Encyclia vitellina

Encyclias flowers are quite different in the colors but also in the blooming time, someone also smell (at least to me) a little bit. The pictured below is Encyclia cordigera blooming in June.

Catania

Last week I was in Sicily for a meeting and I visited Catania, inclusive Etna volcano an Palermo. About Etna and Palermo I'll post some pictures as soon I have more time to organize my slides. The Botany Garden of Palermo is simply gorgeous!
These couple of pictures from Catania are performed with my iPhone.


Arriving in Catania, on the background the Etna volcano, bottom right the so-called "Piana di Catania" with the citrus growers.


Just a couple of containers...


but the result ist quite nice!


Even if you have the best self-control, you cannot resist, Sicilian cuisine is simply unbelievable!

Winterprotection banksia

I did it, now it's your turn Banksias to try to overwinter! Banksias, as well other proteaceae from Australia or from South Africa will take some degrees below 0°C without problems, the major troubles are due to waterlogged soil in Winter. For this reason a performed movable rain protection for the Wintertime. Additionally the young plants are protected with geotextile.

Poncirus trifoliata

Since I planted a Poncirus on the border of my property, regularly in fall I will be questioned from passers-by about this tree. After they known that the species belongs to citrus family, hundred percent of the interlocutors cannot believe that the fruits are not edible. So to avoid that they try one, I describe how disgusting was my first and last try to eat one!

Rock Garden

I'm quite prude about this part of my rock garden that I totally renewed last year. It is planted essentially with spring blooming corm plants like a small collection of wild tulip species and crocuses, but there also some plants perennial and shrubs.

Crocus

A late blooming Crocus cartwrightianus in the rock garden. It is regarded to be the wild form of saffron crocus.

Grevillea victoriae

Wow, this was a "coup de foudre!". This morning I received the new issue of Gardens Illustrated and I find a large image with the magnific inflorescence of Grevillea victoriae. This has become a new must for my garden.

Laelia lucasiana

This small species belong to the group of lithophilic Laelias, it's means that in nature they grow on rock and usually in the full sun at moderate to high altitudes. I have quite good experiences with a soilless substrate just using small pieces of lava (4-10 mm). Usually it blooms in September in my latitude bud this year....

Camellia oleifera

The mild weather of these weeks (although we experienced a lot of rain) has a positive influence of the development of Camellia oleifera flowers. But if you look more carefully on the bottom of the flower you will see a quite less welcome guest to my garden. Despite regular controlling my lilies and also Cardiocrinum giganteum leaves are sometimes eaten by these hungry red lily beatles.

Araceae

Both Amorphophallus rivieri (right) and Sauromatus obesus are hardy in USDA zone 8, but at least Amorphophallus will flourish much better if kept frost-free and dry over winter. The majority of the pictured A. rivieri are small non-flowering tubers.