Hi Daffnetters,
The first, very early flowers from the southern autumn season.
Wilfred Hall and Graeme Phillips admiring the growth on a small line of the very early tazetta ” Tahi “, with a well detailed international pedigree. ” Tahi ” is the Maori word for the numeral 1.
It is always the first ( number 1 ) to flower from a group of 5 tazetta 8 W – Y selections made by Max Hamilton from a group of seedlings, raised from seed sent to N Z by Bill Welch, in California.
Graeme was visiting our area last week,catching up with myself and Wilf Hall. We toured the gardens, inspected the bulbs, exchanged quite a few, – and looked for buds amongst the healthy tazetta foliage. I snapped them on Wednesday 14 March, not a bud in sight. Exactly one week later,buds emerging by the dozen, the first about to open. Stems on tallest are about 12 inches — probably about 15 –17 when the first blooms open.. A good weeks growth on this very
vigorous selection.
You may notice in the background, neatly stacked along the fence line, the show flower covers, made and used by top grower John Hollever. Both cloth and plastic covering over steel frames.
Thanks to all who are showing us the Northern show flowers, they are very much appreciated down south as we prepare the ground for planting.
Cheers John.