What's Goin' On - In My Garden!

[Oldandintheway]

Hey nice pix everyone - keep em' coming!

[meebo1]

Our gardener will be here today. I might take some photos if I can find the camera. It's nice to have plants reappearing after the winter

[Shesawaya38485]

Wonderful to be out pulling weeds again!! But even they are drying up as we really need some rain. The "promised" thunder storms the past few days have just turned into light sprinkles. I even went out and watered yesterday - which usually causes it to rain but with 58% chance this morning, we haven't had a sprinkle yet.

Here's the latest bloomers: Purple Trillium, Blood Root, Pink & Red Azaleas, Red Azaleas, Wild Blue Phlox, Iris, the row is at least 75' long - this is a pic from last year before I thinned them out. I gave the corms and a bunch of lily roots to the local high school Ag class to sell at their annual fundraiser. My best friend's daughter is the Ag teacher and she has done some wonderful things for the Ag class including securing a grant to build a greenhouse which will supply food for the school cafeteria - how awesome is that??

GOOD news - the pink hydrangea that I thought had died along with my hot pink hibiscus is shooting up leaves from the base of the plant. It must be a different species or a hybrid than my blue hydrangea that shoots leaves and blossoms from last year's growth??

[olivia8143]

I watched Gardener's World this week and Monty Don was explaining that there were two types of Hydrangeas. One that you prune lightly and one that you prune hard like buddleia because it flowers on new growth so I expect that's what happened in your garden.

[tony41]

I watched Gardener's World this week and Monty Don was explaining that there were two types of Hydrangeas. One that you prune lightly and one that you prune hard like buddleia because it flowers on new growth so I expect that's what happened in your garden.

Monty Don was also explaining how the colour of hydrangea flowers depended on the pH of the soil.

[Shesawaya38485]

I am aware of color depending on the ph of the soil and you can make color changes by altering the ph. The one I planted last year is guaranteed to stay pink so it is most likely a hybrid. I will have to get the tag and check into what type it is - I did not know that some grow differently - thanks Olivia!!

I do remember that the tag said it would be a small bush - not over 3' tall so it just might be the kind that blooms from new shoots

[HerMajesty]

Lovely pics!! I used to have trilliums when I lived in the midwest. Lovely flowers, often found in the shady woods! I understand if you plant copper pennies around hydraangeas, it makes them more blue. I guess the copper leaches out (should be old pennies).

[Oldandintheway]

Hi all Here's my latest orchid (a first time bloomer, for me) But first - some info on it, & its main parent.

The species orchid Dendrobium bigibbum is Queenslands floral emblem & is commonly known as "The Cooktown Orchid"
It has been used extensively in hybridisation, & is a very common & popular flower with the florist trade.

Lately, the name of this species orchid has been changed to Vappodes phalaenopsis.

Cooktown, at the mouth of the Endeavour River, is 2000 klms north of Brisbane, & is the place where Captain James Cook beached his ship (Endeavour) for repairs, after hitting the Great Barrier Reef in 1770.
The orchid was/is common to the area, & is native to far north Qld. & New Guinea.

A word on pronunciation - a trap for the unwary & novice orchid enthusiast, the word bigibbum causes some comical variations!
Most new chums will say - Big - E - Bum no, no, no, no , NO! not correct - & after the laughter subsides, they learn the correct term thus!

Bi - Gibb - Um (easy really) even if less funny!

SO! here it is - a hybrid plant - Dendrobium bigibbum compactum X Dendrobium Emma Pink. Hope you like it?
There is no scent to this one & the blooms are 2" across.

[meebo1]

It's beautiful, and thank you for the pronunciation lesson

[Oldandintheway]

Cheers meebo, glad you like it, & standby for the next Cattleya bloom which should be fully open shortly.