January 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Onion]

The Tigridias are flowering    what better way to celebrate the summer months?

Rogan,
the Trigidias you show are they all T. pavonia Hybrids?

[Lesley Cox]

They are very nice Rogan. I used to but don't now for whatever reason. I must get a few. And a happy birthday to you.

[galahad]

Some Tigridia pavonia hybrids

[galahad]

And a couple more.  I have a dark pink somewhere too

[Maggi Young]

A very smart collection, Ross.... you are obviously doing well with them.

[daveyp1970]

Ross are Tigrida hardy where you are?i have heard of people leaving them out here in parts of the uk in the winter but i would imagine they would have been hit hard this year

[Onion]

David,

I overwinter them frostfree in a cold room. They need a little winter moisture.

[galahad]

Ross are Tigrida hardy where you are?i have heard of people leaving them out here in parts of the uk in the winter but i would imagine they would have been hit hard this year

Yes, they just stay in the garden and do their thing

[Paul T]

Uli,

I think they'er all actually Tigridia pavonia selections, rather than hybrids.  My understanding is that there aren't other species involved, just colours selections from pavonia itself.

I grow them outside here without a problem, plus a number of small species as well.  I do lose some of the other species at times (I lament the loss of some of them, as they're so beautiful), but generally they go well form year to year.  Some species are VERY slow to multiply for me here.

[Stephen Vella]

Paul your welcome to them and I wasnt expecting anything in return.

I think the key to get them to increase is plenty of moisture and some suplementry feeding in summer helps.

I also leave the bulbs in the ground. The ground would freeze solid at least for a month or two

[Paul T]

Stephen,

Do you really get cold enough to have the ground freeze solid?

[Stephen Vella]

yea i wouldnt of said it otherwise. More so in the shade where it lasts for a couple of months cause its cooler and moist...

 i use to have the inside kitchen window freeze on really cold winter nights..until i had central heating built in. I would hate to live in the northern hemiphere and have their cold..brrrr! i get enough here, although we havnt had a cold winter for a while but i think we're in for one looking at whats happening up north...extreme wether conditions fom hot to cold..climate change?? sorry gone off topic

[Tecophilaea King]

Just another picture of this healthy shade loving plant, growing on the cool south site of the house.
The large, deep-veined leaves are deep green and glossy, and if well grown are as large as those of rhubarb.
The heavily-textured flowers are bright blue, paling at the edges, and are of a soft velvet appearence.
There is also a recently discovered pure white form, so far not commercially available yet.

Myosotidium-hortensia

[Tecophilaea King]

This time a few pictures of the more exotic disa uniflora orchids, photographed at one of our neighbour's glasshouses just up the road.
These are all improved, selected hybrids specially bred for the cut-flower trade and export.
He kindly let us have a few stems to take home, and the flowers in the vase lasted more than 3 weeks.

[Tecophilaea King]

Hesperoxiphion peruvianum (syn. Cypella peruviana) indigenous to Peru, has large brightly coloured flowers that are yellow, yellow brown, orange or plain yellow lined, or dotted red-brown or red-purple. The flowers are only open for part of a day, fading in the afternoon, but if the seed pods are nipped off the flowering season continues sometimes for months. In the wild they bloom from January to May and can sometimes flower in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the same time.