Many people assume all orchids are hot house plants but many need cooler conditions. Ideally these should have a minimum of about 10C but so far they have survived short periods well below that. They will spend the Summer outdoors. I do not know the varieties as they all came unnamed. Here is the first variety to open this year. These blooms will last for many weeks.
Among the plants being overwintered were two identical hanging baskets which I had planted last Spring each with two varieties of Fuchsia. One was a disaster and most of the plants died. The other only lost one plant. The trailing plants, Fuchsia Trudi Davro, are just beginning to flower again.
The plants in the top of the baskets are red with very dark, almost black, centres and the two varieties make a lovely contrast. Before too long I should be able to take cuttings and start a new batch so I can replant the other basket.
Bobby's Anniversary:
I don't know when Bobby's birthday is but today it is three years since he came to join me from The Ark Animal Rescue and Retirement Home. He is at least 11yrs old now. Tonight we will have his favourite dinner - roast chicken with all the trimmings.
Happy anniversary to Bobby; and I'm sure you'll both enjoy the meal.
ReplyDeleteLovely orchid shots John. I'd never have thought of having them outside in the summer. I'll have to try that.
It's certainly a very different world - Britain vs Australia is no comparison! I lost some orchids this year because of the heat and dry - I just didn't look after them well enough when I injured my knee and couldn't get out and about. A friend told me her husband puts an ice-cube on the soil of the pot to cool it down in the most severe weather! And of course they are outside all year!
ReplyDeleteholdingmoments: We did - thank you. One of us is still licking the gravy splashes off his front legs - messy eater!
ReplyDeleteI put the large cymbidiums out to get natural watering and save them from scorching in the conservatory. They go in a spot where they catch the morning Sun and are out of any strong winds.
mick: There do seem to be opposite problems keeping plants for us. What a good idea with the ice cubes. From what I have read more orchids are killed off here with over watering.
I hope your knee injury is now fully healed.
Happy Anniversary to you both; sounds like Bobby has excellent taste in the culinary area!
ReplyDeleteOrchids and Fuchsias - two of my favourite flowers - especially fuchsias! I'm amazed you have a fuchsia in flower even though it's been overwintered in the conservatory! Lovely!
Tricia: The Fuchsias have amazed me. One I grew as a standard only stopped flowering during the coldest part of the Winter. The label for the Trudi Davro does say it flowers from April to October.
ReplyDeleteA Very, Very Happy Anniversary to beautiful Bobby and to you of course. He looks such a contented dog and I'm sure he was very grateful to be rehomed with you, I have always been besotted by dogs and have owned a succession all of my married life despite being allergic to all of them!
ReplyDeleteThe Orchids are lovely but that Fuchsia is just delicious!
By the way, HLH says he hopes you have finished licking all the gravy off your legs by now!!
ShySongbird: I can hardly remember a time without a dog even back to Beauty, an Alsation I remember from the age of 4. Sorry to hear of your allergy - how do you cope?
ReplyDeleteI love that single white with a flush of pink. There are so many beautiful varieties to choose from these days but I tend to prefer the simple single blooms.
Tell HLH the gravy was finished off for breakfast :-)
I'm afraid after being allergic to many, many, things all my life it has been a case of learning to live with it with the help of a large amount of medication. The irony is that those things to which I am most allergic are the things I love most, flowers, grass, trees (meaning their pollen of course), animals, etc! Not owning a dog is just not an option! After owning a Labrador followed by a succession of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, in an effort to alleviate the problem, the dog we have now is a Standard (or Giant) Poodle which is supposed not to cause allergic reactions due to its not moulting, however I am allergic to his saliva! Ah well, ces't la vie!!
ReplyDeleteThe orchids are beautiful, not quite as nice as Bobby though ;-)
ReplyDeleteSnowbabies: Bobby says thank you and sends a big sloppy kiss.
ReplyDelete