Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Parsla on December 02, 2017, 02:22:20 AM

Title: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Parsla on December 02, 2017, 02:22:20 AM
Some lovely posts on the November pages. I can't think where November went - it seemed so fleeting.

A few garden photos..

1. Hymenocallus harrisiana is much more statuesque than when it first appeared last year
2. The first time the anthriscus has flowered for me. i have had it a few years but the varmints usually get to it first
3. Lilium martagon first tiny flowers from these ones - darkish pink with freckles - sadly not as dark as i had hoped
4. I think this is saxifrage stolonifera, nipped off as a cutting a couple of years ago. it has thugged its way to domination
5. One of the cherry trees needs a week or two to ripen fruit. Always a dilemma as the fruit is nicer if one waits but the birds can take it all and its very awkward to net.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Parsla on December 02, 2017, 02:26:38 AM
...and a few more
6.Arisaema candidissimum
7 & 8. A beautiful roscoes humeana hybrid gifted by Otto has a gorgeous colour range - here are two variants
9. Kalmia latifolia with almost white flowers
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Parsla on December 03, 2017, 10:47:00 AM
A couple more photos from today - in the lull after the rainstorm.

1. The 2 metre high Lilium lankon hybrids are opening, with some very interesting colours.
2. Paris polyphylla (thank you otto). It sulked last year and i thought it must have gone west - but here it is again as pretty and exotic as ever.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on December 09, 2017, 01:53:45 PM
Nice to see you today at the Bunfight, Jacqui :D
Here are a few things in flower in our garden this week:
1 & 2) Eremophila bignoniiflora x polyclada
3) Eremophila 'Summertime Blues'
4 & 5) Eremophila "red hybrid"
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Parsla on December 10, 2017, 08:43:31 PM
Fermi it was such a lot of fun.  It is an occasion where one can be shamelessly greedy and nobody seems to mind. 

Your eremophilas are gorgeous. I feel I must try them (or would if I had any space left) ::)

Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Mini bulb lover on December 10, 2017, 11:59:43 PM
Great photos Jacqui and Fermi.

So I'm not the only one running out of space Jacqui?  ;)

For other Australians on this forum that don't know, there's been a change to the seed import conditions. Luckily the SRGC seed team are going to look after us by complying with the change (thanks seed team!). The AGS and hopefully NARGS will also be okay. But if you order seed that isn't commercially packaged from somewhere else you should let them know that they need to include a sender's declaration.

More details in my post on the seed exchange thread: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15580.msg384982#msg384982 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15580.msg384982#msg384982)
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Maggi Young on December 11, 2017, 12:24:41 PM
Great photos Jacqui and Fermi.

So I'm not the only one running out of space Jacqui?  ;)

For other Australians on this forum that don't know, there's been a change to the seed import conditions. Luckily the SRGC seed team are going to look after us by complying with the change (thanks seed team!). The AGS and hopefully NARGS will also be okay. But if you order seed that isn't commercially packaged from somewhere else you should let them know that they need to include a sender's declaration.

More details in my post on the seed exchange thread: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15580.msg384982#msg384982 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15580.msg384982#msg384982)

The AGS seed team is up to speed with this and has  provided such details as now required for some time, I think.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Parsla on December 12, 2017, 07:53:42 AM
Dear all,
Just for fun, a couple of Eryngiums that make a statement in the garden.

1. A variety of E. pandanifolium (at least i think so). A very good doer.
2. E, bourgatii
3. Not an eryngium at all but a martagon hybrid Claude Shride.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on December 12, 2017, 01:04:49 PM
A little South American "bulb" in the rock garden - Alstroemeria hookeri - doing well because of the wet spring, I think
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on December 12, 2017, 07:49:54 PM
The AGS seed team is up to speed with this and has  provided such details as now required for some time, I think.

Although our NZ legislation requires that incoming seed be commercially packaged, this is frequently not the case and so far, our Hort inspectors at the borders have been sensible about releasing such seed, all else being in order of course. But I suppose it may happen at any time with or without notice that the letter of the law is applied. As always, we need to be alert to such adjustments. What I'm really trying to say that the seed teams do an amazing job in packing and sending in the first place but from our overseas perspective, their attention to all our regulations and rules is just so helpful and we are incredibly grateful for this because without all this extra work of providing lists for our applications and now, it seems, paper work about packaging and heaven knows what else, we wouldn't be able to get seeds at all. No thanks or praise are half enough for the wonderful seed service and those who provide it.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on December 18, 2017, 07:36:42 AM
One of our members reports that he has already fallen foul of the new regs :o Seeds sent from the Czech Rep were intercepted and he was informed they were to be destroyed :o
However after contacting the Inspectors he was able to convince them to release the seeds despite not having a "supplier's declaration".
Fortunately the seed was sent prior to the rules coming into effect!
Here's the very pleasant Clematis campaniflora flowering now through a climbing Lorraine Lee rose,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on December 29, 2017, 09:58:36 AM
A recent purchase: Eremophila calorhabdos "Red Rod" from Western Australia (though I bought it locally ;D )
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Jupiter on December 29, 2017, 09:27:24 PM

Hi Jacqui, Fermi, Otto, Lesley etc.  Long time since I've posted on the forum; life has been busy! I have been watching all your posts, Jacqui I'm enjoying your lilies and other gems. Here are some pics of some of my saxifrages and sempervivums.

1. Sax. hostii (or hybrid of, I think)
2. Sax. georgei
3. Sax. x edithae 'Bridget'
4. Sax. oppositifolia (from seedex seed!)
5. Sax. cochlearis minor
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Jupiter on December 29, 2017, 09:32:14 PM

Part 2

1. Sax. 'Snowdrift'
2. Sax. paniculata minutifolia
3. Sax. 'Whitehill'
4. Semp. arachnoideum
5. Limestone trough with saxes and semps

Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Leucogenes on December 29, 2017, 10:02:02 PM
Hello, Jamus.
I am glad to see again some pictures of you. What for wonderful plants. Perfectly.

And I recur very much with pleasure... the colour and arrangement of your stones is fantastic.  With pleasure even more of it... I love it.  ;D

Thomas
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on December 30, 2017, 08:28:34 AM
Like just a few people around the world Jamus, you have a genius touch for doing rock work in such a way it would be EXACTLY at home on any remote and pristine mountain top or scree. I so envy you that.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Jupiter on December 30, 2017, 10:44:24 AM
Thank you for your kind words Lesley. I feel like I am still learning and am looking forward to doing more! I only wish the climate here was more amenable to alpines, but I'm not doing too badly under the circumstances I suppose! Thank goodness for Otto and his boundless generosity sharing these gems of the alps he's spent a lifetime collecting. I hope others in Australia will catch the bug and grow more from seed, so that we can have access to some of the mind-blowing diversity available to our friends in Europe.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on December 31, 2017, 08:25:34 AM
I am always amazed at the difference between human applied watering and natural rainfall, on ones' plants. Watering keeps them alive but rain makes them thrive and grow. We are approaching drought conditions here in New Zealand at present with almost no rain at all since the end of October in most areas. I have been watering to the extent I'm allowed but watering restrictions are now in force so that's moot as well. However, things are surviving all right and in the last few days there has been some light but very precious rain to relieve things a bit. On Friday night we actually had soft and gentle but steady rain from some time in the night until late Saturday afternoon. All this is to say that while there has been nothing germinating, suddenly, after some real rain, a number of things are coming through even though it is the middle of summer. Iris brandzae (I. spuria ssp. brandzae) from a Czech source and sown in February, has come in a rush, all 10 seeds up today. Helonias bullata is also through today but not the potful on a peaty seed mix, only the lot I sowed on grit. One of Anne Wright's hepaticas is through and so too is Clematis hirsutissima from a kindly gentleman in Lincolnshire. That was sown in August. Oddly, my own much older seed and sown very fresh (Jan, a year ago all but a few  days), the dwarf form of Clematis fusca is also up today, when I'd just about given up on it. Barnhaven auricula seed has started with a rush, many seedlings up overnight though I didn't hope for them until we had good autumn rain, and the white form of Rhodo. camtschaticum is also through, a fine green mist among the grit. I can't swear that all these are the result of natural rain but it's odd that after months of nothing new, suddenly so many things all at once after just a little of "the right stuff."
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on December 31, 2017, 08:34:29 AM
Having got that off my chest I'm now off to the kitchen to make a Pavlova (a cake or dessert, for those who may not know, made entirely of meringue and decorated with cream and fresh fruit usually) for dinner tomorrow. I can start it now and have it ready to come from the oven about midnight when I shall watch the fireworks from Auckland's skytower, then go to bed.

I do wish all Forumists in both hemispheres a happy, healthy and safe New Year.  New Zealanders seem to make a big thing of car crashes and water accidents at this time of year, so many people on extended holidays and perhaps not paying attention to the everyday rules that they normally would. Please drive carefully and swim and play in the rivers and lakes and in the sea with care and common sense.
Title: Re: December 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on December 31, 2017, 11:47:49 AM
Happy New year, Lesley and all the other Kiwis - you get to celebrate before us ;D
We're not up to Pavs yet - still finishing off the Christmas Pudding (with lashings of Brandy Cream Sauce ;D ) so no need to get into that dispute ;) .
We've always seen the difference natural rainfall has on the garden - so much better that whatever comes out of the tap - something to do with the dissolved atmospheric nitrogen I presume.
Here's another recent acquisition - from Cynthia at our Bunfight a few weeks ago - Viola hederacea 'Monga Magic'
cheers
fermi
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