Painting Ceologyne fimbriata

A quick painting of Ceologyne fimbriata this morning as a thank you card for the lovely orchids given to me.

New Orchid Friends & Celogyne fimbriata

 

A few weeks ago as my husband was snoozing on the sofa, he was awakened by two people talking outside the window. Our house is right on the road through the village.

He could tell they were having a discussion about the orchids in the window and there was much debate on which they were.

Following this there was a knock on the door and the two gentlemen  apologised for the intrusion and proceded to question my half asleep husband  as to who grew the orchids, what they were ...

Anyway to cut a long story short I recived a delightful note through the door from one of the gentlemen, introducing himself and explaining his interest as he himself grows orchids.

Over 600 no less!!!

He invited me to visit and talk orchids with him and the best bit is he only lives at the end of our road!

I took him up on his offer and I spent three hours in orchid heaven yesterday. Greenhouses, grow houses, conservatories, shade houses, windowsills...

A very knowledgeable and lovely man, I will be picking his brains a lot.

I was very lucky to be given some surplus plants, This is  Cylogyne fimbriata. It is currently in flower and is reputed to go through the growth and flowering cycle up to two times a year so I will see how it grows for me.

Supposedly one of the easiest to grow it is a bit of a rambler and can get quite big. It is also easy to take cuttings from. Just cut of a lead with several pseudobulbs on and tie it down over some bark. Keep it evenly moist and voila! You can see in the photo at the bottom, the wire used to tie this one down when it was first started.

A brilliant website for information on Ceologyne is here Ceologynes.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I will post about the other orchids I got in due course. I will also post some more close up photos of the flowers.

Chysis laevis















 



This plant flowered at the beginning of the summer 2013. A surprise as I didn't expect it to flower for at least another year. Only two buds, but large beautiful flowers with a very thick waxy texture. Also a lovely scent.

The colour is true in the photographs. I expected the flowers to last longer but it self pollinated I presume when I moved the pot. The large flowers nod and bounce on their stems at any disturbance and as it was indoors I did not see any insects which could have pollinated it?

It set two seed pods one of which died but the other is still ripening. I am shortly going to remove it as I wish the plant to put all its energy into the new growth and hopefully more flowers.

In the winter I keep it in my kitchen near a bright east window. As close to intermediate as I can, dryer in Winter. Can take a lot of light. Next summer it will go in the green house under shading. From spring to autumn I fertilise every other week with very weak tomorite or seaweed.