December 2007 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Mark,

If I still had my master seed list that I lost when my computer died a couple of years ago I could have told you.... actually I may still have some in a pot so could be able to find out (I write everything on the side of my pots with paint pen).  It has been a few years now.  Flowers for me every year and I just love it as it is such a delicate little thing.  Thanks again!!

[mark smyth]

Paul I know someone with a white Dahlia merckii if you are interested for next year

[Paul T]

Hmmmm.... would be rather cute I'd imagine.  Of course seed may not continue the white trait?

[David Lyttle]

After a steady rain today I took a quick look round my garden.

Here is one of my favourites, the white from of Primula alpicola originally grown from Wisely seed. It is seeding freely through the border where I planted it.

The second plant is Hebe dieffenbachii originally grown from seed collected from the Chatham Islands. It is also seeding itself through my garden.

The third plant is a red Achillea. The white and pink forms are fairly prolific weeds here and grow along the roadside but this one is fairly well behaved.

[Paul T]

David,

Love that stunning red Achillea!!!!!  Beautiful!!  And well behaved as well..... makes a change for so many of the Achilleas.    Must keep an eye out for a good red one like that, as the colour is brilliant!!

Here's a few things just to finish off 2007 for me.

Agapanthus are in full flower here at the moment.  Almost all varieties are out by now, only a couple still to start opening.  Some regard them as weeds but I love them and have quite a few different ones now.

Wahlenbergia gloriosa is the floral emblem of the Australian Capital Territory (where Canberra is located).  I only managed to find it in a nursery last year and I am pleased it has apparently thrived in the garden.  The flowers are a bit over an inch wide, and about 6 to 8 inches tall.  The leaves are low rosettes, spreading underground by fine stolons.  Fits quite well into the "alpine" bracket by appearances, but no idea how cold it takes.  I think it grows up in the Brindabellas (mountain range just to the west of us) so it is probably rather cold hardy too).  I'm glad I found it, and glad it is doing so well for me.  Much bigger and showier than the other Wahlenbergias I've seen (although the small double flowered one is pretty impressive!!)

[mark smyth]

surely you mean c10am in 2008?

[Paul T]

Photos were taken in 2007 so it was finishing off what I started posting yesterday and never got finished!!

[Lvandelft]

Paul, David's achillea seems to me A. mill. Paprika.
If not so, Paprika is still one of the best.
Problem with most of these achillea is that after some years they don't keep their color.
Or the color gets totally different, because they seed themselves very easy.
Luit van Delft

[Paul T]

like the good old bearded iris that supposedly "all turned white" (or whichever colour), which is impossible for them to do.... except that you can get a seedling in there which then outgrows the parent until it has taken over the patch.  I've heard of Iris and Gladiolus "reverting" to white so often from people.  I may even try to find Achillea 'Paprika' if it is here in Aus.  I worry bout the Achilleas because so many of them are feral pests, but that one in a nice pot somewhere with that glorious colour would be great.

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

but 'reversion' is such a hardy perennial, where would we be without it: roses 'revert' when the rootstock is allowed to outgrow the graft. Lilies 'revert' when seedlings or unflowered bulblets/scales (beware 'bargain' bags) start flowering in a clump. It all helps keep nature mysterious and kinda spooky dontcha think?

[Paul T]