My last post was one of doom and gloom so this is what my collection should look like. I have posted some photos of our conservatory which is where I grow my plants. It has its advantages as you can potter in your dressing gown while the tea is brewing but it does get very hot and is not humid enough. The plants need moving around frequently to better positions but in spring and autumn it is a good place. In winter everything needs coaxing to enable plants to survive. They have two choices live or die. As the latter can be expensive decision choices must be made when buying.
I seem to do quite well with cooler growing Dendrobiums. The Dend.fimbriatum is an untidy lax grower that looks spectacular when in flower but the flowers only last a week or just over and don’t smell that pleasant. It is a lovely tangerine colour though. The Dend. Andemos seems to grow taller every year. It looks like a nobile on steroids but can get top heavy and bend the canes. The flowers do last for ages. The Dend. Super Star x Ice Pearl is one of my favourites. It is a reliable and prolific flowerer that I have had for years. Dend. Pink Glow has long thin canes that are probably better left drooping but the plant then becomes difficult to deal with so I have tied it up loosely just recently. The flowers grow in bunches on the older canes. It is one I picked up from Roelke’s at Peterborough many years ago and has been a reluctant grower only producing a couple of feeble canes annually. The result is not many flowers. This year it has eight new growths coming so as long as I can keep the caterpillars off I am expecting more flower next year! Finally I have to include my old steadfast Coelogyne Lyme Bay which I bought from Karge’s at Norwich. It has been in flower for two and a half years now and has several new growths coming. I potted it up a few weeks ago and it seems not to have noticed. The flowers lips are not as dark as the Burnham cross but as it is so easy going I can forgive it. I do like plants like that. I bought one of its parents Coelogyne usitana from one of our speakers and that is gradually growing bigger but still not flowering size. It should have a darker lip. I think both these prefer shade over warmth in the summer.
