Early February 2007

[Joakim B]

Thanks for the many nice pictures
Here are some picture of what is in flower in Portugal
A white magnolia the first of "ours" mothers-in-law´s
A rose that is the last of last years flowers. new shots are already coming
A calla with and without my hand as a size reference
And the last hibiscus from the balcony.

Kind regards
Joakim

[hadacekf]

Tony, thanks for your compliment, but it grow only this plants that like the condition of the meadow and not the plant what I would like.

[Joakim B]

This was my 5th attempt to post the pics.
Luckely it worked.
It really is the time for magnolias and callas in Potrugal now.
It is also time for some of the irises to do a winter/spring bloom but not mine.
Joakim

[annew]

Franz, your meadow is beautiful!

[Tim Murphy]

Franz, I particularly like the cyclamen growing on the edge of your meadow, although the whole area looks fantastic. How many years has it taken you to get the meadow looking like this?

[Paddy Tobin]

Franz,

Your style of flowering meadow is seen very rarely here. It is a special treat to view your photographs. You have created a wonderful garden. Many thanks,

Paddy

[ian mcenery]

Franz you have probably found natures secret in that plants which have the right conditions will grow well. It must take great care from you to paint such a beautiful and natural picture. I must try harder

[Guff]

Franz, your pictures are amazing. The cyclamen and crocus together is awesome!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

 
Franz, you're leaving me flabbergasted !
What a show !
One question - what's the beautiful white and dark blue crocus in the midst of the fabulous group of Iris Katharine Hodgkin (foto spring 3) ?
Thanks for sharing !

[David Nicholson]

Hi, my second posting here. Now I go for multiple images! So hopefully in this order, Primula allionii Elizabeth Burrow, a Cyclamen persicum from Cyclamen Society seed, the parent was spectacularly silver patterned, this one hasn't inherited that but has come out a sort of sage green and a Cyclamen pseudo-ibericum, again from seed.  Mark

Nice allionii Mark, is Elizabeth Burrow usually an early flowered varity? I usually manage to kill allionii either during the summer or rotting off during the winter but this year I have two plants with small buds on them. I must be learning something!!

[hadacekf]

Thanks everybody - great you like my garden. It were the self seedlings of different bulbs that myself on the idea brought to make a flower meadow.  It has taken 15 years to get the meadow looking like this.
Luc, the white is Crocus chrysanthus Ard Schenk ?.
The blue is Crocus sieberi ssp. sieberi which has a great colour variation.

[Lesley Cox]

That is a super variant of C. sieberi ssp sieberi Franz, usually much softer purple. In fact I wondered if that was the one that interested Luc. There seemed to be 2 dark and white, one with dark edge to the petals and one with dark centre stripe. I have seedlings of `Ard Schenk' from Thomas' seed. Hope at least some are reasonably true.

[hadacekf]

Lesley, you are right it is another seedling.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Lesley was right Franz - it was the C. siberie ssp siberie I meant !
It's an absolute stunner !  What a formidable flower.
Thanks for the close-up (and everything else !) Franz !

[DaveM]

Great meadow, Franz. I really like that sieberi sieberi.

Just a couple of things from today. The Daphne bholua is great value, flowering over a long period and with a delicious scent. Strategically placed near the back door of the house it just has to be admired on passing. The Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin' is also a favourite of mine, just about getting to its best now (a bit later than some previous posts). And a pic of some Leucojocks to counter the perceived overabundance of those other little white jobs elsewhere.