Swan River Daisy

Swan River Daisy
Brachyscome
(brak-kys-koh-mee)

This Australian flower is one of my favorite daisies and I really hope they become more popular and easier to purchase. This is more what the straight species looks like and over the last couple of years different varieties have been kind of creeping into the market. The newer ones have more of mauve color scheme and larger flowers.

Truth be told we have never used this plant for bedding displays. We have grown many in containers and they have always done well often hanging on to the last day of the season. It is always nice to have some daisies that aren't white.

It is a little weird for me, as I don't want anything musical right now. My sound is really where I want it to be with the addition of the new/old Fender Twin. I guess I still want that 1962 Stratocaster but that isn't going to be happening soon. I started saving for it about 5 years ago but the price increases have far outstripped my ability to save. The price of the guitar has doubled but my savings haven't. :lol: I am not going to say how much it is but right now it is under $50,000. Just got to keep trying to get it and not dip into the fund for its acquisition.

Alpine Cyclamen

Cyclamen
Cyclamen ‘National Liberty Lad’
(SIGH-kla-men)

Once in a while I come across a flower that Google has never heard of and Today’s Flower is one. It was growing and blooming happily in the Alpine House at Wave Hill Gardens in the Bronx. Most people know Cyclamen as a florist plant that brightens up the house over the winter but there a few hardy types that can grow outside in the garden. The hardy types often bloom here very early in the spring and do better when we have snow cover. It takes a long time for small patches of them to develop.

The 23 species of Cyclamen are mostly native to the Mediterranean area and Europe where some of the species are endangered from over harvesting. ‘National Liberty Lad’ is even smaller than the dwarf types you see for sale at the florist. It does have the variegated leaves and upswept flower petals of the common types.

For more flower pictures from around the world check out:
Today’s Flowers . The links open at 1400 GMT.

Here is the Today’s Flowers bonus picture. It was also a denizen of the Alpine house. The flower was about ¼ inch wide and being so small a little difficult to get a shot of.


Swan River Daisy
Brachyscome multifida
(brak-kys-koh-mee) (mul-TIF-id-uh)
Synonyms: Rock Daisy, Hawkesbury River Daisy

This native of Australia is a relative of the Brachyscome we grow a lot in containers. I know that species as a trouble free, free flowering and low maintenance annual. The species name, multifida, means ‘many divided’ and you can see where that comes from with a little of the foliage creeping in. I have only seen this color of Brachyscome but they also come in pink, white, yellow, purple and blue.

Today's Flower - Swan River Daisy

Swan River Daisy
Brachyscome 'Happy Face Pink'
(brak-kys-koh-mee)
Synonyms: ‘Jumbo Mauve’

This is an annual that we have enjoyed growing in containers for the last several years. It always seems to fill its spot and blooms continuously. You don’t see it that often for sale but luckily one grower near us always has a small crop. This is the first year for growing the ‘jumbo’ type and the flowers are much larger but the habit seems about the same.

Brachyscome is a genus of about 75 species mostly from Australia. Generally it is an adaptable and easy to grow flower that can grow under a wide range of conditions and garden situations (containers, rock garden, seashore). This particular species is named after the Swan River in Western Australia .. Some of the other species have interesting common names like Swamp Daisy (B. basaltica), Grass Daisy (B. graminea), Tufted Daisy (B. scapigera) and Snow Daisy (B. nivalis). I haven’t seen any of those for sale but would try them if I did.

See more flowers from all over the world at Today’s Flowers .
Since it is Sunday and that means Flowers from Today here is a bonus flower picture. It is another homegrown one.


Yellow Foxglove
Digitalis grandiflora
(dig-ee-TAH-liss)
Synonyms: Digitalis orientalis, Digitalis ambigua

This plant is a biennial for the most part. I have been encouraging its seeding around the garden especially in the shady areas. It seems to be able to take both dry and moist soil although it prefers the latter. The seeding program is easy, just crushing the seed pods and sprinkling the seed around the plant and occasionally moving it to new areas. When the seed finds an area it likes it flourishes. This one is a little close to my heart, literally, since I take a dose of Digoxin everyday for my heart condition.

Swan River Daisy

Swan River Daisy
Brachyscome iberidifolia
(brak-kys-koh-mee) (eye-beer-id-ih-FOH-lee-uh)