September 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

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Officially the first day of spring, so it's back to winter after a week of sunshine
First flower open on Gladiolus gracilis, grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield, sown June 2010.
A Narcissus triandrus hybrid (with N. jonquilla?) received from Jon B (Mini Bulb Lover),
cheers
fermi

[Mini bulb lover]

Spiloxene capensis - a retirement plant. Opens late morning, closes early afternoon - only on sunny days.

While hard to tell from the photo, the petals are pale pink.

[fermi de Sousa]

That's quite lovely, Jon.
We had a frost this morning and this delicate little grape-hyacinth came through it unscathed!
Muscari ex "Gul (Delight)' grown from AGS Seedex seed 2008, also with a touch of pink!
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

It's a pretty Muscari Fermi. I was able to buy one locally last year (no, must have been the year before, perhaps at NZAGS Study Weekend) and it was a delight indeed, last spring. I've just been able to replace M. pallens during yet another trip to Hokonui Alpines. I couldn't find the darned thing prior to moving. Roger took a "look see" trip up there a couple of weeks ago and says there is nothing left. No garden at all! When I think of what was left in the ground and is no more.......well, better not to think of it.

[Lesley Cox]

On this coming Saturday I'm taking some plants to the little monthly market at Milton, just 8 kms down the road. It's from 10am to 2pm which nicely stuffs up both one's morning and afternoon.

Mostly I'm taking Barnhaven primroses and polys, and a selection of miniature Narcissus, most in flower but some still in bud, even if we get a couple of really warm days, which we're not. It's sunny today but with a very cold wind. Never mind. Photographs and flowers from my own pots will help.  I'll take the pot of 'Gambas' x cyclamineus as I have quite a few to sell. This pot has been in bloom for well over a month. The first flower opened on July 24th! Some others like bulb. obesus are in bud but just showing through, triandrus is well on but not coloured yet while a few, like 'Jumblie' are about finished.

I really like the yellow Cowichans, not "just another yellow polyanthus" as someone said to me, before they'd opened, but with nicely rounded flowers of deep gold (one has flowered a good orange) with deep red foliage and calyces. In the garden they look really great in a small group. The 'Chartreuse' polys are palest green as they open from bud but almost immediately age to a translucent white. Doesn't sound much but they are really nice, again in a group while 'Osiered Amber' primroses were, as I first thought, just another yellow primrose but they are now a soft apricot shade and again, with the dark red calyces and leaves, quite distinct when beside "ordinary" primroses, lovely in a group.

'Spiced Shades' polys are just that, nice browns, tans, coffee colours while the 'Gilded Ginger' polys
are red, gold laced with some gold dotting in the red and the red areas fusing into gold or orange, each one different from the others. I've found it hard to decide which to keep and which to take to the market.

Blue Julianas are super little rich blue cushions and what were supposed to be 'Fireflies,' red juliana cushions have all turned out to be deep red, almost black Cowichans. I'm happy with them but still would like the 'Fireflies' so will try for another lot this late spring when the Barnhaven seedlist is sent, as well as a selection of new forms, maybe the Victorians and grey/blues etc.

[Lesley Cox]

In the picture above, of the blue Julianas, there are two pots of a rather curious polyanthus which was here in the garden when we arrived. It is literally a mouse-like grey shade and remains that way through its life. It flowered in the autumn too, also grey which is interesting as those odd shades and blues often flower out of season as something pinker. I like this one very much and it has the added attraction of being intensely fragrant.

Then in the second tray picture lower left, there are three plants which are seedlings, single but wavy petalled, from a double nectarine coloured primrose. I grew the seed hoping for some doubles. None is double but these 3 are soft yellow shaded and edged with a peach shade and again, very scented. I'm almost hoping they don't sell in which case I'll plant them out. They are very pretty. I usually take 8 to 10 trays to this little market, each with up to 20 plants depending with their size.

[fermi de Sousa]

Very nice, Lesley,
I'm afraid primulas are simply annuals here but that doesn't stop me buying a few "P.acaulis hybrids" most years.
Muscari pallens hasn't even stuck its nose out here yet.
Here's a better pic of Gladiolus gracilis and the first floret open on Gladiolus tristis,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Disturbing news from Tasmania :
"Tasmania's government has repealed the state's forestry "peace deal", removing around 400,000 hectares of forests from reserves across the state and potentially leaving them open to future logging."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-09-tasmania-scraps-peace-nativeforests.html#jCp



http://phys.org/news/2014-09-tasmania-scraps-peace-nativeforests.html

[Jupiter]

Our current federal government is #*@$*%($  @*#(%)$)# @($)*%^^  *&^%#@#!  !(*^#$^%@#*()&$@!)#&$^&****!!!

 

[Peterwg]

Janus,
Amen to that, brother.   And not just on forests!

[fermi de Sousa]

On a more pleasant note, this little wallflower has opened its first blooms.
Erysimum amoenum from Rocky Mountain Rare Plants 2010 - sown in 2012 and planted out in April this year,
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Our current federal government is #*@$*%($  @*#(%)$)# @($)*%^^  *&^%#@#!  !(*^#$^%@#*()&$@!)#&$^&****!!!

 

Oh, you have one of those too?

[Anthony Darby]

Somebody will no doubt get a sizable backhander. 

[Mini bulb lover]

Lesley - some beautiful primroses there. I'm sure they'll sell like hot cakes.

The Tasmanian government are trying to save jobs. Obviously too hard to set up other industries (that aren't dying out like the timber industry)...

Hepatica nobilis.

[fermi de Sousa]

It was the FCHS Spring Show this weekend but Will and I only got there today but brought along a couple of Kiwis

-plates decorated by school kids
-Floral art
-Rock Garden section
- RG posies
- dwarf daff posy

cheers
fermi