South American Bulbous Plants 2010

[David Nicholson]

I though twice about posting this. I got interrupted during picturing this one by screams coming from the top end of the garden. The source was Mrs N. whose clothes line had broken and all the days washing was on the lawn. Of course, it was my fault not having replaced the clothes line when requested as "it will see me out will that one". It nearly didn't But to get back, I see that my close up pic is actually a flower that is well past it's best so sorry, and if in the next week we are graced with another fine day I will try to get a better close up.

Gethyum atropurpureum from Hans J, thank you Hans.

[Miriam]

Hesperantha vaginata is in flower.
I really like the combination of yellow and black in flowers.
According to the temperatures expected for next days, the flowers will not last long

[daveyp1970]

stunning Miriam love the black tips on the petals.

[Hristo]

Great to see these in the open garden Miriam, where do they fit into your wider planting scheme?

[Miriam]

Chris,
I have about a dunam which includes: Cacti area, lawn, perennial and annual flowers bed, gravel and pebbles beds for bulbs and etc..
But since I joined the SRGC and thanks to some good friends from the forum, I am out of space  
So now I have to eliminate my lawn to make a new bed for bulbous plants.

[arilnut]

Hello Miriam. I have been tearing up grass for years now to make beds for the Aril iris.
Less mowing anyway.

John B

Chris,
I have about a dunam which includes: Cacti area, lawn, perennial and annual flowers bed, gravel and pebbles beds for bulbs and etc..
But since I joined the SRGC and thanks to some good friends from the forum, I am out of space  
So now I have to eliminate my lawn to make a new bed for bulbous plants.

[Hristo]

Too right, though grass / meadow has its uses as a life support system for orchids!

[Lesley Cox]

I know we've seen it before on the Forum.... but what an odd-looking thing.

[pel1]

In an odd sort of way it reminds me of an ear of barley! Very nice though, how do you grow it?

[David Nicholson]

Lesley, yes it is different but neither of my pictures do the plant any favours at all. Hans J showed a pic some time ago which is much better than any I could produce. Here it is:-

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2955.0

James, beginners luck I think. I watered my bulbs for the first time around the first of September. Again on a couple of occasions when top growth was showing and I shall probably give them a little sulphate of potash this week. The bulbs are in a 9cm square plastic pot in my unheated greenhouse and have taken all the frost that this winter has brought so far. My top and side vents are normally open all year round and I have panes removed in the door and opposite elevation. I must admit that in the worst excesses I have closed the top vents.
 
Hans' climate is more Mediterranean than mine, though he is often colder in the winter than me and his plants are only just in bud, and Maggi has said elsewhere that she has lost her bulbs this winter. So mine has got to be luck!

[Lesley Cox]

Oh yes, I remember now David. For some reason I seem always to mix Gethyum and Gethyllis. Isn't that one of those odd plants with incredibly twisted foliage? or perhaps my mixed up brain is even more out of kilter than I thought.

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Miriam - nice flowers and nice to see the lawn before you convert it to bulb beds
cheers
fermi

[krisderaeymaeker]

Is this not a great plant?
It start to flower last year in november and is still flowering at the end of february.
Ipheion dialystemon is also an easy plant...   

[Gail]

Is this not a great plant?
It start to flower last year in november and is still flowering at the end of february.
Ipheion dialystemon is also an easy plant...   

A great picture of a very pretty flower.

[Paul T]

David,

The Gethyum is striking, and Hans pics from last year are gorgeous!!  I don't recall it from last year..... great colour.  Not a genus I have ever heard of before.  Fascinating.