Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Paul T on January 01, 2011, 07:48:30 AM
-
Howdy All,
Summer has definitely arrived in full this week here in Canberra, Australia. Mid 30s (oC) here yesterday and today, so rather toasty.
Some wonderful things flowering here at the moment......
Clerodendrum bungeii is new to me in 2010. I just love the wonderful ball of pink flowers.
One of my Hydrangeas, this one a lace cap in blue. So nice in summer.
A couple of Liliums, one a yellow trumpet hybrid and the other Lilium (OT) 'Orania'. Gorgeous perfumes pervading the back garden at present. ;D
And lastly for today, a Mimulus species. I've not had much to do with the perennial Mimulus, but this one I've had for a couple of years in a pot. Looks to be a healthy spreader, so I'm probably going to keep it confined to a pot unless it escapes out the bottom. Such a great orange to the flowers. I have a second one, with I think is red from memory (not in flower this year as yet).
-
Yesterday was a real stinker here in Keyneton, South Australia - around 40C. Today to start the new year it was quite a pleasant high 20Cs.
-
Yesterday was a real stinker here in Keyneton, South Australia - around 40C. Today to start the new year it was quite a pleasant high 20Cs.
I would certainly prefer high 20Cs! Bay the way, we have +3C and that's way better than -10C we had.
-
Pat,
I'm glad you didn't get the 43'C I had heard forecast for Adelaide for today. Not fun at all. 40'C is bad enough though. :o High 20s would be nice after that though. ;D
To those who were in earlier, I've added the pics I originally intended to. I seem to get sporadic SQL database errors when trying to load pics. Perseverence usually pays off, but no idea why it is happening. At least I got my promised pics posted. ;D
-
Lovely colours Paul
-
David,
Yes, beautifully bright and sunny, aren't they!? ;D ;D Not a snowflake in sight. ;)
-
Pat,
I'm glad you didn't get the 43'C I had heard forecast for Adelaide for today. Not fun at all. 40'C is bad enough though. :o High 20s would be nice after that though. ;D
To those who were in earlier, I've added the pics I originally intended to. I seem to get sporadic SQL database errors when trying to load pics. Perseverence usually pays off, but no idea why it is happening. At least I got my promised pics posted. ;D
I am experiencing the same problem, Paul! It's time consuming >:(
But your lilies were worth waiting for however!
-
Trond,
Thanks for letting me know. Nice to know it isn't just me getting the errors.
I'm glad you liked the Lilium. I have quite a few of them coming out at present, particularly with the heat we're getting. 8)
-
Thanks for letting me know. Nice to know it isn't just me getting the errors.
Unfortunately this "error thingy" is a problem that many of us are suffering at the moment.... I believe it is due to pressure of traffic on the server. Perhaps when the January sales are over and the general frenzy of internet traffic dies down we will return to a more steady posting service. :-X
-
Thanks Maggi.
It isn't a particularly major problem, just a bit of a delay and having to try a few times when posting pics. Doesn't seem to be a problem with normal posting thankfully. You can get the pics up in the end, so that is the main thing.
-
It's worth all your persistence to see a breath of summer. Hope none of our forumists are under water, the floods look pretty awful.
-
Anne,
Thankfully a thousand km from here (more or less). Such a slow flooding for some areas too.... one of the towns they were saying had water through the streets and it was rising, but the peak wouldn't be until Wednesday!!!! :o Such flat land that it spreads out and moves so slowly, but I'd never realised that it could take 4 days to peak, and then who knows how long to disappear again. Any floods we have around Canberra are quick and dirty, here and gone again within 24 hours or so. I never appreciated how different that is to some areas until now. :'(
-
Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.
-
Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.
And I thought Australia is an island ;D
-
Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.
For sure David and when it is reported that water will enter most homes of the city of Rockhampton despite them being built well above the ground in typical Queensland style it also gives one an idea of the depth of the flooding.
A little bit of colour to raise the spirits .
Currently flowering --NZAGS seed Sept 2007 --Habranthus tubispathus.
Cheers Dave.
-
Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.
David,
They said on the news yesterday that the current 3 flooding rivers will affect an area of Queensland the size of the entire New South Wales (another state of Australia), which is approximately 800,000 km2. This is not all flooded at the same time, but will be affected as the floodwaters flow down these rivers. NOT fun. ::)
Trond,
Yes, Australia is an island, with a size of approximately 7.5 million km2. I think the "continent of Europe" is around 10 million km2, and the United States has a total of around 9 million km2, just to give you an idea of relative sizes. We are physically the 6th largest country in the world, apparently.
-
I know, and tiny Norway is 67. in the world and 6. in Europe (5. if you count the arctic region of Svalbard) ;)
-
Heard on the news that the floods in Queensland cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. It's this kind of stuff that puts a perspective on how large a country Australia is.
David,
They said on the news yesterday that the current 3 flooding rivers will affect an area of Queensland the size of the entire New South Wales (another state of Australia), which is approximately 800,000 km2. This is not all flooded at the same time, but will be affected as the floodwaters flow down these rivers. NOT fun. ::)
Trond,
Yes, Australia is an island, with a size of approximately 7.5 million km2. I think the "continent of Europe" is around 10 million km2, and the United States has a total of around 9 million km2, just to give you an idea of relative sizes. We are physically the 6th largest country in the world, apparently.
more than all of alberta, at 661,185 sq km, 4th largest province in canada.. that's a lot of water, hope it passes with a minimum of damage :( we have no forumists in that region?
-
Latest I've heard is that Queensland's flooding is now three times as large as the whole of New Zealand! We can't imagine it here, with whole towns disappeared under water and countless millions and billions worth of animals and crops lost as well as housing and infrastructure. During our own recent earthquakes and mine disaster, so many Australians come across to help us. Apart from Civil Defence teams, I'm not sure what we can do in return but we certainly want to help in any way we can.
-
On a happier note, while my garden should be covered in flowers at present, it's not at all, except for a few roses and other oddments. But Tropaeolum ciliatum has been good - though it is a horrible weed - and Genista aetnensis is a wonderful, if somewhat straggly shrub whose flowers smell of a luscious fruit salad.
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
-
Lesley, nice to see a well grown T ciliatum! I have one which barely flowers (too much shade I presume) and not weedy (I want it more weedy!). I haven't tried G aetnensis but it looks worth trying!
Regarding flooding or earthquakes, I am glad we don't need to worry about such catastrophes here. If you look at the bright side: In Queensland they don't need worrying about bushfires for a while. . .
-
Hoy! :o
With a sense of humour like that you could almost be Australian! ;D
Here are a few things that have been in flower in our garden over the last two weeks,
Calochortus macrocarpus from Seedex ?2004
[attachthumb=1]
Calochortus fimbriatus
[attachthumb=2]
Lilium "Silk Road" - an "Orient-pet"
[attachthumb=3]
A lovely climber, Clematis "Golden Tiara"
[attachthumb=6]
[attachthumb=5]
[attachthumb=4]
cheers
fermi
-
Fermi,
I didn't realise that Calochortus would still be flowering this late in the season. Wow!! I too have 'Silk Road' flowering at present, but unfortunately after a dozen or so year I think my 'Golden Tiara' has gone to the great garden in the sky. :'( I loved it, so such a shame. Another related one I used to have was Clematis tangutica, which I bought 15 or so year ago and have NEVER seen available since then. Had the most fascinating coconut oil scent to it (smelt like the old tanning lotion! ;D).
Great pics.
Lesley,
I rather like your Tropaeolum, weed or not. I think that would be a very pretty weed to have in my garden. 8)
-
A few more things in flower here at the moment....
Crinum aff schmidtii
A native terrestrial orchid called Diplodium decurvum
Elisena longipetala
A Gerbera I have in flower at present. I just love the colour blends.
-
A few more things in flower here at the moment....
Crinum aff schmidtii
A native terrestrial orchid called Diplodium decurvum
Elisena longipetala
A Gerbera I have in flower at present. I just love the colour blends.
nice stuff, the orchid is very cool! is this a sun or shade loving plant?
-
Cohan,
Most of the Pterostylis (which is what this used to be) are probably dappled shade, open woodland types of plants, edged of forest or amongst grasses types of things. They don't tend to be out in the open I think, but a large grass tussock is enough shade to start the colony, and in some Pterostylis species the colony can end up metres across. They're dormant in summer predominantly (obviously not this particular species) but vary according to species as to flowering from summer through to spring. When they're dormant there is no sign above ground that they were there at all, just little round brown tubers underground. Glad you liked it. ;)
-
thanks for the added info, paul..
i'm in a phase of thinking about potential indoor plants that i can grow in medium light conditions (that is, behind or beside the mostly cacti and succulents and few bulbs that are in front of windows) as opposed to endlessly trying to fit in more plants that all need full indoor light..lol..
so, anything 'woodland' or shade loving catches my eye (of course dappled sun outdoors is often full sun indoors), and i have been looking a bit at orchids again--just so pricey! but there actually are some interesting orchids available in canada unlike some other categories of plants!
-
Here are a few more pics from our garden.
I've just been told that the place is inundated due to a cloudburst but at least it hasn't gotten into the house!
Hopefully some of these are still standing!
Lilium "Silk Road"
[attachthumb=1]
Lilium "X-Phi"
[attachthumb=2]
Mixed yellow trumpets ("Serendipity Mix" from Coal Creek Bulb Farm)
[attachthumb=3]
Kniphofia grown from seed from NARGS Seedex (ex Denver Bot Gardens) as K. porphyrantha
[attachthumb=4]
[attachthumb=5]
Habranthus martinezii
[attachthumb=6]
Now I'm off home to inspect the damage!
cheers
fermi
-
Beautiful, Fermi.
I rather like the X-Phi, I'm assuming a henryii hybrid by the look of it? Nice Kniphofia as well. Is it as green as it looks in the pic?
-
Here's a few more Lilium to add to yours above, Fermi.
A regale hybrid (I'm assuming hybrid, no idea really) with some nice back markings.
A lovely yellow trumpet set off by red Dahlias. ;)
Lilium henryi citrinus
Lilium 'Lady Alice'. I just love the colour combination.
A photo of 'Silk Road', even though Fermi just posted one, because you can never have enough pics of something so beautiful! ;D
-
And some non-Lilium things in flower for me now.....
Cyanella hyacinthoides. A first flowering for me from seed. Long flowering stem (probably not in enough sunshine) with lots of flowers spread out along it.
A new Eucomis I bought yesterday. Probably a bit pinker than in the picture. I think it is pinker than anything I already have (mine are still only in bud as yet) so I just had to buy it. ;D
A red form of Gladiolus dalenii (or hybrid)
The Mandevilla laxa has started flowering, and will flower now until about May. Such a lovely delicate perfume to it, which spreads beautifully but is never cloying.
A phalaenopsis orchid, the first one I have ever managed to get to throw up a flower spike other than the one I bought it with. I am VERY pleased with finally managing to do it. This one is almost black, with a white edge. Smaller flowers than the big showy ones, but I had to get it for the colour. The pics doesn't really do it justice. A very nice orchid. 8)
And lastly for today a Rhododendron, this one a Vireya that I am growing outside here :o just under the eaves and with no more protection than that. This is the first time it has flowered for me. Such a beautiful perfume to it as well. I don't know whether I should put this into the Rhodo area as well, just to show that they can grow hardier than many (well me anyway) probably think they can. ;)
-
I've just been told that the place is inundated due to a cloudburst but at least it hasn't gotten into the house!
....
Now I'm off home to inspect the damage!
cheers
fermi
This was the main damage:
A nice creek?
[attachthumb=1]
No, our driveway!
[attachthumb=2]
The Campaspe River (at the bottom of our street) is at flood levels, but fortunately though we now have river views (!) from our balcony we are well above the flood level!
At least we won't be under water the way so many properties are in Queensland.
cheers
fermi
-
Fermi,
So you can now add "Le Grande Canyon" as one of the features at your place. ;D Apparently there are flood watches in place at present in Qld, Vic, Nsw, Tas and SA, so you aren't alone with your flood levels. Small amounts of rain here at times, but nothing major at the moment. I hope your driveway repairs go OK.
-
Fermi, Paul your "summer" flowers are just what I need at the moment! Thanks for showing.
Fermi, glad to hear you are on the high side with all this rain. Hopefully such ditches are not at other places in your garden?
-
My heart goes out to the thousands of people in Queensland and now in NSW and Vic who have been flooded or even washed right away by unprecedented river levels. While we've had our problems here, there's nothing so disgusting and filthy as mud and sludge to be cleared out of houses, shops and factories. Some people have died (hundreds more in Brazil) and I can't help thinking of the countless cats, dogs, cattles, sheep and horses who have been lost.
-
A few things flowering now,bye Ray
Ismene Sulphur Queen
Lycoris sprengeri
Cypella coelestri
-
Ray,
Well done on the Sulphur Queen. Mine has never flowered for me yet. And how the heck do you get the Lycoris sprengerii to flower? Isn't it a bit early for them anyway, or is it just somewhat confused (like the rest of us are) by our somewhat confused weather?
-
Hi Paul,my Sulphur Queen has done a lot better once I moved it to a position where it
received plenty of water when its in growth.Have no idea why the Lycoris flowered,
its only flowered a couple of times in 20 odd years, not a plant I would recommend to anybody.bye Ray
-
Some more flowerings at present......
Firstly, some Liliums...... 'Black Beauty' (the 4N version), Lilium henryi, 'Leslie Woodriff', 'Regal Star' (although the gold edged one under that name here in Aus apparently isn't correct?).
Enjoy.
-
And a couple of non-Liliums.....
My "hedge" of Agapanthus at the front of my side garden near the road.
A double white Hibiscus syriacus has started into flower in the last couple of weeks.
When I get the chance, I'll also put some stuff into the Orchid section and perhaps my old Botanic Gardens topic as well if I get the time. Not a lot in each, but I took a few photos yesterday.
-
Hi Paul,
I wondered what the "new" lilium with a label I could make out as "Las..." was! Now I know it's "Leslie Woodriff"
[attachthumb=1]
Also an upright Oriental called "Starfighter" (perhaps derived from "Star-gazer"?)
[attachthumb=2]
and the next day a bit more open
[attachthumb=3]
"Pappus Beauty" has done really well this year - must've been all that rain in November!
[attachthumb=4]
An unnamed "Serendipity-Mix" Trumpet - a bit like "Moonlight"
[attachthumb=5]
Cyclamen purpurascens which I still grow in a pot (but it doesn't always sit up on this fence-post!)
[attachthumb=6]
cheers
fermi
-
Fermi,
That 'Pappus Beauty' is impressive. Looks like a similar sort of breeding to Leslie Woodriff perhaps? Certainly in the pic it superficially resembles it. I noticed some flowers on one of the Cyclamen purpurascens here as well in the last few days, but haven't remembered to photograph it. Nice to see yours. 8)
-
Fermi and Paul,
Thanks for the lilies! I would love to grow more lilies but at home snails and slugs devastate the plants and at my summerhouse deer, sheep and lily beetle do the same :'(
-
Fermi , a few photos from the Lilium Show at Ferny Creek Hort . Sos . last weekend .
-
I have never seen such lush Hydrangeas , but then we had the coolest and wettest spring and summer in the 35 years I have lived up here in the Dandenong Ranges . There was also a Japanese Tea Ceremony in which one could take part . -high quality green tea -very fresh and airfreighted every few days , rather bitter and an aquired taste . Also various Ikebana demontrations .
-
Wonderful range of colour hues Otto in the Hydrangeas.
I was going to post a couple of photos but they have strayed from where I thought I put them in my Nikon transfer.
-
Otto,
Wow, those single vases are amazing. :o Gorgeous range of Hydrangeas.
Thanks for showing us.
-
Otto,
thanks for posting some pics. We couldn't come down for the Show - as it was we ended up shovelling sand and gravel to try to repair our driveway!
We don't grow many Dahlias (the bore water is too saline for them!) but we got this purple leaf form from one of the markets; could it be "Yellow Hammer"?
[attachthumb=1]
A "chive-like" allium we have in the Rock garden is Allium saxatile - it seeds around a bit and I now dead-head it.
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
-
I forgot to post these earlier - Rainlilies responding to the weather!
The ubiquitous Habranthus tubispathus
[attachthumb=1]
Habranthus robustus "Russell Manning"
[attachthumb=2]
And a small "colony" of RM's offspring!
[attachthumb=3]
A cross between H. robustus and H. martinezii
[attachthumb=4]
Zephyranthes "Grandjax"
[attachthumb=5]
[attachthumb=6]
And finally Zephyranthes fosteri
[attachthumb=7]
cheers
fermi
-
Lovely stuff from DownUnder folks.
-
Overwhelming!
But my vote goes to Habranthus robustus "Russell Manning" :o
It is on my "look-for-list" now!
-
Fermi,
Interesting to see your Russel Manning. I have that (or I think it might actually be a seedling ex RM) and the flowers are absolutely huge!! :o But they never open out like the other species do, so they always look half closed. Just like in your picture. I love the Zeph. fosteri. Great colour and shape. 8) Do you grow Zeph grandiflora as well? I'm wondering what the differences between that and fosteri are. My memory of grandiflora is similar to your fosteri I think, but obviously side by side they could be very different. :)
Thanks for the pics. I hope the driveway reconstruction went well.
-
Fermi
Some lovey flowers there I do love your Zephyranthes "Grandjax" wouldn't mind having that in my greenhouse.
Thanks for showing.
Angie :)
-
Found the elusive photos
The eremurus flowering in the garden but the one in a pot does not show any movement.
Funny to find Calochortus flowering so late and especially in the heat of summer. Not very good photos as it was the end of a very warm day.
-
Exquisite markings on that Calochortus, Pat.
-
Pat, I have for a long time wanted to grow Both Calochortus and Eremurus but the days here are usually too cold! And the winter too wet! Nice to see yours :)
-
Fermi,
Interesting to see your Russel Manning. I have that (or I think it might actually be a seedling ex RM) and the flowers are absolutely huge!! :o But they never open out like the other species do, so they always look half closed. Just like in your picture. I love the Zeph. fosteri. Great colour and shape. 8) Do you grow Zeph grandiflora as well? I'm wondering what the differences between that and fosteri are. My memory of grandiflora is similar to your fosteri I think, but obviously side by side they could be very different. :)
Thanks for the pics. I hope the driveway reconstruction went well.
Hi Paul,
my "RM" was from Murray Cubis when he ran "Discovery Bulbs" (now closed) and I think he said he'd actually grown it from seed so technically mine is also "exRM". However I've found the seedlings (see the pic) are slightly smaller and more like what I would consider straight H. robustus. The flower doesn't open into a star like many rain-lilies but remains a trumpet which makes it very much reminiscent of Amaryllis belladonna!
The Z. fosteri is smaller than Z.grandiflora which I find doesn't last in our garden (frost-tender?); the other one it is similar to is Z. macrosiphon and I may have confused the names!
Pat,
did you also get that Calochortus from Marcus? The red seems more pronounced than on ours.
cheers
fermi
-
Yes Fermi the Calochortus came via Marcus last year. When all the others are dried stems and seed pods it is good to have a flower.
Seems that I made a big blue. It was not an Eremurus but an Urginea. I get these two mixed as they seem similar.
I too have always wanted to grow Eremurus after seeing stunning ones in NZ. I keep trying seed but without success so far. You should have more luck with growing Eremurus as they seem to be mainly from higher altitudes than here.
The first Calochortus that I grew came as seeds from Allplains in the USA - having success with those I have tried to increase my collection over the years. Slowly!!
-
Hi Guys,
I am a very spasmodic participant in this forum and I don't believe I have ever properly introduced myself in the past. My name is Marcus Harvey and I own and operate a specialist mail order nursery business from Tasmania, the southern most state in Australia. My first love is crocus though iris run a close second but I am intersted in all bulbous plants and dryland perrenials. I have been growing these types of plants for 18 years and before that I was an exercise nut participating in triathalons and long distance running until I saw the light (and my feet started to hurt!)
I have travelled over much of Greece and a good deal of Turkey and only last year my partner (and cover artist) Suzie and I ventured into Greek Macedonia to climb the 3 big peaks there, Mt Falakron, Mt Vermion and Mt Kajmaktcalan (a Greek told me this is Turkish for Buttery Meadows).
This is my first try at posting pictures and these are just a few left in my camera so may not be flowering right now. So after a cursory read of Maggie's instructions here it goes. Fingers crossed.
The firsts is Eremurus himalaicus, then Allium "Globemaster", then Geranium macrostyllum, then Pelagonium endlicherianum and lastly a very good seedling of Origanum "Barbara Tingey".
-
Marcus it is great to see you here.
-
Howdy Marcus,
The pics came through well. Good stuff! 8)
-
Hi Guys,
I am offering another eclectic mix of flowers.
The first is another origanum, not sure if its "straight" O. rotundifolium but its a lovely thing.
Next is a lilium seedling I have grown from Blackheart seed.
Next is a beaut little dianthus I snagged from Otto Fauser when I visited him a while ago.
And finally the little Eryngium bouragtii "Picos Blue"
I love the sea hollies they positively drip drama and their bold statements go on for such a long time.
Anyway, I'm not writing a catalogue ...
Marcus
-
Hello Marcus..... it's great to have some pictures from you, though your "guerilla" posts, nipping in and out of threads, have been appreciated, it's good to have you make a more concerted intro! 8)
-
Marcus,
Oh, I love that blackheart lilium seedling. Very, very nice!! :o
-
The Origanum looks like straight rotundifolium, no pinkish colour in it. I love the eryngium, from seed you send to me a few years back. Love the steely blue colour.
-
I hope Anthony and family are OK. Top of the N.I. has had massive rain and flooding in Auckland city, especially along the beachfront with high tides, right along to Bucklands Beach according to the news last night. The Darbys were booked into the Bucklands Beach Waterfront Motel for their first two nights. I hope they didn't have to be evacuated to elsewhere. Not a good intro to a new country. ???
-
Not good. Anthony, I hope you're alright.
-
Hi Maggie,
Thanks, I hope I can maintain more consistent contact into the future. I am taking an enforced break while the Australian Open Tennis is on. I have also peeled the skin from my heal by not wearing sox whilst bushwalking so I am unusually inert right now and the computer is close by.
Lesley's report on the North Island echos our own sorry, soaking mess of a summer here on the eastern seaboard, while Perth and SW Western Australia fry. Baking droughts and sodden plains ... .
I am posting a few more pics from the garden. The first is a sister of the last lilium I posted, no blackeart, but still a pretty thing. Interesting only one had the black area around the nectaries all the rest are of this type.
The bloomeria (is it called that now?) is a difficult thing to photograph well because of its delicate airiness of its blooms but its what makes it attractive and they carry the season well into summer.
The last two are late flowering calochortus, the strange, spidery C. obispoensis, which positively thrives here, and C. clavatus, I'm not sure if this is the subspecies and I'm too lazy to check my references now. Maybe someone can tell me?
-
Opened today; the closest I currently have to a respectable-looking flower on a lily. Too much rain is bad for the soul.
-
Still looks impressive Rob.
Mine have been extremely disappointing this year. Thought it might have been my cultural practices.
-
Thanks John,
For various reasons, not just La Nina, my garden looks a mess. The rain and wind have been excessive this year - during the winter I had standing water on my flat, sandy plot, and it hasn't improved much since. Just the year to start growing more summer dormant things because I was tired of irrigating everything in the drought.
-
Opened today; the closest I currently have to a respectable-looking flower on a lily. Too much rain is bad for the soul.
Rob and John , my lilies have never looked better than this season . they have thrived in our wettest and coolest spring for
35 years , specially L canadense and drifts of martagons. All that rain wasn't bad for my soul , mine must have stored much sunshine in all those previous years of too much sun .
-
Wow, Rob. Is that contrast really as strong as in the photo? That just looks so dark on white. Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's been quite a good year here for Lilium, although our temps over New Years that were around 35'C were a bit of a shock to everything and damaged some bits and pieces (we'd had no warm weather to speak of before that, so nothing was prepared). Certainly the coolest and wettest summer in a very long time here.
-
Hi guys,
I think you guys on the mainland must be feeding your lilies on unicorn dung?? ;D Like Rob and John, my lilies have been hit hard and many of the species have been reduced to mush. The trumpets and late orientals always have enough heft to muscle their way through but overall it has been disappointing. On the other hand Lilium canadense, L. rubellum and L. japonicum have been fabulous in my partner's own garden. Maybe she hasn't the same level of evil botrytis floating about.
Perhaps we just get a greater share of shredding wind down here on our island and that plus high humidity, low sunlight plus fungus spores equals disaster.
On a lighter side, over the past few years there has been a sort of uncontrolled experiment between a few growers to breed a green trumpet lily. The late Essie Huxley's set the standard with a green backed/green throat plant and now the first of a new crop of seedlings are beginning to flower but I can't see much in the way of progress from any quarter. Does anyone know of such a plant or actually seen one?
Cheers, Marcus
-
Hi Marcus,
nice to see you posting here.
Here's the last flower open on Calochortus fimbriatus (on your list as C. weedii ssp vestus)
[attachthumb=1]
And a bit of a surprise as we aren't finished with summer yet, the first Autumn Snowflake, Acis autumnalis!
[attachthumb=2]
cheers
fermi
-
Marvellous photos everyone.
Is that contrast really as strong as in the photo? That just looks so dark on white.
Paul - Exaggerated by the heavy overcast and the fact that the flower is newly opened, but it is dark. The matte finish makes it look darker than, say, nepalense.
Marcus - botrytis doesn't seem to bother me much, though there's plenty of water damage. My place is fairly open & windy, which helps a bit.
-
Rob,
Still gorgeous, even if weather exaggerated the colour. Congrats on the nepalense too, one I've tried and lost a couple of times here. It really doesn't like our summers I think. :'( I probably need to try it in more shade next time I do, along with a few of the other species that haven't made it in the past. Great to see the pics. 8)
-
I found my first cyc. hederifolium buds this morning and also Acis leucoium, much earlier than usual so I suppose it's all the rain we've had this summer.
Now for something completely different, I've already started to harvest the seeds from a few Pernettya/Gaultheria species. The first is P. prostrata v. pentlandii having flowered for the umpteenth time and the second is from Australian seed but whether native there (Mt Field?) or from Ken Gillanders I'm not sure. The purple fruit of the former are paler this year so far and the apparently purple fruit of the latter are in fact crinson, going almost black as they ripen. Both are super plants and very easy, just liking a dampish place.
-
Flowering at last (usually pre-Christmas) is the tiny and dead flat Anagallis tenella 'Studland,' from, I think, the Isle of Pevensey on the UK's south coast. The two larger pots are in the tunnel and a bit etoliated so need to go outside for hardening but these little nursery pots are doing well so long as I keep them damp. Above and beyond are young, cutting-grown plants of Gentiana depressa, some with buds forming.
-
Rob,
That is one hell of a L. nepalense bloom :o - congratulations. Did you grow it from seed?
Lesley - is the second Pernettya from Mt Field? I seem to remember you were looking at some on our visit there. Or were they gautheria?
Fermi - thanks I will try and keep it up - sending out orders might take over everything soon. I forgot to change the name of that calochortus on my catalogue :-[. We will have to try and consolidate the species we have in Australia now that Ron Ratko has hung up his collecting boots. Do you ever get much seed on C. splendens, catlinae, venustus or leichtlinii?
Cheers, Marcus
-
Did you grow it from seed?
No. From either you or Rod, can't remember who at the moment.
-
There was seed from Mt Field, a couple including Cyathodes straminea which this isn't, and also some from both Ken and Viv Condon but hers were deep black, so not sure of the source of this one. I think all Pernettyas are now Gaultheria. I'll photograph the foliage of this one, as the layout is different. You might ID it from that.
-
Lesley, nice Pernettya/Gaultheria plants! I grow some myself here but they do not produce berries.
That Anagallis is new to me, a little cute thing!
I have never had any success with L nepalense. However I blame the gastropods >:( they consume such plants for breakfast.
-
Hi guys,
Had a break from lifting bulbs and took the camera around the garden.
Two liles, L. auratum and a hybrid, L. Cherry Bloosom.
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2
Another seedling origanum, I have a half dozen of these, all arrived in the same year and not another since.
[attachthumb=3]
Lastly, the Cretan Dittany, O. dictamnus. I have never seen this plant in the wild but I have spotted O. tournefortii. I don't have the latter in my collection but Fermi kindly sent me a lovely plant of O. amanum, which is flowering in my rockgarden and I'm stoked!
[attachthumb=4]
Cheers, Marcus
-
Hi guy,
Seemed to have stuffed up my first go at inserting pics - oh well, at least they were included in the post ???
Lesley - Yeah put a photograph up and I'll try to identify it. The native plant nursery that you and Don and me went to is still going strong so ask me if there is anything I can get you there.
Will take a fishing trip up onto the Central Plateau in March so I will keep my eye out for berries then.
Cheers, Marcus
-
Look for fruit on Coprosma moorei and the yellow berried form of Pernettya/Gaultheria tasmanica please. ;D
-
Just lately I have been having big problems with the old computer, getting very slow, with crashes, errors, etc, very frustrating.
As a result, I have invested in a new, more powerful 17 inch Dell XPS laptop with the totally different Windows 7 operating system, which I am in the process of learning and getting acquainted with. Here goes.
Gloriosa superba is a striking tuberous climbing plant with brilliant wavy-edged yellow and red flowers.
Previously several species were recognised in this genus, but these are now all considered to belong to one extremely variable species G.superba.
Marcus, welcome on board. Look forward to many more interesting postings.
-
Wonderful Gloriosas!
Ever since childhood have I dreamed of growing them like this. I have tried a few times in pots but that is no option and I can't have them in the garden :'(
-
Superb Gloriosas. Love all the different colours growing together.
-
Superb Gloriosas. Love all the different colours growing together.
Aren't they just lovely? I'm still getting to grips with the sheer variety 8)
Blasted things have never done well for me. :'( :(
-
The Gloriosas are well, glorious Bill. Superbly named. :)
Just while you're here, could you give a clue about this Arisaema please. It was the one you sent me labelled A. flavum. I took the pics this morning in cold and wet conditions so the flash went off, makes it a bit shinier than true. We've had cool weeks (14 - 17C for ages) and dark as mid winter in between gleams of sun.
I haven't forgotten your Scoliopus, looking at it yesterday,still quite green but I'll most likely left it next week.
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
-
I did all that - correct numbers, correct brackets etc but no joy. Will try the other way.
Roger is away at the fracture clinic at the moment, getting the final stuff removed. With any luck he'll be home soon skipping like a lamb and able to get out the lawn mower. 8)
-
I did all that - correct numbers, correct brackets etc but no joy. Will try the other way.
Roger is away at the fracture clinic at the moment, getting the final stuff removed. With any luck he'll be home soon skipping like a lamb and able to get out the lawn mower. 8)
Lesley, I have made a suggestion of A fargesii on the other thread
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6568.msg181794#msg181794 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6568.msg181794#msg181794)
-
Thanks Diane. The lines are always blurred aren't they? :D
Here is a picture for Helen in Canada. She knows what it's about.
-
Can't be too many Icelandic poppies actually grown to be the size of Iceland itself? Those are magnificent, aren't they?
-
You'd need a very big lapel if you wore one of those on "Poppy Day"!
Superb, Lesley - can you get seed? ;D
Bill,
those different colour forms of Gloriosa are super!
Marcus,
a good "crop" on Calochortus splendens this year! Not much on any of the others, though C. fimbriatus is yet to develop pods to maturity.
cheers
fermi
-
Thanks, Lesley.........yep, those are they or should that be them?
They are truly magnificent!!!
-
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the welcome Bill - Beautiful pics!
Fermi - I get seed no matter what on superbus, luteum, fimbriatus, obispoensis, umpquaensis, albidus, nitidus and some of the clavatus group. Occasionally I get set on splendens, pulchellus and catlinae, but the rest .... forget it. Thankfully simulans, palmeri, nudus and vestae are great stem bulbil producers so I can keep them running that way. This year I have a great big stem of seed pods on macrocarpus but this is such a b..... to germinate, let alone grow on get to flower I am having second thoughts about its label :-\.
Don't you grow quite a few Bill? How have you found them in NZ?
Cheers, Marcus
PS I have fimbriatus only just coming into flower down here.
-
[quote author=Lesley Cox link=topic=6428.msg181804#msg181804 date=1296073930Just while you're here, could you give a clue about this Arisaema please. It was the one you sent me labelled A. flavum. I took the pics this morning in cold and wet conditions so the flash went off, makes it a bit shinier than true. We've had cool weeks (14 - 17C for ages) and dark as mid winter in between gleams of sun.
I haven't forgotten your Scoliopus, looking at it yesterday,still quite green but I'll most likely left it next week.
[/quote]
Leslie to be honest, I had my doubts about A flavum, the labels could have been mixed up on the drying table.
Some of the Arisaema species originally came from Eric Walton from Auckland and A.franchetianum is probably the species he grows, that could fit the description. I will find out from Eric and will let you know definitly one way or another. Looking very much forward to your Scoliopus.
-
Dave Young, Pres of the local Hort Soc gave me quite a lot of seed year before last and I shared it out among various people. Of the ones I grew, most were the egg yolk shade, between yellow and orange and so I was a bit disappointed, wanting the reds most of all. I haven't got any left now but I can ask Dave if he can provide some more seed. He bred these himself by selection to the nth degree, going for size and strong colour.
-
Marcus, here's a pic of the red aging to black Pernettya and its distinctive growth. They all seem to have alternate leaves on one plane but this one's leaves stay flat or slightly turn up while others seems to turn in all directions around the stem, see the lower pic of P. prostrata v. pentlandii.
Incidentally I was thrilled last year to receive seed of G. sinensis (turquoise fruit) from SRGC seed exchange but it didn't look right and in the event turned out to be Dianthus deltoides. ???
-
Hi there,
I have a few pics I would like to share today.
First is the very rare (in Australia) Campanula stansfieldii, a gift from Otto, The Man, Fauser.
Then a sweet little centaurea that I found on Mt Ambelos, Samos in 2008. I just snatched a bit of downy seed from a plant and here it is now in my garden. Anyone know what it might be?
Then a late allium, A. cernuum.
Finally an allium that I think Janis once described in one of his catalogues, as looking like a fluffed up pussycat, A. myrianthum
-
The tailend of tropical cyclone Wilma gave us a bit of a scare with the top half of the North Island and locally here, having 8 inch. (200mm.) of rain dumped on us overnight, and the Wairoa river breaking its banks and flooding roads and a few low lying properties.
Fortunately the flash flood did not last long and disappeared quickly and apart from a few containers floating out of the nursery, the damage was minimal.
I feel sorry and sympathise with other more unfortunately flood victims especially the people that lost their life and property and precious belongings in Queensland.
-
Bill,
Glad you fared OK. I'd never actually read your signature until now I've realised..... I didn't realise you were up in the Bay of Plenty area. A beautiful part of the world, that is for sure. Glad you're OK.
-
You've had a lucky escape, Bill.
-
Bill glad you did not suffer too greatly in the downpour.
Marcus you do have some very extra special plants - as does Otto of course.
-
Cyclone Wilma didn't come down my way fortunately and nor did the weaker Cyclone Anthony which touched base just as the Darby family was landing last week! It was downgraded to Category 1 even before it come over the country.
-
Floods on the East coast of Australia and fires on the West! Crazy weather!
Despite it all there are new flowers :)
This is Allium beesianum grown from seed (slightly out of focus, sorry :-[ )
[attachthumb=1]
Lilium "Black Beauty"
[attachthumb=2]
cheers
fermi
-
Lesley said...
> ... could you give a clue about this Arisaema please. It was the one you sent me labelled A. flavum.
Most certainly not A. flavum (I can send you seed or bulbs a bit later if you still want this species). :)
I'd lean more towards Aris. fargesii rather than Aris. franchetianum, at least when compared to my clones of Aris. franchetianum.
Andrew, still growing plants but not online as much these days.
-
Andrew, still growing plants but not online as much these days.
Nice to see you around, though, Andrew.
-
Thanks Andrew, that would be nice. I used to have masses of the little ssp.abbreviatum, just 16cms high but haven't seen it for a couple of years.