Ferraria & Moraea

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It is the time when the Ferraria and Moraeas start flowering. Last year, the star of the show was a dark chocolate form of Ferraria divaricate. In case you aren’t familiar with it, here are photos from then:

They are developing nicely, and starting to get fat where the buds are. They don’t elongate above the stem and foliage until after the flower pops up and opens.
Now I get to add a third color:

Because it is so green, it has a little trouble showing up if the background isn’t very different, so for the red background, I grabbed the mat the cats sleep on and put it behind the plant.
The flowers have a strong scent of honey, and the ruffles on the edges are taken to an extreme. The flowers usually last only one day, but if it is a little chilly when they open, they will go 2 days.
Also opening for the first time this year is a Moraea vegata:

The first photo is when it starts opening in the morning; the second is when it is fully open in the afternoon; and the third is from the side.
Only about 1½" across, they are related to Irises, but easier to grow. An Iris needs a cold period, but a Moraea likes to grow in mild winter conditions and needs a warm, dry period during the summer. Moraeas grow from small bulbs, so there is a repeat performance every year.
Also in flower is Fessia greihuberi, which looks a lot like a Muscari and multiplies just as fast.