Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: fermi de Sousa on June 02, 2008, 03:24:45 AM
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It's officially the Start of Winter here but that hasn't stopped a few plants from continuing to flower!
The Moraea polystachya is particularly stunning in the morning or evening light.
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And for Chris, here's a pic of a dwarf Armeria.
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The nerines are still going too! This is the very popular (especially for Mother's day) Nerine flexuosa "alba", which I think has been re-classified as being N. undulata but I'm not 100% on that.
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And its pink counterpart which has only started to open this week past!
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And finally, got a "sort of" open flower on Crocus cancellatus.ssp mazzaricus!
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cheers
fermi
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Hi Fermi, I hope this means you have your Forum back to normal now.
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What sort of range of Winter temperatures do you get Fermi?
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Great pix Fermi !
I particularly love the Moraea and the C. cancellatus ssp mazzaricus ! :o
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Hi Lesley,
yes, the problem seems to have sorted itself out.
Hi David,
Our temperatures range form 40+ in Summer to -7oC in the winter; usually around July is our coldest time. Currently we're getting down to 0oC with some hard frosts in the mornings!
Thanks, Luc,
The Moraea has done really well planted in a sandbed; there's usually plenty of seed produced (if I remember to collect it!) which I donate to the Seedexes. Let me know if you'd like some. It is from South Africa so I'm not sure how low a temperature it will take.
cheers
fermi
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Just when you think nothing else is going to open for awhile, something surprises you!
In an "abandoned" corner I discovered this bulb in bloom. I presume it's a Polyxena, but the label is blank!
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Any suggestions?
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cheers
fermi
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It certainly looks like a polyxena. Not P. longituba though. That has much narrower leaves. Is it scented?
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Fermi,
Nice!! How tall does your Moraea polystachya grow? I have the taller types but they skip years so often I rarely get flowers on them. A few years ago I got some seed from the PBS seedex as a different species, and was later notified it was a dwarf form of M. polystachya....... I have had it in flower for weeks and weeks now, total of 18 inches tall but with flowers branching from about 6 inches above the ground. Slightly larger flowers than the taller types too as I recall. I've probably had a couple of hundred flowers by now, with at least 10 out on each clump (I split the clump in half this year, putting half into my new crocus garden and leaving half in the pot) every day. I like it as it is so much more dense than the taller type, but then again I have never had a full flowering clump of the taller one. I expect mine will set plenty of seed too if you're interested in a dwarfer form. I can take some photos if you or anyone is interested.
The only Crocus I currently have in flower is C. ochroleucus with a few remaining flowers. Narcissus 'Fyno' and a couple of other hoop petticoat types are out in flower too.
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Thanks, Luc,
The Moraea has done really well planted in a sandbed; there's usually plenty of seed produced (if I remember to collect it!) which I donate to the Seedexes. Let me know if you'd like some. It is from South Africa so I'm not sure how low a temperature it will take.
cheers
fermi
Thanks for the generous offer Fermi, but I don't think I'll give it a try - all I grow is outside and even the Habranthus you sent last year didn't survive last (mild) winter ... :-\
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Hi Paul,
couldn't reply till today as yesterday was a holiday here! I also have 2 different height Moraea polystachya and I wonder if the shorter one is a different species! May just be a variation.
Luc,
sorry about the bad luck with the seedlings! We lose some things because of the frost here, but we only drop to around-7oC.
Here are a few more pics from the garden.
Another hoop petticoat daff, the Glenbrook hybrid, "Eyespy"
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And some crocus! Finally a sunny day when the few remaining Crocus cancellatus ssp mazzaricus could be photographed OPEN!
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But what do we see? Not aphids but a worse pest, the red-legged earth mite!
Also on the second flower open on the white (possibly) Crocus pulchellus.
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They are (so far) susceptible to a spray of pyrethrum but they can quickly decimate unprotected plants and of course the rain washes off the pyrethrum!
Lastly, another look at the flower of a South African geranium relative, Monsonia emarginata.
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the spikey foliage belongs to Pultanea pedunculata!
cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
Er, Yes..... it was a public holiday here too? Being a national holiday and all! ;D
That Monsonia is interesting. I haven't heard of that genus before, but that isn't anything surprising as that often happens with your postings. ;) You do have some interesting stuff. :D
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I have (1) EARLY crocus flower out. It is a rather pale coloured C. biflorus alexandri! As well, a few last ochroleucus, caspius et al. Masses of late winter/spring species are well up already though no flowers on C. laevigatus yet.
Went out to take a pic of the crocus but batteries flat. Maybe later.
I don't like the look of that mite Fermi. I've not seen anything like it here but earlier in the year MAF here removed 2 crocus species from Marcus' parcel because of (unspecified) mites. The corms had been inspected too by AQIS and a phyto issued. They need to be a bit more careful.
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Sorry, Paul, I thought you might be like the Western Australians who weren't up to celebrating Lizzie's birthday yet!
Lesley,
it's a horrible, nasty little critter which scrapes the surface of flowers and foliage and can even leave holes reminiscent of snail damage!
Just a quick pic this morning of a rather early dwarf bearded Iris in the Rock Garden! This is "Zounds"
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cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
Really? Do the Western Australians not celebrate the QB long weekend?
'Zounds' is a favourite of mine, well it used to be. Not sure I still have it any more. I love the blend of colours, despite some people feeling it is a bit "murky" in colouration. There are a lot of strange timings this year with out messed up autumn climate.
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I put my crocus on the Crocus - June 2008 thread.
Here are a couple of small narcissus, the first, the first flower from seed of N. cantabricus which John Forrest sent to me a couple of years ago. It looks much whiter than it is, the sun being at an impossible angle this time of year. I would have expected the flower to be almost white but it is similar to 'Nylon.'
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This one is in the garden and a good little patch now but was bought about 5 years ago and at GREAT expense, as 'Petunioides.' Yeah, right. It too, is very like 'Nylon' and has been in flower since late March.
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I'm not a great fern addict but these two are of interest to fern lovers. They are both NZers and quite rare apparently. Not sure if I have the spelling right.
Leptopteris hymerphylloides known as Crepe fern
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Leptopteris superba known as Prince of Wales fern. This one has soft, almost fur-like fronds which were what attracted me in the first place. They belong to my friend Joan Macdonald.
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A glorious sunrise this morning. My camera doesn't do reds at all well. The first one should be scarlet and crimson, the second, like the first. It shows the nor'west arch which always precedes gale force winds from that direction. Usually they're hot, drying winds, but less so this time of year.
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Beautiful shots everyone ! ;D
Like your sunrise Lesley.. and the N. petunoides - I got hold of one bulb to and expect it to flower next year - from your story it seems to be a good clumper. Good prospect !
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Luc, the point of my note about N. petunioides, was that it isn't. Nothing like! :'( Petunioides as I'm sure you know is short-stemmed, pure white and with a wide, flat flower, a little bit frilly. Mine is taller-stemmed, lemon yellow and with a trumpet-shaped flower. Very nice and yes, a good clumper and flowerer, but NOT what I paid the earth for. :'( >:(
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I get the picture Lesley - I haven't seen mine in flower yet so I'm still hoping I've got the real thing. If I do and it sets some seed you can be the first in line ! ;)
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That's sweet of you Luc. :-* Some friends in Australia had seed from Jim Archibald and theirs was true. Don't think they've had seed on it yet though.
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Hi Lesley,
I divided up the pot of mixed seedlings that had a Narc. canatbricus petunioides in it but none of the bulbs appear ready to flower, but maybe later in the spring - or next year!
The "red Massonia" has finally flowered! A bit different to the others, but of interest anyway!
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And, no that's not a smattering of dirt on the flowers, it's the ****** earth-mites!
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And here's the foliage of Oxalis palmifrons which flowered months ago!
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cheers
fermi
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well, I do like that Massonia. My M depressa will be ready to photograph in a few days. In the meantime, 2 new crocuses on the Crocus thread.
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Fermi,
That Massonia is just lovely!! Very good colour to it. Will be great once it is fully open.
M. depressa is fully open here at the moment, M. jasminiflora has finished now. No others yet to flowering size (not that I have many other species coming along).
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OK, I've been somewhat lax in posting pics over the last while, so here are a few taken this week in my garden.....
With our warm autumn/winter we have a number of Azaleas flowering at the moment. 'Inga' tends to have a good flowering in autumn every year anyway, but very good this season.
Next, Banksia 'Birthday Candles' is a "groundcover" banksia. I just love it!! Would do a lot better of course if I actually repotted it occasionally. ::)
Camellia japonica 'San Dimas' is pure red unlike this photo. I just cannot for the life of me get an accurate colour in pure red with my camera. It positively glows in the garden at the moment.
A few different Clematis, including a couple of cirrhosa and a nepalensis which are all in flower at the moment.
One of the early Galanthus elwesii clumps, and lastly a perennial Nemesia (who's trade name escapes me right now) which is flowering beautifully from cuttings taken from a friend's plant.
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Paul
Wonderful plants - is the Banksia difficult to grow? I have a wonderful Callistemon citrinus that flowers well, and wondered if I could grow a Banksia.
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Never seen Banksia Paul. What a beautiful flower.
If these Clematis are hardy here, they would be some plants I'd like to plant here.
Never seen them here before.
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Wonderful series of plants and pix Paul - they don't really give me a Winter feeling though ! ;D
Thanks very much for sharing them !
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Luc,
They're definitely all winter flowers though! Some are a bit early this year, but they're all plants that should be flowering in our cold times.
Luit and Arthur,
When I post the ANBG and Aussie Natives thread (I'm hoping to finally get that started this weekend) there will be a few Banksias in there. Some, like the one I posted a pic of, are ground covers while others are large shrubs/small trees. Some species have flower heads up to a foot long (no exaggeration) and can look stunning during winter when in full flower. They don't mind our cold, but no idea whether they require the summer heat or not. Require excellent drainage and low phosphorus soil (i.e you need to be careful with fertilisers, like many Aussie native plants).
Luit,
The Clematis are all fully hardy here with no cover. The C. nepalensis is actually summer deciduous, losing it's leaves for a few months, then coming out of dormancy in autumn and straight into flower for winter. Very good for honeyeaters and the like, which love them dearly. I get seed on this species every year if you'd like some? I get a few seedlings about the garden, but nothing majorly invasive as yet! ;D The cirrhosa I have very rarely had seedlings appear from, although there are a couple just recently. I've had some of the cirrhosa varieties for 10 years now, so they obviously don't become a thug here. So far I know of 5 seedlings I have had, 3 of those have appeared this year. The leaves are distinctive enough that I know they are that species, plus they're near the 'Lansdowne Jem'. I can always try sending you see of them as well if you want, but no idea of viability. I know that the nepalensis have a high viability as there are lots of seeds germinate under it each year, but they tend to get to an inch high and then die off, with very few ever maturing. I have probably had 15 or 20 seedlings grow properly in the garden in the last 10 years, so there are more than the cirrhosa, but still nothing problematic.
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A quick pic I took at a set of traffic lights here in Canberra this morning. The Prunus have commenced.
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Paul, I'm afraid C. cirrhosa and C. nepalensis both are not hardy with me.
I just found out, they are advised in : EU zone 9 = -1.2 C. to - 6.6 C.
So I better not try it outside here, wich is a pity, because the flowers are beautiful. :(
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Luit,
Well they definitely have had colder than -6.6'C here in my garden, although not the last year or two. At least -8 or -9'C with no damage AT ALL, in fact I have never seen winter damage even to the flowers, let alone anything close to actually killing any leaves. It would need to be a good few degrees colder than they get here to do much damage I would imagine. So often many of the plants classified as surviving only a few degrees of frost will do better providing you give them the right spot. And mine aren't protected at all where they are, so it isn't like there is heavy tree cover or anything like that.
So how cold do you actually get in winter?
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Paul, temps will get down to - 15 or -20 C in some winters.
When you have bad luck, plants will die when it suddenly starts freezing after a very wet period .
This happens mostly before January.
Then we often have weeks with 10 to 15 C during the first months of the year,
suddenly changing to -10 to - 15 C. with strong N. E. winds.
So my experience is that when plants are doubtfully hardy, I better don't plant them.
Though sometimes it's difficult to resist and I try something. (like most gardeners do) ;D
These Clematis would maybe do at a south west wall here near the coast, but
everything I tried there was blown away by the gales. I live in the middle of open fields.
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Thank you everyone. Most interesting to see what is flowering in the gardens in the south this time of year. Many wonderful plants that I never saw before :)
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Luit,
OK, -15 to -20'C is a tad colder than here! ;) I didn't realise you got that cold where you were. You're still welcome to some seed if you want to give them a go anyway. Just let me know. 8)
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Hi Paul,
I like the winter clematis too but haven't established them here yet. We had Clematis napaulensis (a stupid spelling but that's the way it's supposed to be) in a garden in Boronia and it seeded itself everywhere; I'm on to my third one here and I hope I can get this one going! I've never had seedlings off the C. cirrhosa, so you're doing much better on that front.
The galanthus only started last week for us, with G.elwesii in the Rock Garden
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You can see by the dead foliage around them that they grow with dwarf bearded iris and euphorbias, so definately not a shaded spot!
The next to flower was G.elwesii "Green Outer tips" from Otto last year and this one is in a shadier spot on the South side of the house.
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Back in the sun, this is a very late or a very early flowering on a shrubby hebe, "Oratio Beauty".
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For a bit of fun I bought this primula acaulis variety from a street stall; it has rather unusual pencilled petals. Is this a new trend?
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I wonder if I can get this one to survive through our dry summers?
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cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
I've seen it spelt nepalensis, napalensis and napaulensis and even spelt differently in different books, so I gave up trying to work out what it "should" be. ::) I thought i had worked out that napalensis was the most common I found, which was why I had it spelt that way in mind, but now I realise that I've spelt it nepalensis over the rest of this topic. :o
I find that the really exotic acaulis like that don't tend ta last except in large pots. In the ground they tend to fade away during summer, but in pots they can survive quite happily even in quite a lot of sun. Good luck.
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Thanks, Paul,
I may try it in a big pot with a citrus tree or something like that.
BTW you haven't answered my PM about visiting in September; we could have another Forumists re-union with Tim, Otto and Lesley!
cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
I had mine in a large tub with a half dozen Lilium 'Casablanca' last season where they did rather well.
I've rectified the oversight re your email..... a response should be in your intray by now!! ;D
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I've had a vigorous plant of Clematis napaulensis (?) for about 7 or 8 years but I've never had a single flower! What is wrong with it - or me? :'(
Some snow here today. Predicted temp 6C but Wanaka and Q'town are to have just 3!
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Temps down to 1 degree yesterday here ...... and to think that Ann and Bill are coming across to the UK to enjoy summer! ::)
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Lesley,
Do you prune it? If so, what time of year?
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I've had a vigorous plant of Clematis napaulensis (?) for about 7 or 8 years but I've never had a single flower! What is wrong with it - or me?
Might be simply the variation in seed-grown plants Lesley. I've got two, bought at the same time. One has only just started flowering after 6/7 years. The other flowers (and self-seeds) almost to excess.
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I find that seedlings do take a while to get to flowering size, but usually around the 4 years in my garden at least. Bear in mind that this Clematis comes straight out of dormancy into flower, so if you're trimming when it looks ratty you're cutting the flowers off. I trim mine as the flower finish, leaving some of the long shoots that are already established by then in place. There are new shoots after I trim it, but the more fresh growth the more flowers the following autumn/winter. You probably already knew all that though, Lesley.
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I haven't ever pruned mine. When I said vigorous, I didn't mean rampant, I really just meant healthy and green. I don't think it loses its leaves at any time, though I'm not going out to look just now, with snow on the ground and still half dark.
I bought it from a small local nursery and it was, I understand, grown from the owner's own seed. Hers flowers well. It's planted on the shady side of a shadecloth fence but grows up to the top (6ft) into sun.
Other Asian clematis do well here. I have a truly rampant plant of C. orientalis L & S 13342, the only one in New Zealand. It has many thousands of flowers and beautiful, large silky seed heads, but - thank God - no fertile seed. (I think C. orientalis is C. somethingelse now. :))
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I don't think it loses its leaves at any time
I know Stephen Ryan says that this one loses it's leaves in summer - but mine haven't until this last year. Since the temperature spiked into the high 30's this summer (high enough for long enough to affect the Darlingtonias which have otherwise needed no cooling), I'd assumed that was the cause. Do others have a different experience?
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It is certainly summer dormant for a couple of months here each year, but then we do get the warm temperatures. I would have wondered whether it would flower without that summer dormancy, but if yours is flowering regularly Rob without it that obviously isn't the problem. ???
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My C napaulensis flowers most years, but later than this. At present it is semi deciduous. It has never been pruned and is reasonably rampant, growing high into an oak tree and intertwined with Rosa helenae. Quite difficult to photograph well.
The problem for me, Lesley, is to remember to go out in very cold weather and look for it. I think it was probably flowering for some years before I realised that it flowered so early, hence it was always over, and I just thought it didn't flower at all.
Susan
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I look at mine regularly and it's not so big that I can't see it all, clearly. I've reached the stage where it will get a good kick and a threat of further violence, and if that doesn't work, next year it will be gone.
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Paul,
you prompted me to pull Clematis off the shelf and read Grey-Wilson's description; napaulensis is supposed to be evergreen. Another example of how the Kipling quote "What do they know of England, who only England know" can be applied to other subjects than Billy Bragg songs I suppose.
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Rob,
Wow! :o It has never been even close to evergreen here. Dormant in summer for at least a couple of months every year, then as it shoots producing flowers immediately. I'd imagine if it didn't lose it's leaves the flowers would be much less obvious, so I'm glad it is summer dormant here as it means all the older leaves are cleaned up each summer and leaving it a bit less congested. Interesting to know that it "shouldn't be". ;)
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A rather mixed bag from the garden taken yesterday;
Firstly a dwarf kangaroo paw, also known as Cat's Paw, Anigozanthos humilis
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I think a picture of this in the wild taken by Muriel "Hodge" was the cover of an AGS Bulletin once. we got this one in bud from a local Native plants specialist nursery http://www.goldfieldsrevegetation.com.au/ (http://www.goldfieldsrevegetation.com.au/)
Another Aussie, Grevillea lanigera, dwarf woolly grevillea.
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And yet another look at the Daphne alpina which continues to flower out of season!
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And another pic of the massonia "Red Sp." which has opened more florets
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And more hoops! This one is supposed to be one of the "fabric group" raised by Blanchard, "Tarlatan"
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cheers
fermi
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Re the clematis again, I'm pretty sure mine is evergreen and I was thinking about the effects of different climates today, reading something in a new AGS Bulletin about Oxalis lobata, which is described in the UK as flowering/leafing in autumn, then losing its leaves until a new batch comes up in spring before going down for summer. Mine never does this. It's in leaf from when it starts to flower, say Feb/March right up until the next early summer when it goes dormant for a while, then starts over again in the early autumn.
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Just a couple of shots from the Rock garden.
One of the grex of hoops known as Glenbrook Ta-Julia raised by Rod Barwick:
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And another Aussie native, Halgania cyanea with wonderful gentian-blue flowers:
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cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
Never heard of that last one before. Lovely flower!
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Me neither. It's lovely. Is it a small bushy plant Fermi?
We've had a full week of rain, snow, more rain all with bitterly cold winds. Today is nice and sunny but still only 5C when I went to the supermarket at lunchtime. Lots of little narcs similar to your Fermi, seedlings from 'Julia Jane' looking very promising with big, wide, very frilly flowers. Many flowers still to come which is just as well as the first few have been rained out or chewed by something. The first two out on 'Atlas Gold' and heaps of 'Nylon' types in various widths, heights and flower sizes. Can't name any of them with certainty. They too are needing sun to stand them up and look good.
Crocuses really getting going and if we have a couple more sunny days there will be at least another dozen out. The first of a new batch of cvijicii x veluchensis is out today, soft apricot yellow on the inside, almost grey on the outer petals.
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Hi Lesley and Paul,
this one is apparently from the Mallee in Victoria but I have a similar one called Halgania pressiana which is from Western Australia. http://www.goldfieldsrevegetation.com.au/PlantDetail.asp?PlantID=3856 (http://www.goldfieldsrevegetation.com.au/PlantDetail.asp?PlantID=3856)
they are both low-ish suckering shrubs and the one from WA can be a bit prickly.
cheers
fermi
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Lesley
Is the cvijicii x veluchensis one you made yourself? and please will you post a photo.
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Lesley,
If pics from last year were as nice as I recall I'll be fascinated to see these new seedlings you're flowering. Do you cross them every year? I have cvijicii but not veluchensis, and unfortunately the cvijicii won't set seed to itself. One of these years I hope to track down another bulb, just to have a second clone I can use for setting seed. Sounds like I need to find veluchensis too, so that I can start some of those wonderful hybrids like yours myself.
Looking forward to any pics of your Crocuses, here or in the Crocus thread. At the moment here only the last of the laevigatus and imperatii ssp suavoleons are flowering, but there are signs of buds appearing on some of the recent shoots.
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Arthur I'll post a pic of this first one when the sun is round and the frost thawed and I've found my woolly hat which I put down somewhere yesterday and now can't find it. In the meantime, I'll post a couple from last year, the same cross.
Paul I don't cross them at all. I collect the seed from C. cvijicii and these are what eventually flower from the seedlings. The two species grow very close together in a trough. I lifted and moved some cvijicii 3 years ago, to a raised bed and I've not had any seed on that lot (it's all the same clone, vegetative increase from an original single corm).
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Crocus cvijicii
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C. veluchensis
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C. cvijicii x veluchensis
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C. cvijicii x veluchensis
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A pot of seedlings from C. cvijicii, all from a single pod. Such a lot of variation.
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Very interesting - I have not heard of this cross before. Nature can always surprise us. :)
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They are lovely Lesley. Hope you find your hat!! :o Given how cold it is in southern Aus at the moment, you can expect more cold weather coming your way too. Wish we could get some rain with it though....... pathetic attempts here so far. ::)
My cvijicii are a single clone, but they are VERY slow to multiply for me here. I've managed to get the original 2 bulbs I was given up to 3, over about 6 years. They're in the shadier area of the new crocus garden now, so we'll see if that helps. I do so love your hybrids though.
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Beautiful Crocus Lesley ! Wonderfully soft colours ! :o