October 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Nice beginning to the month - first flower on this Iris reichenbachii - seed from Marcus Harvey, sown 20-04-2013,
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

That's pretty quick Fermi. It's a beaut wee iris.

[vivienne Condon]

Hello Lesley,
I wish I could have been at your plant sale, I am pleased you did well though

[fermi de Sousa]

That's pretty quick Fermi. It's a beaut wee iris.

Well, I did buy the seed two years ago
Here are a few Aussie native plants in a sand bed:
Senna artemesioides (yellow)
Leschenaultia biloba(blue)

cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Fermi thanks for showing us Leschenaultia biloba. What a stunning plant, that clear, bright blue is so appealing. I'm off to read about it.

[Robert]

Well, I did buy the seed two years ago
Here are a few Aussie native plants in a sand bed:
Senna artemesioides (yellow)
Leschenaultia biloba(blue)

cheers
fermi

Fermi,

I like the Leschenaultia biloba!

I found a copy of Field Guide to Australian Wildflowers by Denise Greig at our public library. Mostly woody trees and shrubs, but there are some perennial plants too. Unfortunately Leschenaltis is not listed. There is a good bibliography.

[Jupiter]

Leschenaultia are new to me and I'm confess I'm smitten. I'll be asking at our local State Flora Nursery about them, but I suspect I'll have to source seed and be patient.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3rCHvKpkBdE/THpTX9EJGkI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/xlC23TUblno/s1600/wreath-leschenaultia.jpg

[fermi de Sousa]

Jamus and Robert,
Leschenaultia/Lechenaultia from WA are among the most desirable of the smaller shrubs/sub-shrubs. I saw them years ago in a sandy area near Perth (no, not the one in Scotland,Susan) and understood why they are called "wreath flowers" - the parent plant suckers radially and then usually it dies to leave a circle of new growth to continue outwards. When I was very young most nurseries sold 3" tubes of Leschenaultia formosa (yellows, orange and red shades) and occasionally L. biloba in brilliant "gentian" blues. You rarely see them these days except from "native plant" specialists.
I established this plant (from a tube) about 2 years ago at the edge of a sand-bed and it has come through 2 winters - usually the time we lose them "in the east" - but so far have been unsuccessful in starting it from cuttings. I've not noticed any seed but will be foraging around it this year in case it sets any,
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Fermi I was going to say that Leschenaultia biloba is gentian-ish in its colour. I definitely want to grow this genus and I don't grow many Australian natives at all here in the garden, so that's saying something. I have this ongoing argument (well debate I suppose) with my Dad,

Dad: "you should be growing Australian flora, our flora is fantastic and diverse and well adapted and beautiful".

Me: "yes Dad but I enjoy growing plants from all over the World because they have stories to tell about where they are from, far away places, it's like astral travel whenever I look at them".

Dad: "your garden is full of all these introduced weeds. Why don't you put in some grevilleas to attract the birds?"

Me: "the honeyeaters prefer my Tecoma and salvias to the neighbours grevilleas. Seems they aren't fussy Dad"

Dad: "are you watering your garden AGAIN? If you put in the indigenous species they'd grow on the natural rainfall"

Me: "yes dad, but when I went outside with my morning coffee I'd be stung by biting ants and scorpions and snakes, just like in the bush."

And so on.....

[Jupiter]

Robert you might find this website useful. Not exhaustive by any means but some practical information on soil types and climatic requirements.

http://anpsa.org.au/l-macr.html

[Robert]

Jamus,

Thanks for the lead! Sometime I feel overwhelmed trying to learn about our local native flora. The book I have right now on the Australian flora has good photographs but no detailed information. Soil types and climatic information is very useful. Thanks! Something to build on.

[fermi de Sousa]

Jamus,
sounds ;like conversations I used to have with my dad - with the opinions reversed!
Here are a few more:
Calytrix tetragona,
Leucochrysum albicans
and a closer look at the Leschenaultia biloba
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Fermi,

The Calytrix and Leucochysum remind me of plants I see on the east side of the Sierras. How cold hardy might they be?

Off to the farmers' market.

[Jupiter]

Absolutely stunning Fermi, that blue is so clear and bright, very attractive. I love the little Leucochrysum too.

Here's a picture of the woodland garden showing off my Cliveas. When we moved here they were all in a big clump in a sunny dry spot and struggling. I moved them all down under the trees and spread them out and they are now thanking me for it.

[Otto Fauser]

 Fermi , we missed you yesterday at the Rockgarden Meeting at Ferny Creek . Hope you are feeling better today .Amongst many well grown plants I specially liked Rex Shield's Lachenalia angelica . I brought my pan of Cypripedium formosanum and a nicely striped seedling of Trillium rivale . South African bulbs were in abundance , a bit too bright for me and as many are too invasive not many find a place in my garden .