On 26/05/2012 14:11, Sacha wrote:
On 2012-05-26 13:07:53 +0100, Spider said:

On 26/05/2012 10:49, RG wrote:
On Fri, 25 May 2012 15:53:52 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2012-05-24 13:16:24 +0100, RG said:

We've just returned from a tour of a dozen gardens and nurseries in
Cornwall (and a couple in Devon).
Although not really a gardener myself I was able to remain reasonably
content to follow the Spider around and load up the mobile greenhouse
with her purchases.
If you visit places like Trebah and Glendurgan you do need to be
fairly fit as there are some steep slopes to be walked. Also Heligan
if you want to explore the whole site.
Special thanks to Charlie at Roseland House, and Sacha and Ray at
Hill House for your warm hospitality!
RG


It was a real pleasure to see you. I'm only sorry the Tea Room was too
busy for me to leave it and come round with you! How did Spider get on
at Burnham Orchids?! That is a mine of temptation!

I'll leave her to report on the orchids, if she ever comes in from the
garden. Her PC hasn't been on since we've been back.
What with the plants we brought, and everything that came out while we
were away, she's in seventh heaven at the moment.
break
I've just been called out to admire a black iris that opened this
morning - Sultan's something-or-other.

RG



Hello Sacha and Husband Thingy,

The orchids I bought we Odontocidium hansueli isler and
Dienia (Malaxis) ophrydis 'Frisky. I bought 3 of the Dienia as they
look better in a group (honest). I will pot them up together when I
get a moment. Who knows, I may even manage a photograph.

The iris of the moment is Iris 'Sultan's Palace'. It was decidedly
glossy black in bud, but is now open and truly glorious :~)). I have
invited an iris-loving friend round to see it, but told her to leave
her trowel behind! It is an iris I can recommend. I'm having trouble
keeping the neighbours from drooling all over it. I suppose that's one
way of beating the hosepipe ban! (Did I really just say that!? Shudder!)

When I have another moment, I will pop up again to report on the
gardens and nurseries we visited. Must dash now and wring some water
out of the water butt.

The iris Bob so kindly gave us are doing beautifully and I'm definitely
going to acquire more! It sounds as if the trip to Burnham was well
worth it from your pov. How long do you expect them to remain flower,
btw? My son and his wife gave me a gorgeous white orchid for my birthday
(January) and all its flowers just suddenly fell off and the stem
started dying back, all inside a week, about two weeks ago. I thought it
had done rather well to last that long especially with me! I cut the
stem back and will probably put it in the prop. house. The only trouble
with that is that my things tend to disappear once they go through those
doors!



I think they said the Dienia would flower for a couple of months, a
little longer than Pleione formosana (which I told them I had).
Although my P.f. should only flower for 2-3wks, I managed to get 4-5wks
out of them by keeping them cook and moist, so I'm hoping I'll be able
to stretch the Dienia flowering period once I've got used to the plant.

I'm not sure about the Odontocidium, but I would have thought at least
3mnths. I need to read up on it.

I think your white orchid did quite well to flower for roughly 5mnths.
Hopefully, you'll get another flower stem in due course. The prop house
approach sounds a bit worrying. I won't let my orchids out of my sight!
Fortunately, most spiders have 8 eyes ;~).

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay