Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Paul T on March 31, 2011, 11:34:34 PM
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Howdy All,
I'm back!! I haven't visited in over 3 weeks, just been too busy. I'm preparing some photos at the moment and will post some here shortly I hope. I'll include pics I've taken in the last week or so as long as they're still in flower today at the commencement of April. I've also got heaps of pics from March which I'll post in the March topic.
Even more amazingly, I didn't even turn my computer on for a week. I have been having withdrawal symptoms from these forums. ;D
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Welcome back Paul. I know about busy. I've sown over 400 pots of seed this last week. Today is cold so I'm catching up with the dishes on the bench. :D
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Welcome back Paul. I know about busy. I've sown over 400 pots of seed this last week. Today is cold so I'm catching up with the dishes on the bench. :D
What do you sow in dishes? ??? ;D
Sternbergia sicula is looking nice at the moment,
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The first autumn crocus are finally out!
Crocus speciosus "Albus"
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Crocus kotchyanus
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cheers
fermi
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Mould if they wait much longer. :o
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OK, finally some of the pics I promised.
For starters....
Cyclamen rohlfsianum is blooming very well for me this year. Nothing like some of the wonderful pics I've seen here on the forums where people are growing them in glasshouses etc, but I don't think I'm doing too bad for out on my back non-covered verandah. This one has 9 flowers on it this year, with 2 others sending up flowers as well. Cross pollinating has already been undertaken. ;D
Biarum ochridense
This is a Crocus banaticus that originated from Otto. Thanks Otto!! 8)
Arisarum vulgare has commenced it's little hooded gems. It wanders about a bit, and I never get a good clump flowering but rather just the odd flower here and there. I still love it though. ;D
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One of the Amaryllis belladonna varieties I have flowering at present.
Euonymus alata 'Compacta' has never set seed like this before. Obviously the extra rain we've had has been ideal for fruit set. They look brilliant!! Such a great surprise to find them there the other day.
A red Gallardia.
One of the Sternbergia lutea that are flowering now. I only ever get a few flowers, while a neighbour has them flowering en mass every year next to their driveway. ::) I wish. :-\
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And lastly for tonight....
Not exactly flowering now, but a couple of images of a wind farm in the distance, about a half hour north of here.
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I very much like wind farms and there was an open day at the new Lake Mahinerangi wind farm near Dunedin yesterday. It's fully commissioned now. Unfortunately I couldn't go as I had to work.
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Lesley,
Yeah, it's frustrating working weekends. So many things you can't attend! ::) That's the one thing I don't like about working every weekend...... otherwise it is just another day and doesn't bother me at all.
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Good to have you back posting Paul.
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Thanks David. It's good to BE back posting. ;D
As it is, I've only managed to catch up with maybe 10 topics so far, so I've missed lots and lots. As I prepare more pics to post I'll probably wander further afield finding places to post them, or sticking my nose in here and there where it isn't wanted. ;)
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There should be heaps happening at present in the southern hemisphere but not a post since April 4th. With Otto and Fermi away, things may be sparse for a while yet.
Today, the 12th, is the day that Roger officially becomes an OAP!
Apart from that, I thought I would show my saffron crop, all two flowers of it. There will be a couple more but not soon enough to photograph with these two. More flowers than I've ever had before, perhaps due to deeper planting (15cms) or to the very damp summer we've had. As you see, I've done some weeding between the two pics. The weeds weren't there a week ago, but it's been wet and cold then wet and warm the last few days so up they come in double quick time.
Crocus sativus x 2
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It's a great autumn for colour this year, again, perhaps, because of the damp summer. These three are Sorbus reducta, Acer rubrum which I have as 'Columnare' and Rhus typhina. I was thrilled to find this in a garden centre last weekend as I've wanted it for years and as I have plenty space, was looking forward to it suckering all over the place. Wasn't until I got it home that I realized it has been grafted on a standard of something else, expressly to STOP it suckering. It will still be gorgeous but just singly. These reds are as red as my car!
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Lesley, I have grown saffron for over twenty years and it likes this climate very much. Corms that are in a raised bed in gritty soil bury themselves deeply, some 30,some 40 cm. deep. These make huge corms. Corms planted at "normal" deep will not flower until they go really deep. Flowering is during this month.
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Lesley - Yours autumn colours are as good as you ever see in the northeast of North America in a great year. Well done.
johnw
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Great colour in the south, flowers and foliage!
Love the Rhus, Lesley.. I'm thinking about one here, haven't decided which species to try from seed-- I grew fond of them in Toronto..
(shockingly, I still have a few packets of seed to send off, including the Cornus seed for you, packed and waiting to be mailed!)
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Today, the 12th, is the day that Roger officially becomes an OAP !
Lesley, please pass our very best Birthday Wishes to Roger...... pour him a glass and raise a toast from the Forumists, please!
Many Happy Returns of the Day , Roger!
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Thank you Maggi. The card I gave him said that although he had never been as old as he is now, he will never be as young again as he is now. Not sure that he appreciated it though!
Our colours this year are really wonderful and happening all at once for maximum impact. The few maples I have are also very good but have been wind damaged a bit so not so good-looking. The copper beech is hardly touched yet though some on the road up near Susan's house are changing to a magnificent rich crimson. Poplars, on the other hand are rusty grey/brown instead of gold. It happens about one year in 4 and is disappointing.
Alberto, I perhaps should dig the saffron and plant even deeper? I've also been advised by someone who sells a small crop at my farmers' market each year, to fork in a cowpat when they die down. Plenty cows about so I might do that. (She is the mother (or rather the owner) of our Teddy's mother and father. :D)
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Lesley, not now as they have their new roots. I have had them for years in the same large bed and foliar fertilize them. No sign of problems so far. Adding organic material to a bed in which bulbs are to be planted must be done one year in advance. Just to be sure, if one lose them, a healthy vigorous strain is not easy to obtain,
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Oh yes, I wasn't thinking of digging them now. Perhaps next early summer when they should be dormant. :) Maybe I'll dig in the cowpat now in a nearby place and let it stew until next planting time. They seem vigorous enough with each single corm last year, making 2 or 3 side growths this year. I've previously grown them in pots with nil results.
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You will be surprised at the huge flowers when plant them in the ground/raised bed.
I grow immature corms in 40 cm. deep buckets and they fatten well enough.
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Some Oxalis flowering now,bye Ray
Oxalis massoniana
Oxalis hirta
Oxalis purpurea alba
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An oxalis flowering now in the sun. Lovely large leaves
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Oxalis bowiei, Pat.
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Thanks Alberto. This oxalis is found in a few cemeteries. I love the size and colour of flowers and leaves. It stays a lovely compact clump - so far.
Where does it come from originally?
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There’s been a paucity of pics on the Southern Hemisphere thread with our stalwarts off conferencing and I’ve been swamped at work and haven’t had the leisure to post. But the garden has been into full autumn mode.
The highlight for me has been the flowering of C pulchellus planted from seed in May 09. Pic attached, C. boryi planted that year has flowered too but I was away interstate and came home to find the flower blown… Oh well .. more next year, lots of promising leaves on the other seedlings!
In the few days I have been at home I’ve been capturing the highlights of April to date – Nerines – fothergilli major, I suspect, Colchicum, no idea what species they are .. but colonies are still to be found in old Adelaide gardens. Sternbergia lutea? I got these bulbs from an old garden at Rhynie about an hour’s drive north of Adelaide, they are particularly vigorous. The leaves, which emerged with the flowers are now close to 30 cm high and look much broader than the Sternbergia I have purchased from various suppliers.
The additional rain we’ve had this summer (record summer rain this season over 170mm since December – amazing by Adelaide standards) has brought a few things out that have been growing but not blooming – Amarine tubergenii for instance – it’s such a hot pink the camera really struggled, and Z candida – I squeezed a couple of bulbs into cracks in the rocks of our stone steps and the delicacy of the white blooms against the sandstone is just the effect I was after.
And the autumn Crocus season is in full spate – C. mathewsii, C goulimyi – straight and the lovely white Mani form.. (I think I’ll divide the clump up a bit this summer). C. niveus – my form isn’t a true white just a little lilac on the outer sepals, C. serotinus ssp clusii (which hasn’t flowered for a couple of years – suspect it liked the extra water this summer and C imperati spp imperati (edit 24/04 double checked my references - imperati is spring so obviously the blackbirds have swapped my labels.. should be C. goulimyi var leucantha. Pics continued in next post
Cheers Anita
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Additional pics to go with previous post.
Anita
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Some beautiful things there Anita, especially the clump of c. goulimyi 'Mani White.' It obviously likes you very much. :)
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I think I can safely say that the Aussies and NZers seem to be having a good time over here - we are certainly enjoying their company very much. ( They can give you their version when they get back!! ;) ;D :-X )
Thanks for your fine selection, Anita.... your garden must be looking good right now.... so pleased you found time to share it with us 8)
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South Africa, Pat. There are many cushion like fantastic oxalises in South Africa, but very few look like "garden plants". O. bowiei is one of them. Yes, it remains compact, like a half ball. Produces lots of offsets that are better removed each year to keep the plant tidy, otherwise it will be a mass of new plants struggling for space. Bulbs are fang like and large, somewhat curved.
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Aussies and NZers manage to have a pretty good time whatever and wherever the circumstances. Except Kim Roberts - hello Kim - won't be happy the Highlanders beat the Crusaders last night.
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Anita, Zephyranthes candida is a native here (Argentina) and grows in full sun in marshy ground with a few inches of water in autumn and winter. Foliage is evergreen, and make good edges to the borders. In any case, it is not one of the Zephyranthes from rocky, drained places.
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Thanks Alberto. I hadn't really thought through the cultural requirements when placing the few spare bulbs.. the others are growing as edges to watered borders. These few bulbs are growing in steps adjacent to tripods hosting towers of Trachelospermum jasminoides which need additional water to get through our summers. So I'll see if I can keep the few bulbs alive by giving them extra drinks through summer, when I water the climbers. If not.. I've only lost a few a few spare bulbs.. if they go I might stuff a few crocus bulbs adapted to drier climates but which can take summer water in the same spot as I like the effect of the delicate flowers against the rocks. Anita
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What I wrote sounds confusing: "with a few inches of water in autumn and winter" means they are in flooded ground with a few inches of water above soil level. Their feet in permanent water, that is.
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Hi Ezeiza,
what you say about Zephyranthes candida is most interesting. I obtained 100 bulbs (I only wanted 10 but that was the minimum quantity), and I planted them, 25 each, into pots of 20cm diameter. The growths are just emerging and are now about 7cm long. If they need to have their feet in water, I could stand them with my Epipactis palustris and Spiranthes cernua, both bog orchids.
Do the Zephyranthes require acid conditions? I don't always have rainwater and our mains water is very chalky, but I could correct that if I have to.
Finally, do you think they are hardy? Thanks for your advice.
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Maren, their feet are in water of the Rio de la Plata marshes and this water is mostly alkaline. They grow it as a border plant in gardens but it really likes the extra water. Oddly enough, we have found it growing and flowering in the deepest shade of trees at times.
I have heard many times that it is hardy in Britain. Here it certainly is indifferent to our slight frosts. In the wild it is grown naturally in zones 9 b-10.
It can be left unwatered in summer with no problems.
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Ezeiza, from what you say I understand that they have a rest period in the summer, probably after flowering and leaves have died down? that means to me that they need their feet in water only during autumn, winter and spring?
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The period wihtout rains is one month in later summer just previous to flowering. Of course the marshy ground loses most of the water in summer and the soil can get dry but the plants are evergreen (here). A new flush of leaves follows the flowering. What you see is a dense plant that becomes denser after flowering. It is a neat plant comparable to Ophiopogon japonicus. Leaf color is a dark green even in full sun.
In gardens it is evergreen and any loss of leaves is barely noticed. Of course in England it will do with a lot less extra water than what it uses in this mild climate.
Here, plants that are through a long summer period without water produce few flowers.
After the rest period in summer in which it has less leaves (or not depending to available water) it flowers and produces new leaves. It flowers at the beginning of its yearly cycle and is most active during autumn, winter and spring.
Please note that in extremely cold spots it may revert to a warm cycle but the normal cycle is as described: hot dry summer when it is inactive and the rest of the year when it is in full growth.
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Thank you, that is most helpful. I have copied your posts into my little book on Cultivation. :) :) :).
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Hi Folks, just posted some nice pictures and email in the up to date May 2011 Southern Hemisphere forum, Enjoy.
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Just a short update on Zephyranthes candida. Following Ezeiza's advice, I now have four 20cm pots of very promising foliage, 20cm high, dark green and strong. They have been standing in trays of rainwater and look very happy. I expect them to flower in the autumn.
I also took one pot to my allotment, where I take anything I don't have room for. Sadly, all the growth has been eaten right down to the grit mulch. It could have been rabbits, pheasants, grouse, partridge or any of the other wildlife that frequents our vegetable gardens. Never mind, now I know not to put Zephyranthes there again. And the ones at home are smiling as if to say: "Told you so.".
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Sounds like good news, Maren. You can add the tiniest pinch of potassium sulphate to that standing water every fortnight to fatten the bulbs (it is a salt that can BURN).
If you want to be certain of a great display stop watering for a month just prior to the normal flowering time in your area at the same time keeping the pots in a hot sunny spot. When you resume watering the surprise will be multiple. This is why they call them Rainlilies.
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Hi Alberto,does this apply to all Zephyranthes or only candida.thanks bye Ray
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No, Ray. A big problem is that a lot of Zephyranthes come from many regions of the American continent. Desert, marsh, arid, year round rainfall, etc. But, there is information for a good number of them.
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Hi Alberto,thanks for the info.bye Ray