FFF145 - DIETES

Dietes is a genus of rhizomatous plants of the family Iridaceae. Common names include Fortnight lily, African iris, Morea or Moraea iris, Japanese iris and Butterfly iris, each of which may be used differently in different regions for one or more of the four species within the genus. Most species are native to southern Africa, with one (Dietes robinsoniana) native to Lord Howe Island off the coast of Australia.

The genus name is derived from the Greek words di-, meaning "two", and etes, meaning "affinities". The photo below is showing Dietes grandiflora, a common garden plant in Australia, often seen in mass plantings on road reserves and traffic island plantations.

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FFF145

1.	SPRING BLOSSOM	13.	Minoru	25.	Eva	37.	Vivishagerom - fotoblogg
2.	GOLDEN WATTLE	14.	Pink Ruffles	26.	Zauberpalme	38.	Villroses hage
3.	CHERRY PLUM	15.	Andrea, Black Hoya	27.	Mascha	39.	TrravelnWrite in Kauai
4.	SUNNY ROSE	16.	Tiny Bouquets	28.	Grace	40.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA
5.	Aletta - Nowathome	17.	Kebo, Italy	29.	Sandra Conner	41.	Gladioli in a wine carafe
6.	ANEMONE	18.	Eclectic Hamilton	30.	fotographybyfelicia	42.	ann nz
7.	Rajesh	19.	Simone, Germany	31.	Dawn	43.	ann nz 1
8.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	20.	Jesh StG	32.	"TREES"	44.	Cindy - ExplorationVacation
9.	Gunilla	21.	rheingruen	33.	Shane, New Zealand	45.	Zauberpalme
10.	Ulla Laiho	22.	Maboe	34.	Enerhagen	46.	Little Wandering Wren
11.	NatureFootstep Photo	23.	Matkatar	35.	Heidrun	47.	Gurgaon Gardener: Hollyhock
12.	Ileana	24.	WoollyMuses	36.	Ranu

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FFF144 - COLUMBINE

Aquilegia (common names: Granny's Bonnet or Columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants in the Ranunculaceae family, that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.

The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove", due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together.

Columbine is a hardy perennial, which propagates by seed. It will grow to a height of 30-60 cm. It will grow in full sun; however, it prefers growing in partial shade and well drained soil, and is able to tolerate average soils and dry soil conditions. Columbine is rated at hardiness zone 3 in the USA so does not require mulching or protection in the winter.

Large numbers of hybrids are available for the garden, since the British A. vulgaris was joined by other European and North American varieties. Aquilegia species are very interfertile, and will self-sow. Some varieties are short-lived so are better treated as biennials. Several hybrid cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF144

1.	HAIRPIN BANKSIA	13.	Zauberpalme	25.	Dianthus sylvestris	37.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
2.	WAX FLOWER	14.	BirgittaB	26.	Vilt og vakkert	38.	Dawn
3.	VIOLET	15.	jesh StG	27.	Frauke * Germany	39.	LonettA
4.	MAGNOLIA	16.	Christines Welt	28.	rheingruen	40.	Ulla Laiho
5.	Daffodil Day	17.	Debbie at Travel with Intent	29.	veredit	41.	Rose Garden Malevik
6.	Simone, Germany	18.	Shiju Sugunan	30.	Moni	42.	ann nz
7.	NatureFootstep Photo	19.	Heidrun	31.	LindyLouMac	43.	Christa, Virginia
8.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	20.	Ranu	32.	genie~va~the bogs	44.	A Student Gardener
9.	Gunilla	21.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	33.	Rajesh	45.	ann nz 2
10.	Ileana	22.	Sara Chapman #2	34.	Eva
11.	Aletta - Nowathome	23.	Sara Chapman #3	35.	Maboe
12.	Andrea	24.	Jama-Singapore	36.	Leticia

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FFF143 - HELLEBORE

Commonly known as hellebores, members of the Eurasian genus Helleborus comprise approximately 20 species of herbaceous or evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae. The scientific name Helleborus derives from the Greek name for H. orientalis "helleboros"; "elein" to injure and "bora" food, referrign to the fact that many species are poisonous. Despite names such as "Winter Rose", "Christmas rose" and "Lenten rose", hellebores are not closely related to the rose family (Rosaceae).

Hellebores are widely grown in gardens for decorative purposes. They are particularly valued by gardeners for their winter and early spring flowering period; the plants are surprisingly frost-resistant and many are evergreen. Also of value is their shade tolerance. Many species of hellebore have green or greenish-purple flowers and are of limited garden value, although Corsican hellebore (H. argutifolius), a robust plant with pale green, cup-shaped flowers and attractive leathery foliage, is widely grown. So is the 'stinking hellebore' or setterwort (H. foetidus), which has drooping clusters of small, pale green, bell-shaped flowers, often edged with maroon, which contrasts with its dark evergreen foliage.

H. foetidus 'Wester Flisk', with red-flushed flowers and flower stalks, is becoming popular, as are more recent selections with golden-yellow foliage. The so-called Christmas rose (H. niger), a traditional cottage garden favourite, bears its pure white flowers (which often age to pink) in the depths of winter; large-flowered cultivars are available, as are pink-flowered and double-flowered selections.

The most popular hellebores for garden use, however, are undoubtedly H. orientalis and its colourful hybrids (H. × hybridus). In the northern hemisphere, they flower in early spring, around the period of Lent, and are often known as Lenten hellebores, oriental hellebores, or Lenten roses. They are excellent for bringing early colour to shady herbaceous borders and areas between deciduous shrubs and under trees.

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FFF143

1.	ORCHIDS	13.	Ineke Kruger	25.	A Student Gardener	37.	Andrea, Hoyas
2.	CONFETTI BUSH	14.	Hyde Daily Photo	26.	Maboe	38.	LonettA
3.	STAR MAGNOLIA	15.	Hyde DP Xtra	27.	Dawn	39.	WoollyMuses
4.	ALMOND BLOSSOM	16.	fotography by felicia	28.	Rose Garden Malevik	40.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA
5.	Gunilla	17.	Jesh StG	29.	The flowers of Carmel by the Sea	41.	Sara Chapman #2
6.	Ileana	18.	Mascha: Hydrangea	30.	orchid(Japan)	42.	Sara Chapman #3
7.	Simone, Germany	19.	rheingruen	31.	Phlox from Sidewalk Shoes	43.	Sara Chapman #4
8.	Rajesh	20.	Vilt og vakkert	32.	Jama -Singapore	44.	ExplorationVacation
9.	Aletta - Nowathome	21.	Ulla Laiho	33.	Leticia	45.	Zauberpalme
10.	Jutta K. Deutschland	22.	bettyl - New Zealand	34.	ann nz	46.	Gurgaon Gardener: Strawflower
11.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	23.	Reach Beyond Limits	35.	Heidrun
12.	Ela	24.	Eva	36.	Dutch Days

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FFF142 - ORANGE TULIPS

The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, of which around 75 wild species are currently accepted and which belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends west to the Iberian Peninsula, through North Africa to Greece, the Balkans, Turkey, throughout the Levant (Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan) and Iran, North to Ukraine, southern Siberia and Mongolia, and east to the Northwest of China.
The tulip's centre of diversity is in the Pamir, Hindu Kush, and Tien Shan mountains. It is a typical element of steppe and winter-rain Mediterranean vegetation. A number of species and many hybrid cultivars are grown in gardens, as potted plants, or as cut flowers.

Tulips are spring-blooming perennials that grow from bulbs. Depending on the species, tulip plants can be between 10 cm and 71 cm high. The tulip's large flowers usually bloom on scapes with leaves in a rosette at ground level and a single flowering stalk arising from amongst the leaves.Tulip stems have few leaves. Larger species tend to have multiple leaves. Plants typically have two to six leaves, some species up to 12. The tulip's leaf is strap-shaped, with a waxy coating, and the leaves are alternately arranged on the stem; these fleshy blades are often bluish green in colour.

Most tulips produce only one flower per stem, but a few species bear multiple flowers on their scapes (e.g. Tulipa turkestanica). The generally cup or star-shaped tulip flower has three petals and three sepals, which are often termed tepals because they are nearly identical. These six tepals are often marked on the interior surface near the bases with darker colourings. Tulip flowers come in a wide variety of colours, except pure blue (several tulips with "blue" in the name have a faint violet hue).

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF142

1.	ALMOND BLOSSOM	11.	Simone, Germany	21.	rheingruen	31.	Aletta - Nowathome
2.	SPRING HYACINTHS	12.	Ulla Laiho	22.	Tina	32.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
3.	FLOWERING WATTLE	13.	Hyde DP Xtra	23.	Heidrun	33.	Maboe
4.	Gunilla	14.	Hyde Daily Photo	24.	Vilt og vakkert	34.	ann nz
5.	POINSETTIA	15.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	25.	Eva	35.	Light
6.	Dianthus	16.	Sara Chapman #2	26.	NatureFootstep Photo	36.	Visual Noteboard
7.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	17.	Jesh StG	27.	Moni	37.	Ranu
8.	Reach Beyond Limits	18.	Sara Chapman #3	28.	Hydrangeas in a cocoa tin can	38.	Gurgaon Gardener: Dahlia, Dahlias
9.	LonettA	19.	Jama -Singapore	29.	Laguna Tropics
10.	girl friday HIGH SUMMER	20.	Ileana	30.	Dawn

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