Coecogyne cristata

 Coecogyne cristata

About eighteen months ago I was given this pot containing an unidentified orchid as a thankyou for doing a plant delivery. I placed it in a semi shaded spot, and, apart from the occasional watering, it hadn't received much attention. Then a week or so ago I noticed a couple of long stems hanging over the side of the pot, two streamers of flower buds. The buds were enclosed in a curious coffee stained envelope which made me think it had been sunburned or damaged by the wind. Then this 'keel' fell away and lovely fragrant white flowers emerged. It turns out to be a cool climate epiphytic orchid from the Himalayas and a 'good variety for beginners' which is just my ticket. Apparently it flowers when winter snow is melting and can tolerate quite a wide range of climates, being popular as a houseplant in Europe for that reason. In Germany it goes by the name of schneekonigin or 'snow queen' which makes it sound like a brand of ice-cream.
While I am not about to bitten by the orchid collecting bug, it is nice to have a few varieties in the garden as part of the spring flower scene especially as they demand so little attention to make them look fabulous.
 I don't have any 'how to grow orchids' books but I can recommend these two as good 'who-done-it' adventure style mystery books on the subject. Susan Orlean's funny and sad The Orchid Thief was made into the terrific movie Adaptation which had Meryl Streep playing journalist Orlean and is a must see for anyone who collects plants or who runs a plant Nursery.

Eric Hansen's Orchid Fever is a real eye-opener into the bureaucratic world of 'CITES' plant conservation/protection and the obsessive world of plant collectors who pay big dollars for the truly rare and exotic.

Sarcochilis Orchids

Sarcochilis species Orchids

These Orchids are native to the warm east coast regions of Australia, the name Sacrochilis is from the Greek sarx = lip and cheilos = lip.

Spring Orchid Show

Dendrobium speciosum, Rock Orchid

Last weekend the Australasian Native Orchid Society (Illawarra Branch) held their spring show in Wollongong. The first thing which knocks you out when you go to a native orchid show is the intense heady perfume which these plants emit. I can only describe it as vanilla mixed with musk combined with other sweet notes. The Rock Orchid above is one of the most hardy, popular and easy to grow species . In my neighbourhood, some gardeners grow it in full sun often as a feature plant in a small garden bed near the mail box. In its native habitat it grows on sandstone cliffs and rock outcrops which can be seasonally quite dry. Flowering lasts from August to September. Below are some other Orchids from the show but I have yet to learn their names.

Orchid Show

Some exotic Orchids on display from the Shoalhaven Orchid Society who held their winter show recently in the town of Berry.

Greenhood Orchid, Pterostylis sp.

Pterostylis species
  Greenhood Orchid

There are more than 70 species of this Australian Orchid found growing in coastal habitats, the dry inland and alpine areas. They adapt well to cultivation and make interesting plants to grow in pots requiring a well drained but evenly moist potting compost containing sand and humus. Kept in a shaded protected location and feed using a weak solution of liquid manure, most species make rapid growth producing flowers at various times of the year depending on the species.
2017 update: Did see some for sale last year from a grower.

Cymbidium Time

Cymbidium Orchids looking fantastic now