August 2023 photos

[David Pilling]

Sche - her - a - zade

[Martin Bohnet]

mostly here to test the new upload interface - which seems more intuitive. Happy to hear your thoughts about.

That said, here are Sinningia 'Banana Foster', Ipomoea linosepala subsp. alpina, another tropical southern Africa caudex morning glory, and the proof that I got my Ismene x festalis finally to flower again, using the method of removing the substrate all the way down to the root level over winter, as before that they either sulked for loosing their roots when taken out completely or took time recovering from mold if I kept them fully covered no matter how dry...

[David Pilling]

The new upload interface - better - because it is not two step - selecting what to upload and then having to upload it caused problems for some people.

Here on Ubuntu, drag and drop does not work, so I was worried at first, but as it says "click" and you get the old select a file interface.

[Rick R.]

A Sinningia pusilla seedling.  I snipped of the first flower bud, and now it is ready to produce...

[Steve Willson]

Lilium speciosum var. gloriosoides flowering now, from seed planted March 2021. 

[Diane Whitehead]

That is amazingly fast.
How did you manage it?

[Steve Willson]

Diane - thinking back, I didn't do anything particularly special.  I recall that the seeds germinated fairly quickly and easily, and I grew them on in the small pots they were planted in until the foliage died back in the fall, when they were potted up into bigger pots.  I did keep them in a frost-free greenhouse, which I think was important, as these lilies have a short winter-dormancy.  This was the same in both winters, where they were back growing again by January or thereabouts.  Of the dozen or so seedlings I have only four will flower this year, so these four are the pacesetters and the majority, I expect, will flower in their third year.  Hope this helps.

[Uli]

Hello Steve,

This all sounds very interesting indeed. Will you try to make them set seed?

Uli 

[Steve Willson]

Yes, I will cross a few (that is my plan, at least).  It may weaken the bulb, but if I can repeat this growing success then I feel it is worth taking the risk.  I have found it always a risk when crossing lily species in their first year of blooming as they can be short-lived thereafter.

[David Pilling]

Dahlia - yellow cheerfulness
Cyclamen hederifolium
Lilium - Scheherazade

[Uli]

Amaryllis belladonna Rose Foncé is always the first belladonna to flower at this time of the year. Here in front of Petraea volubilis. This is a combination made by the plants themselves, the Petraea was meant to cover the wall below this terrace but decided to scramble up....
Uli 

[David Pilling]

Love amaryllis belladonna - will be interesting to see if any flowers put in an appearance after the cold wet Summer here in the North of England.

[Robert_Parks]

Love amaryllis belladonna - will be interesting to see if any flowers put in an appearance after the cold wet Summer here in the North of England.

Cold and damp, but not wet, however the Amaryllis under tree drip lines (2"/5cm water per month from fog this summer), are also blooming.

From my front yard. All planted in the last 3-4 years.

[Wylie]

My Amaryllis belladonna 'Rose Fonce' is also open and the 'Fred Meyer White' is about to open. What I also have is a Crinum blooming for the first time. I had bought a bulb and kept it in a pot where it didn't do much of anything except put up a few leaves. Then earlier this year I finally put it in the ground and with the wet spring and summer we have had, it finally put up a flower spike. It has been so long that I don't remember its name, but it isn't 'Ellen Bosanquet', which has already flowered.

[Uli]

Hello Wylie,

Is the picture showing the Crinum or the Amaryllis? I know that Rose Foncé is variable in color but this one is exceptional if it is not the Crinum.
The bulbs I photographed are stealing some water from a nearby irrigation, all the others, including Fred Meyer's White are still dormant. It is very hot and dry here.....

Uli