Image of the day - 2012

[Lori S.]

I'm surprised but I quite like the double form of Platycodon grandiflorus... neat and not distorted, unlike some other double forms.  
Yeah, I get what you're saying about edelweiss and agree... (yet, I am, unaccountably growing other Leontopodium species... go figure.  )

[cohan]

I'm drawn to many of those Asteraceae with odd flowers, and some in the genus Leontopodium fit the bill for sure.. I haven't tried any yet, but have looked at a number on the seedlists- especially those with white leaves, of course...lol

[Hoy]

A brief visit at our summerhouse before going home. Of course, the sheep had gotten through the fence and done some damage to the flowers. Fortunately their freedom hadn't lasted long.

They had trampled in the beds - and not only chewed on the plants. The lilies were almost untouched - just a few leaves nibbled.

Lilium lancifolium is an old garden plant here, growing almost wild many places. The orientalis-hybrid 'Arena' is a newer one though.

[RickR]

Oh my gosh, Trond!  I've never seen an Arena so gorgeous! 
Colors are usually much more muted (due to the heat, probably) and the flower count is stupendous!  That would win Grand Champion at any Lilium flower show here in the USA. 

Lilium lancifolium is a mainstay in old gardens here.  They remain in unkempt gardens (along with daylilies and bearded iris) of old houses in disrepair that have been vacated for decades.

So sorry about the sheep.  If you're like me, I just take it in stride as yet another "challenge" in life.  Lilies are the first things, after hostas, that deer eat here.  Fortunately for me in my suburban-like yard, I have had only one deer in ten years.  That was the night after the 4th of July (our Independence Day), and I am sure the poor animal was scared out of its wits with all the fireworks and loud booming going on.

[Hoy]

Thanks Rick Luckily I managed to remove all the lily beetles - and the sheep seems to dislike lily flowers, but you never know. What they don't eat they trample down. We used to have roe deer here too but they have not been seen this year.
I feed the lilies with seaweed every fall and this summer they have got water too

[Lori S.]

Gorgeous lily ('Arena'), Trond!  Can't knock the background either - lovely!

[Hoy]

Gorgeous lily ('Arena'), Trond!  Can't knock the background either - lovely!

Thanks Lori, it's nice when the sea is calm. Not so lovely when the storm comes from north!

[Merlin]

Well, i cant say have sheep romping in the garden, just a new E. pointer pup that finds that my most prized plants are to be chomped and torn up when possible. i transplanted some enormous Camassia cusickii bulbs some weeks ago only to find them dug up and chomped to smithereens in the morning--the puppy was so proud of himself. here are some pics from today
Talinum of some sort(volunteer seedling)
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/large/IMG_1328.JPG 
Oxalis from South America
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/large/IMG_1331.JPG
Daphne jasminea
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/websize/IMG_1332.JPG
Petrophytum caespitosum (Rock Mat), not exactly the finest flowers in the garden
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/websize/IMG_1330.JPG

[RickR]

A really choice Talinum/Phemeranthus, Jim.  Perhaps P. brevifolius?
http://nargs.org/nargswiki/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=96&offset=40
here is the Flora of North America key to Phemeranthus
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124954
Are all phemeranthus North American?

Jim, I was under the impression that Camassia bulbs were relatively small...
How big is "enormous"?

[Merlin]

A really choice Talinum/Phemeranthus, Jim.  Perhaps P. brevifolius?
http://nargs.org/nargswiki/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=96&offset=40
here is the Flora of North America key to Phemeranthus
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124954
re all phemeranthus North American?

Jim, I was under the impression that Camassia bulbs were relatively small...
How big is "enormous"?

the Camassia bulb was about the size of a  a big grapefruit.  why the dog chomped it is beyond me. Fortunately, i only transplanted half of them. By the way, these plants were about ten years old.

[cohan]

Trond- glad the damage wasn't too extensive, the lilies are looking good! I'm still mostly ill-lily-iterate despite the bazillions of them grown by folks in a regional (western Canada mostly) yahoo group I'm on- we still have only one patch of 'tiger' lilies (finished some time ago), plus I know our native species..lol.. I'd just be happy to have some not orange, but with all the ailments around, I hesitate to buy any...

Jim, some nice plants- that Talinum has a great form! Behind it is another Talinum with old flower stems?

[Hoy]

Unfortunately the danger isn't over yet >  Now nobody is there any longer to tell the sheep's owner that his animals are roaming around. They're almost like goats - climbing vertical cliffs and difficult to keep in place by fences.

Merlin, pups are not without trouble either! My niece brought her this summer but it didn't do much damage except digging in the turf.

Nice plants! I like them all 

[RickR]

the Camassia bulb was about the size of a  a big grapefruit.

 

[Todd Boland]

Trond that Arena is indeed a knockout!  It would never stand here that close to the sea...hardly stands here miles from the sea!

[Todd Boland]

Leontopodium do well here...I have L. alpinum and here is L. conglobatum.  I started two new species from seed this year.