What do you see on your garden walks? 2012

[Lori S.]

Gorgeous species, Jandals!  They're very tall plants, aren't they?

[Jandals]

Howdy Trond - they might do well at your place . I first grew them when we lived in the mountains and there they had to put up with -15C during the winter which wasn't a problem for them . I'm currently chatting to Rosa in the Orkneys where she is building a garden as a memorial to the Orkney Island people who the NZ government gave a chance to settle on the Auckland Islands . They figured same latitudes different hemisphere . Rosa is already growing some plants from the Auckland Islands and I will send her a few more seeds

Hi Rick - The smaller plants in the foreground are progeny of the larger plants in the background . The larger are going to flower too but seem to be 2 weeks behind the younger ones . The larger plants are 10 years and the newbies are 4 years from seed
When I pick the seed in late summer I don't just cut the stalks off because I worry about the center of the plant filling up with water  . I just cut the smaller branches off and leave the stem to gradually rot . So they do look a little bedraggled . In late winter I can remove old seedheads , old leaves and renew their compost . Hopefully I've given a link to the Campbell Island weather info . Brief rain on 325 days a year and a little cool and breezy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_Island,_New_Zealand

Thanks Lori . I love them too , they are a bit coarse - just like me . The older plants are nearly 4 ft tall . ( yeah , I know , just like me  Mr.Toole - Don't say it )
There are 2 more species about to flower and I will post them when ready . Years ago I tried growing almost all the species from the islands and alhtough I germinated all the Pleurophyllum species they were not happy and none flowered which was a real shame
http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=pleurophyllum+speciosum&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tuSnUIfkHeWPiAeqnIBY&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=599

[Tim Ingram]

I've seen pictures of Anisotome latifolia before but never really got a proper feel for it - those are great photos. It would be quite easy to imagine it growing on Orkney in company with Myositidium and Pleurophyllum maybe?! Campbell Island must be a sort of botanists nirvana!

[Hoy]

Hei Jandals!
Thank you for the info and the links.
Campbell Island seems to be nice place as the the climate is a little drier than here! However we have more sun . . . .
I have never been to Orknøyene (Orkney) (although I have visited Færøyene (Faroe Islands)) but I presume the climate is not very different from here.
A question, where is it possible to get hold of seeds from these plants - both Anisotome and Pleurophyllum - I have seldom seen them in any seedlists?

[Bundraba!]

Fantastic! I suspect those islands but that plant looks pretty big. I might have some trouble feeding it here. So; what is it; bird duff?

[Toole]

Thanks Lori . I love them too , they are a bit coarse - just like me . The older plants are nearly 4 ft tall . ( yeah , I know , just like me  Mr.Toole - Don't say it )

 

[Jandals]

The islands are a botanists nirvana Tim and expensive to get to . Lots of flower colour . Some of the gentians have red flowers . The other umbelliferae I grew was Anisotome antipoda (pink flowers) but in 15 years they never flowered and eventually died off .
I think I still have your address Trond and will send you some seeds in February so that you can sow them fresh . If anyone else wants some seeds just let me know .
Michael , I find that regular additions of a good organic compost really help but they don't  like summer heat coupled with high humidity

[Hoy]

Thanks, a lot Steve! Think I owe you some beers already! BTW, the Clematis seeds germinated like cress

[cohan]

Cool plants, Steve! Those islands sound pretty interesting- to actually walk among those megaherbs would be very cool!

[Bundraba!]

A rocky garden moon.







November 25

[cohan]

Nice shots, and beautiful rocks!

[Hoy]

Cool plants, Steve! Those islands sound pretty interesting- to actually walk among those megaherbs would be very cool!

Yes! When does the next boat go?

[Hoy]

A rocky garden moon.

Do you mean you try to create a moonscape? My first thought was icebergs Very cool

[Bundraba!]

No, completely incidental; back late from duties to the ever refreshing garden and I saw this so I had to run for the camera -which worked great on flash and focus until it got cold! 

[RickR]

An interesting observation regarding Zephyranthes spp.
I am laughing right along with you when you see how puny these seedlings are...  they were an afterthought, and obviously didn't receive the care they deserved, but...

They have served a purpose, at least, when I neglected to rescue them from my pot menagerie before temperatures plummeted outside.  These small 1.5 inch pots endured two successive nights of 17F (-8C).  Photos taken eight days after.  Arranged from the least damaged to the most affected:

Z. minima
z. drummondii
Z. citrina
Z. primulina
Z. rosea