Latin so striking,
that everybody in the whole world knows what it means.
This picture is really a beautiful example of such a plant, seeing how the envelop is opening itself.
Nice pics of the other plants too.
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Thanks Luit. 8)
Anne, I was pretty pleased with the fernery pics as well. I really wasn't sure how they'd turn out once onto the computer, but there really wasn't much editing at all other than cropping them a bit to improve the photo arrangement. It was rather nice in person too, as you could feel that bit of cooling mist on the warm day. I've seen the misters on before, but never noticed them concentrate into a fog quite so well before. Glad you liked the pic. :)