Bulbs from South Africa for Dry and Moist Shade

  DESIGN ELEMENTS

Warm Bulbs What Are They?

Spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, freesias, bluebells, to name a few are all bulbs from the northern hemisphere. They do best in cool climates and once the main spring show is over, there's nothing left to excite.

• It's time to changeup or simply extend the flowering season to what garden designer Peter Nixon terms 'warm bulbs.' 
• These come from warmer climates such as South Africa and South America, therefore are more suited to a large part of eastern Australia-the 'cool sub trops.' (Cool sub-tropical).
• The other benefits of these spectacular bulbs are that they flower much later and longer;  late spring into summer and even autumn.

Warm Bulbs part 4-Dry Shade and Moist shade

What kind of shade? NOT GLOOM!

• 

  Clivea nobilis photo M Cannon
  
  

  We are talking Cliveas, and not just Clivea miniata. 

Try the following Cliveas

 Clivea nobilis -umbel with many florets, starting in late winter; variable colours from pale orange to deep orange red with green tips.

Clivea gardenii-tubular and pendulous flowers; orange to red, however yellow and pink clones are also sometimes available to the plant collector.

Clivea caulescens-flowers pendulous and tubular; orange-red with green tips

Clivea robusta-pendulous flowers with green tips

Bright shade will keep them happy. Full sun will fade the dark green to a pale washed out green and at worst, will burn the leaves

• Keep one thing in mind. Where the leaf union comes together, it has to be well above the soil otherwise the clivea will rot.
• As the roots push the upwards, DON'T be tempted to cover up the root system with more soil. 
• Leaf litter or a leaf mulch is fine, but these grow in high rainfall areas and require their root system to be not sitting in water.

Moist Shade: 

Eucaris amazonica, flowers in high summer, usually around February, with pure white flowers with a green cup centre, almost daffodil-like.

Listen to the podcast for more information

I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer from Paradisus garden design. www.dgnblog.peternixon.com.au; www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au     

Instagram paradisus_sea_changer FB Paradisus Garden Design

If you have any questions or feedback for me or Peter about these bulbs, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com or info@peternixon.com.au

Exotic Warm Bulbs from South America for a Northern Aspect

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

Warm Bulbs What Are They?

Spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, freesias, bluebells, to name a few are all bulbs from the northern hemisphere. They do best in cool climates and once the main spring show is over, there's nothing left to excite.

• It's time to changeup or simply extend the flowering season to what garden designer Peter Nixon terms 'warm bulbs.' 
• These come from warmer climates such as South Africa and South America, therefore are more suited to a large part of eastern Australia-the 'cool sub trops.' (Cool sub-tropical).
• The other benefits of these spectacular bulbs are that they flower much later and longer;  late spring into summer and even autumn.

Thunia marshalliana photo P Nixon

Warm Bulbs part 3-Northern Aspect with Shelter

So what do you plant in your shady area perhaps under trees where there’s usually dry shade?
As long as it’s not gloomy, such as really dense shade.

These bulbs are not for the harsh western aspect of exposed to harsh winds.

Thunia marshalliana from northern Thailand. 

Expect to see a cycle where it dies down before fresh new leaves come through in spring, with flowers appearing in summer. 

The leaves remind me somewhat of a crucifix orchid in the shape and configuration. 

The flowers are a standout white with a slight fragrance and grow atop long arching canes.

You could grow these in a large hanging basket so you could see the flowers from below.

• When in growth, apply plenty of orchid fertiliser.

• Propagation is super easy; just like for the keikis (baby plantlets) at the ends of canes, and cut of and pot up.

Worsleya procera commonly known as the Red fox orchid  or  lavender hippeastrum.

Worsleya procera

One of the world's rarest bulbs originating from Rio de Janeiro.

Flowering can take  up to 7 years !

Leaves are deep green that have an unusual curvature giving them a sculptural look.

Listen to the podcast, it's rather long but very interesting.

Species Hippeastrum: Not your ordinary hippies!

Don't go past species Hippeastrum that originate for the most part, in south America.

• All of course are in Amaryllidaceae family.

Hippeastrum papilio

You won't find much information about these hippeastrums in general so take note.

Some of these can grow as epiphytes in their natural environment!

• In the ground, they need superb drainage but not under trees unless the canopy is quite high, say 2-3 metres above the bulb.

Start your collection with the Hippeastrum papilio or  green Hippeastrum calyptratum  or 

Hippeastrum psittacinum: The name means parrot like, referring to the brilliant coloring.  From Brazil, growing in full sun to partial shade.

Hippeastrum calyptratum

Hippeastrum psittacinum or parrot hippeastrum

Peter outlines quite a few of the species hippeastrums so have a listen to the podcast.

PLAY Bulbs for a northern aspect_7th July 2021

I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer from Paradisus garden design. www.dgnblog.peternixon.com.au; www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au     

Instagram paradisus_sea_changer FB Paradisus Garden Design

If you have any questions or feedback for me or Peter about these bulbs, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com or info@peternixon.com.au

Bulbs from South Africa and South America for A Long Flowering Season pt 1 & 2

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

Warm Bulbs What Are They?

Spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, freesias, bluebells, to name a few are all bulbs from the northern hemisphere. They do best in cool climates and once the main spring show is over, there's nothing left to excite.

• It's time to changeup or simply extend the flowering season to what garden designer Peter Nixon terms 'warm bulbs.' 
• These come from warmer climates such as South Africa and South America, therefore are more suited to a large part of eastern Australia-the 'cool sub trops.' (Cool sub-tropical).

• 

  Scadoxus multiflorus var. katarineae photo P. Nixon

  The other benefits of these spectacular bulbs are that they flower much later and longer;  late spring into summer and even autumn.

We're starting of this 4 part series with 'bulbs for bright semi-shade.'

• The first group are Scadoxus species, some of which evergreen.
• This group DO NOT like low light levels, and poor  drainage.
• If growing under a tree, the canopy must be well above so the bulbs are not shaded.
• Even morning sun would be good.
• Bulbs are the size of an onion.
• DO NOT bury the bulbs as you would a tulip are narcissus. The neck of these bulbs MUST be half-emerged.

Peter mentions these:

Scadoxus multiflorus var. katarinaea - Fireball Lily (but also grows in Southern Highlands equating to higher altitude South Africa). 

Scadoxus membranaceus -entirely staminate and surrounded with pale bracts.

Haemanthus albifloss

Scadoxus membranaceus photo P Nixon

I have some of these warm bulbs-namely two varieties of Haemanthus.

One flowers easily, and the other, I’ve yet to discover where it prefers to grow so it puts out the red paintbrush flower.

PLAY: Bulbs -bright semi-shade_16th June 2021

I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer from Paradisus garden design. www.dgnblog.peternixon.com.au; www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au     

Instagram paradisus_sea_changer FB Paradisus Garden Design

If you have any questions or feedback for me or Peter about these bulbs, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com or info@peternixon.com.au

Warm Bulbs pt. 2-Harsh Western Aspect 

Every garden has an aspect that’s hard to plant out because it’s either too shady or too harsh and dry or even spot that receives hot western sun .
Today I’m focusing on bulbs that can give you a long display in the warmer months but have evolved to withstand hot and dry months.

Haemanthus coccineus photo M Cannon

These bulbs originate where they are not exposed to very cold winters but have evolved to withstand hot dry conditions.

The bulbs in this group are in the Amaryllidaceae family which consists of mainly bulbs with long strappy leaves. The flowers are usually in an umbel-like cluster on a short or long scape.

Quite a few are known to have large showy flowers.

Haemanthus coccineus or 'blood lily likes an exposed location. 

It will refuse to flowers if in a shady, lush location. 

Don’t be like me and put the blood lily in too much shelter so the leaves grow long and the flower season trigger is missed.

• A dead give-away is if the leaves are quite long and extended, then the bulb is in too much shade.

If you live in Adelaide, say a couple of streets back from the beach such as in Brighton, then expect your 'blood lily' to take off like mad. The low humidity and winter rains are a perfect climate for this bulb.

Pink blood lily photo P Nixon

You can also look for the interspecific hybrid of Haemanthus albifloss x H. coccineus

If you love the shape of tulip flowers, then plant a row of these bulbs which will flower summer to autumn.

Brunsvigia greagaria  photo P Nixon

Brunsvigia gregaria which has agapanthus like flower on steroids in a crimson coloured bloom.
Or even the combined genus of brunsvigia and amaryllis ending up with Amarygia.

Let’s find out more by listening to the podcast with Peter Nixon

If you have any questions or feedback for me or Peter about these bulbs, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com or info@peternixon.com.au

Dahlias and Snails

 PLANT DOCTOR

What's Wrong With My Dahlias?

Dahlias are collectible in that once you start growing them, it's hard to not to want more every time you look at a plant catalogue.

If you want more proof, then look no further than the dahlia societies www.dahliasaustralia.org.au which exist in four states, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

But dahlias need some looking after if you want perfect show quality blooms.

One horror is holes in leaves of your precious plants.

What could cause that?

One culprit could be caterpillars or grasshoppers.

Another is one of the worst marauders appear in just about every garden,  and every gardener wants them to be gone.

• Snails is what I’m talking about, those slimy leaf munching pests that multiply rapidly and even climb shrubs and trees.

• Did you know that inside a snail's mouth there is a file-like 'radula' that scrapes the leaves and flowers.
• Snails are also hermaphrodite, meaning that after mating, each of them can go off and lay eggs, up to 100!

Snail Patrol or Control:

So, what do you do to try and reduce their numbers?

The big tip is to be vigilant and control their numbers before they outnumber your plants.

Copper sprays are good to control those small snails that have climbed up into the foliage.

Coffee sprays are also known to control snails.

General prevention or control-bit of a mixed bag as to their effectiveness.

1. Classic beer trap
2. Diatomaceous earth
3. Ring of ash.
4. Crushed eggshells

• Thin copper tape is better to control snails climbing up into pots or into trees.

One thing we forgot to mention is that natural predators like ducks or blue tongue lizards are a great help.

You may not want ducks, but you can think about creating a blue tongue lizard friendly garden.
That’s in another segment.
Listen to the podcast.
I'm talking with Steve Falcioni of www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au





If you want more information about snails or have some feedback why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.