Just for the eyes - Itoh Paeonia Garden Treasure

Philesia magellanica - Tree nursery Rein en Mark Bulk


Last weekend I was in The Netherland for a workshop about exam assessment. On Saturday, after the workshop the temptation to visit some nurseries in Boskoop was to big. So I did it. This town is famous for its nurseries, particularly woody plant and perennial nurseries, of which more than 700 are located on long stretches of land, nicely divided by narrow canals. One of the highlights is Tree nursery Rein en Mark Bulk. The catalog deserves some very nice surprises. Several rare species, especially from South America, including Euchryphias, Berberidopsis, Drimys,Lapageria, and more. To be honest, I organized myself from the beginning taking with me a quite bigger suitcase as needed for a 3daystrip. So I had plenty of space for new species. I have now a couple of new species, e.g. some Chilean Lomatia, a Drimys andina (or Drimys winteri andina), or a Grevillea Big Red (that, I hope, will resist my winters). The nursery owner Mark Bulk is extremely nice and helpful.

2004 Philesia "Cutting" with a double clay pot to maintain constant humidity. The plant is in a small pot because Philesia like Lapageria dislike been in too big containers.

Exactly eight years ago I visited the nursery and ask for Philesia magellanica. Mark had only one "mother" plant and just two small cutting that were at this time technically spoken "just cuttings" with few brittle roots. It was not easy but at the end I was the proud owner of two small Philesia. Well, Philesia magellanica is extremely "take it easy" plant. After years and years, you may recognize the first true growth. In my case this was for three years (2009). So I was proud to tell Mark about my success with "his" Philesia cuttings.

2012 One of my "Bulk Philesia".

And last but not least, yesterday a noticed the first flower bud. And one of my great whishes is to be able to cultivate a cross between Philesia and Lapageria, the Philageria. This hybrid seems to be like The Holy Grail, everyone speak about it, but no one had saw a single plant....

2012 Flower bud.

Laeliocattleya BLUE BOY x Laelia purpurata WERKHAUSERII

I have just few Cattleya hybrids. I prefer species, buth this one had irresistible colours!

Sowing a new generation

I'm working a lot these months, but I try to have some time for my passion. So I ordered in December/January some seeds from South Africa and other regions with Mediterranean like climate. The most important point is to known for the single species if the seeds require special treatment before sowing (or even after sowing) or not. Several species require smoke treatment, and even more species require after sowing changing night/day temperatures with at least 8°C difference.

It is important to note exactly what you do (e.g. sowing time, seeds treatments, sowing medium) and also the results in order to progress from year to year.

I wish you all an adventurous botanical 2012!

Scilla, unknown species

This is a scilla that I had from a small nursery without any label. Flowering period is now and the inflorescence is complex. I guess Scilla latifolia but I'm not sure. Any ideas?

Post scriptum 22 November 2011: I visited last week the Botanical Garden of Barcellona, and was happy to be able to confirm my species diagnosis. It's Scilla latfolia. It's a nice species growing on Tenerife and Lanzerote.  So it's clear for me that I have an additional potted plant, this species will not survive our winter temperatures: 

Scilla latifolia at Barcelona Botanical Garden, note the previous inflorescences with aboundant seed capsules.

Banksia canei 2



Faded inflorescence.

Unexpected some inflorescences developed seed capsules. I will have to wait at least for a year before the seeds are ripened.