October 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Anthony Darby]

Otto, that Lachenalia angelica is to die for. I'm not really a Lachenalia fan, but that really is a beauty.

[Lesley Cox]

(Well I hadn't thought of horticulture as "arts" or "culture" but why not? In NZ I'm (almost) happy to say that the Govt keeps as far away from the performing and visual arts as it can with a few exceptions so that "ars gratia artis" is a genuine concept in most cases. I don't think tourism plays much of a part in our arts world thankfully except when, e.g. an exhibition from the Guggenheim or the Tate Modern comes to the Dunedin Art Gallery and we have an influx of culturally starved Australians flying across the ditch (pause here for trans-Tasman indignation at comment).

But back to the plants, just 5 for now, but wait till after the weekend and I'll have irises galore!

Primula x Pubescens 'Rufus,' surely the reddest of this race?
Primula auricula 'Rose Window' which is really hard to photograph well. It's a lovely rose pink with a creamy centre in big, symmetrical bunches, sweetly fragrant, a seedling of my own.
Primula 'Hokonui White,' a seedling by Louise Salmond, from the white 'Linda Pope,' much for vigorous.
Androsace sempervivoides, the brighter form but showing typical foliage (the more usual form is a little greyer in the leaves, or rather, just duller leaves and finally
Helleborus vesicarius, the single flower has made a pod much to my surprise. As yet I'm not sure there's anything in it.

[Anthony Darby]

Ah, "Rose Window". One of the treasures I had to leave behind. 

[Lesley Cox]

That sounds like a plea from the heart Anthony. I have none propagated at present but will be taking cuttings when the flowers are finished so one will come your way, without a doubt. Don't know how it will do in Auckland but then I didn't expect crocuses and dwarf Narcissus would like it either. Worth a try.

[Anthony Darby]

I'm not sure either Lesley. We have primulas in our pot on top of the leaky post box, and they do okay in the winter if I keep them watered.

[Lesley Cox]

A few more pictures. I've had such pleasure from the seed I bought last October from Barnhaven in France. Sown on November 6th, as soon as it arrived, there was good germination of most things with the exception of mixed Prims allionii and marginata, none at all there. But the others have been good and started to flower in late July! At full strength now and showing quite a lot of variation within most varieties. Here are some but I must take more pictures. There's a 'Gilded Ginger all orangey/gold on top but red underneath. It's really lovely, and a wonderful 'Midnight,' deepest navy blue. Then there are other Cowichan shades too and Julianas and.....
The Barnhaven arrived Online a couple of days ago so I'm planning to order more as the plants have sold well at recent markets/ shows.

[Lesley Cox]

I ordered blue P. vulgaris and these have been super from a pale milky shade to deep ultrmarine, all lovley. Then there is 'Osiered Amber' which is a sort of pale apricot yellow, or not quite plain yellow but over reddish leaves, buds and calyces which give it a beautiful colour. These, have sold very well and as well as keeping a group of the "ordinary" one, I've selected out two which have deep apricot flowers.

I'm surprised how good the yellow Cowichans are. Someone said, "just another yellow polyanthus" but they are not that, rather, bowls of pure, deep gold and again, with deep red foliage and buds. I like them a lot.

I've several times lost Sebaea thomasii in a pot but it's doing better in the garden, planted out in a gritty, humusy soil.

I think the Rhodo is 'Unique' flowering 3 weeks earlier than last year, as almost everything seems to be.

[Jupiter]

All beautiful Lesley but 'Gilded Ginger' has to be my favourite.

[Lesley Cox]

Last for now (time for potting), a beautiful Pacific Coast hybrid Iris, from N.Island breeder Mary Barrell. Mary generously donates seed from her breeding programme to the NZIS seed exchange each year and I'm expecting some super plants.

The dwarf bearded iris season is well on the way and this one is a favourite, called 'Mist o' Pink.' The rather crumpled leaves are because I've had to put netting over the plants to keep off our chooks and the rabbits, for which, happily we now have a solution (pictures later today).

I've had quite a few frits in bloom but most have been chewed by slugs and not worth pictures. I managed to save this one though, a yellow form of F. rhodokanakis which is a real favourite perhaps because it has been very reliable over a number of years. There are 4 or 5 bulbs, all from seed but no seed set alas in spite of hand pollinating among the different clones.

    Iris PC hybrid Barrell
    Iris PC hybrid Barrell 1
    MDB Iris 'Mist o' Pink'.
    MDB Iris 'Mist o' Pink' 1
    Fritillaria rhodokanakis, yellow form

[Otto Fauser]

Lesley, I adore your yellow form of Frit .rhodokanakis and would love to have it in my garden .
Went on a shopping spree yesterday at Kuranga Nursery , our premier one for Australian plants and bought 20 dwarf shrubs for the native Rockgarden at the Ferny Creek Hort. Soc. We lost many plants there during last summer's drought and extreme heat .There I saw some beautiful examples of the blue Leschenaultia biloba and L. formosa in yellow , orange and red .

here a few of my purchases

    selection
    Boronia ledifolia
    Boronia muelleri
    Boronia safrolifera 

[Otto Fauser]

and a few more native dwarf shrubs

    Bauera rubioides
    Pultenaea villosa
    Prostanthera rotundifolia

[Lesley Cox]

I remember that lovely and exciting place Otto, wonderful plants in bloom when I was there with you and others (who? Tim and maybe Paul?)

If I can persuade the frit to seed I'll send some of course. I'm sure, if my memory serves me correctly, the original seed came from John Richards in the UK, maybe in the early 90s. That's where the I. nusairiensis came from too. I have about 85 Iris cycloglossa seedlings now. but getting way too hard to count. They all look the same.

[Lesley Cox]

Waiting up late in order to see a "blood moon," which is on the way in an hour or so. So far there's about a half eclipse and the moon is full so it should be good. The sky is clear after heavy cloud all day but I don't think my camera's up to the task.

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks for reminding me, Lesley,
I don't think my camera's up to it either
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

I can see the eclipse but there is a lot of mistiness in the air here tonight and it's all fuzzy and hazy. Not even worth getting the camera out. Interesting though and a lot better than the last time when my daughter and I climbed up to the top of the hill in the dark and it was over before the moon even rose above the horizon!