Lachenalia quadricolor

Popped the Lachenalia outside of the tunnel for some sunshine for a couple of hours. Managed to get a bit of tidying up done, and also some digging for some new beds #lachenalia #lachenaliaquadricolor #lachenalia-quadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip

They are really striking ☺️

They are different, in a good way 🥰

How unusual are they 😍

Lovely colours

Love the colours 🥰

Thanks Mary @cmmt 😊

Thanks John - i repotted them to a bigger pot in December, as they had outgrown the previous one. They have done extremely well over the last few years considering I only bought three bulbs! @ukjohnny

I love seeing these come out Julie, they are so colourful 😊 @juliesgarden

Thank you Deb 😊 they do really well in the tunnel, I just have to remember to keep them watered as they can be thirsty in a terracotta pot. They’ll die back by May/June time and sleep over summer @debs69

Thanks Elise, if only they were a bit hardier i would try them outside but they would die probably. They are quite a wake up call for spring 😄 @Auricula

Like mini traffic lights Jane 🚦😄 @pelly

The best year ever for these Lachenalia, so many flowers! Which is odd as usually everything I grow in pots gets weaker every year! Loving the polytunnel 💛🧡❤️💚

They look beautiful really good show 👍

They look fantastic

Ooh they are lovely 😊

So very pretty 💛♥️🧡

Neat!🌞

That’s amazing. Certainly looks very healthy

That’s spectacular 🥰

Very nice

Wow what a nice show! Is you're polytunnel enclosed on both ends, too

It's fantastic!

Thanks Susan! Nice bit of exotic winter cheer 😁 @novicegardenlover

Had a clear up in the tunnel too, sorted out the fleecing and did a bit of watering and cutting back. Put this pot of Lachenalia outside for a couple of hours to catch some rays, so pleased to see its multiplying very well over the last couple of years #lachenalia #lachenalia-quadricolor #lachenaliaquadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #bulb

That’s pretty ❤️

So lovely

You see? You had such a hard time getting back into your garden but now you've done it, it's hard to stay out! Sure wish I had a tunnel or greenhouse I could work in. It's a wishlist item

Haven’t heard of that before, it looks lovely 💚

Well done Richard getting back into it

Thanks everyone 🤗 - really need these South African winter bloomers for a bit of cheer and inspiration. Certainly making the most of the tunnel, want to use it more for growing rather than just storing/overwintering @juliesgarden @joanboston @lesliecole49 @Auricula @sharonhayden

Sounds like a plan Rich 👍🏻☺️

This is still performing well, had to hold up one of the stems as it had fallen to one side! #lachenalia #lachenaliaquadricolor #lachenalia-quadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

The #lachenalia flowers have started to open. It would have looked spectacular if they all opened at the same time, but I’ll take this. And still four more to follow 🤩 #lachenalia-quadricolor #lachenaliaquadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

Unusual interesting form. 🌞

Wow that’s cool 😎. Never seen or heard of them. 👍

Love it!

Wow!

What lovely flowers, are they tender?

Thanks @sunlovin 😀 I’m trying to find some other lachenalia to experiment with, although not all of them are as brightly coloured as this one. There is a very fiery orange species, and the others seem to be mostly pale blues or pale yellows

Lovely isn’t it Phil, I wasn’t sure if it would still cope with being in the cold but it seems to have got through the worst the weather has thrown at me so far. Definitely not frost resistant and avoiding too much water during the cold spells @philstalder

Thanks Joan 😊 I’m pleased it’s multiplying in the pot too @joanboston

Bit of a wow factor when the colours appear Deborah 😀 , they usually have some in the alpine house at Wisley this time of year so that is my goal of getting a nice pot full of them eventually @DeborahBanks

Thank you @darroch 🙂 - yes, not for one outside over winter as it’s winter growing. It usually grows during the wetter winter seasons in South Africa i believe but of course the temps are usually a little warmer there too. But I keep it under cover in an unheated polytunnel and dry during the summer and it’s been growing well for about two seasons now

That’s great and glad you were able to save it. 👍 @richard.spicer.7906

Almost time for the traffic lights to come on 🚦 #lachenalia #lachenalia-quadricolor #lachenaliaquadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

I like it. Never heard of it before. Awesome 🤩

New to me and can’t wait to see it in bloom...

It’s amazing to watch it change colour! Will def update on when they start to turn 😄👍🏼 @philstalder

It’s a beauty Elaine - very pleased a few more have popped up this year, I started off with just one bulb last year and looks like I’ve already got at least five now 😲 @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Hi Katy 👋🏼 I think it’s possible, they are both Prunus and they are also both drupe fruits so I think there is compatibility there. The question, however, that I’m not sure I could answer is whether there is a benefit. From memory, peaches flower very early in the year in UK (is that the same in Canada?) which is why they usually need protection from frost. If you graft onto your apricot, won’t the flowers still be at risk of damage from frosts and so impact fruit production? @gjones

The rootstock would certainly remain hardy, but I would just think about whether the flowers are still at risk as their potential for frost damage would not change in my opinion 🤔. However, all that said, if you can afford to convert one of your apricots (or at least a branch) worth trying it to see what happens 😊👍🏼 @gjones

Oh yes, may as well give it a go! Nothing to lose really. Hope they grow on well in the meantime till ready for grafting 😊 @gjones

This gets more beautiful by the day, it’s really starting to show it’s true colours now! #lachenalia #lachenaliaquadricolor #lachenalia-quadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

Ooooo Gorgeous 😍

Can't wait to see this open 😍😍😍

So pretty 👌

BEAUTIFUL color😍

Ooo lovely 😍

Ooh! 🌈

So exotic!!

So pretty💚

Unreal! 😃

Wow!

Pretty colors they are too! ♥️

Starting to get its four colours now ❤️💛💚💜 #lachenalia #lachenalia-quadricolor #lachenaliaquadricolor #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

Lovely

@richard.spicer.7906 What an unusual flower. I’ve never heard of or seen this one. Will it open up some more? 😊🙏🏼

Just needs it’s cape now then! 🤭

Lol! Is it a bird, is it a plane? No it’s super cape primrose 🦸🏼‍♂️ @rachelbrooks

It is isn’t it Christine? It’s not sold that much in uk, only through specialists and it’s not at all hardy so it needs winter protection. They are from South Africa originally. The colour has been changing daily, and what started as just red buds is now resembling a traffic light colour system - posted an update pic today 👍🏼 @pixierose

Thanks Diane 😊👍🏼 @Diane051285

Ooh! What it’s super powers?! 😉😂

It has the super power of being able to stop traffic.... 🚦😉 ok, maybe it’s not so 'super'..... 😂 @rachelbrooks

The cape cowslip is coming on nicely in the tunnel, too tender for outside - loving the spotty flower stem already 😍 #lachenalia #lachenaliaquadricolor #lachenalia-quadricolor #capecowslip #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs

Quite looking forward to see this in flower. As the Latin name suggests, the flowers have four different colours in them - red, green, yellow and orange/pink. Trying hard to keep the frost off them. #lachenalia #lachenalia-quadricolor #lachenaliaquadricolor #capecowslip #fourcolorcapecowslip #wintersouthafricanbulbs