We have finished the fernery with water misters and hanging plants – it is hidden until you walk around the back of the secret garden. We got a huge Staghorn Fern (Elk fern) and divided it into many pieces which are all thriving despite some hot weather. It is a perfect place for the native orchids – protected from extreme heat and with water sprayers.
Native Orchids have always been interesting but I thought they may be too hard to grow and I was not sure if I had the right growing conditions. I had bought a couple and had put them in the fernery where they seemed to be ok – not dying but not really growing and had got badly affected by the frosts in 2022. All I had ever tried was a cymbidium orchid which I have had for over 30 years which has survived on complete neglect!
One of the members of the Native Plant Group said they had some large pots full of native orchids that had been neglected and she would like to “move them on”. So with little to lose I said yes – I would take them… The type of orchids were Dendrobium kingianum (pink) and speciosum (yellow) . We wont know until they flower or even if…
Getting the Orchids
They were in big pots – one of them was made of cement and very very heavy. After transporting them back to Uccello Lane we separated them out and get ready to re pot – using a sharp bread knife and brute strength we had about 40 clumps of orchids. The right orchid potting mix was put into terracotta pots – crowded in as they dont like to be too lonely and away we went.
For the time being they are all located in the Secret Garden as they are protected there but still able to access winter sun.
Many flower spikes (small purple and pale pink) are appearing of the Kingianum but nothing on the Speciosum – it is early spring so there is time! I have bought a couple of the Speciosum in flower so I know what I am looking for!
One year or so on and the orchids are growing and they are in a few places. We now understand where they are best suited – the fernery and the Secret Garden. There were a few spikes but nothing much. We will fertilise now and look forward to some activity come spring.
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