"Dave Poole" wrote

On a much brighter note Bob, those Dietes sailed through our coldest
winter in 30+ years and have several flower spikes as well as new buds
appearing on the old spikes. I'm pretty sure it is D. iridioides
though and not grandiflora. The flowers of grandiflora last a couple
of days and don't have such prominent brown streaks close to the
median marks on the inner petals. Lovely thing nevertheless.

Sorry about that Dave, never thought to question the name, but now you
mention it, the flowers don't last more than a day.
I remember buying it as D. grandiflora from a specialist in South African
plants, a one man band and now retired. Perhaps he got the labels mixed up.
:-)
Of the two lots I planted out, one is dead and one is just beginning to make
new growth from the base, the old leaves are all dead. Obviously it was a
lot colder here.

Having looked on the off chance, surprisingly part of his old site is still
alive...
http://www.rupert.bowlby.care4free.net/bowlby2.html
Is that photo grandiflora or iridioides? They are so similar.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK