January 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Corrado & Rina]

That is a beautiful form! Sadly Lithops are one houseplant that I am truly proficient in killing 

I probably water it 8 - 12 times a year depending on the weather conditions and only when it starts to wilt. The watering are not distributed regularly: I do not water at all when the plant is loosing the previous year two leaves and putting the beginning of the two new leaves (this is very important or the plant will not be able to loose the previous year leaves), and I water more around flowering time when the flower has already formed and it is nearly ready then I water once abundantly (like the classic torrential rains in the natural habitat), but NOT  on the leaves or they may rot. All the other times, I water sparingly, simulating the morning dew!

Compost is very poor: 50% John Innes Nr. 2 + 50% "fish tank" grade sterile grit, but I think it may even be too rich initially and the plants only settles after a while ....

I fertilize with seaweed extract (Maxicrop Natural) at 25% recommended concentration (1ml/liter) at every watering, keep it on a windowsill on top of the stairs away from main heating facing south. It took around two years to adapt, and then it went back to its natural cycle, flowering in the winter .... last year it made two flowers, this year the weather conditions are appalling.

Best,

Corrado

[ian mcenery]

Fabulous plants!

Thank you Lori. This has very reptilian foliage as it emerges and this I find fascinating. Now I have more than 1 plant flowering I should be able to get the plants to set seed

Here the candy striped Colchicum kessellringii

[meanie]

Do you know of a seed source (kilimanjari)?

I have this bookmarked................
http://impatiensexchange.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-impatiens-list-plantsseeds-available.html

It does specifically say for exchange but an email will not kill anyone - you may be able to strike up a deal.

[Paul T]

Meanie,

I'm with you on getting something unusual into the garden.  Rarely see any interesting impatiens here, unfortunately.  The occasional times I have, I've ended up not getting cuttings taken before the winter. 

Ian,

Beautiful picture of Colchicum kesselringii.  I think I've lost mine again.  The other species do so well for me, but the winter ones just disappear one year for reasons I have no idea of.     

[Hoy]

I have this bookmarked................
http://impatiensexchange.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/my-impatiens-list-plantsseeds-available.html

It does specifically say for exchange but an email will not kill anyone - you may be able to strike up a deal.

Thanks!

I have sent an inquiry and hope for a positive answer

[YT]

Europian native Ranunculus ficaria and watercress have already naturalised in a small stream at a local garden near my house.

[François Lambert]

Europian native Ranunculus ficaria and watercress have already naturalised in a small stream at a local garden near my house.

That's very early in the year for the Ranunculus ficaria.  In my garden there is still nothing to see on the spots where they usually grow, even if until last week we have had a very mild winter.

[Tony Willis]

a Romulea sp from Greece

[Maggi Young]

Hamamelis doing well at the moment and in Belgium, there is a beauty contest for them at the Kalmthout Arbotetum    arboretumkalmthout.be

[Maggi Young]

Hamamelis timelapse


 

[Roma]

Lovely to see the Hamamelis, Maggi.  I had a dental appointment on Thursday and Dobbies is only a slight detour on the way home.  The Hamamelis I'd had for ages had been sickly for a while and died a couple of years ago.  They are rather expensive but I had some Garden Centre tokens from my daughter for my birthday last week so I decided to buy one.  There were only a few plants but a wide choice of colour.  I had been thinking about getting 'Pallida' but finished up with 'Jelena'.  The others were 'Orange Beauty' and 'Livia' which is a very dark red.  Tempting but maybe difficult to place to see it properly. 

[Maggi Young]

Jelena is a real favourite for us, Roma. Flowers show well in most lights but in afternoon sun they just glow.
Agree with you that while dark red might be  tempting, in might also be difficult to place and show up well.

You could have come by for a cuppa.....

[krisderaeymaeker]

Hamamelis doing well at the moment and in Belgium, there is a beauty contest for them at the Kalmthout Arbotetum    arboretumkalmthout.be

Looks a bit familiar Maggi 

[krisderaeymaeker]

a Romulea sp from Greece

  Looks fantastic Tony . Compact and with big flowers .

[Maggi Young]

Looks a bit familiar Maggi 

Beatrice mentioned it earlier in the month I think?