Dragon's Orchid Garden

Unseasonably cool weather has orchids popping in our back yard.  This cattleya hasn't had a bloom since we bought it at an orchid show 5 or 6 years ago.  What did we do right this year?  From orchids We're still learning.  Maybe it's the weather.  All of our orchids live outside.  We live in central Florida. It's a good place to grow orchids.  Lc. Evirett Dirkson is the name of this purple beauty and its scent is as beautiful as it's appearance.  We may have been a bit more steady with the fertilizer this year.  I try to remember the 'weakly/weekly' rule.  That means to dilute your orchid fertilizer by 1/4th and water once a week with it.  Orchids can be found on every continent on Earth with the exception of Antarctica.  There is at least one that will thrive where you live.  Contact a local nursery/florist and ask for native orchids.  You just have to try not to kill it :-)  Generally, no direct sunlight, a...

Hello.  My name is Leigh and I have been a horrible blogger.  I have been practicing blog neglect, or bloglect, if you will, due to a terrible case of "I don't give a flying crap about anything".  I am pulling myself out of that netherworld.  Triggered by being told by the library director that my position will be eliminated, I flew into a depression that is slowly subsiding.  I have since been offered a position and I will still have a job at the library doing the exact same thing, albeit with a smaller paycheck.  It's my reward for 30 years of dedicated enthusiastic service to the public.  Yeah!  I still have a job.  Damn!  I have to find a way to pay the mortgage. Full disclosure...I've added an Amazon thing to the blog.  If you click through a book link, and buy something, I get a couple of pennies. What has helped my mood is spending time in my garden, knitting, and my wonderful husband, Wayne.  Also, reading other blo...

It has been about 7 years since the orchid bug bit us and we have gone completely and irrevocably bonkers for orchids.  Thank you so much, Carl and Gladys, for giving me my first orchid that did not die.  This is that dancing lady oncidium after a few years.  It is in bud now, and has been divided into three plants. From orchids I am not one of those fastidious collectors who carefully label each plant.  No...tags which come with them get lost.  Squirrels steal them.  I'm sure of it.  The lack of documentation makes it a pleasant surprise each time one of the unlabeled orchids bloom.  This cattleya was a gift without a tag.  It had buds which ended up opening up into beautiful ruffled peach blossoms.  It has a faint sweet smell. From orchids Last weekend found us at the USF Botanical Gardens annual Spring Plant Show & Sale.  Our intention was to buy some landscaping plants for the front yard, to which we pay absolutely...

Today was a perfect autumn day for central Florida. It wasn't so humid that you felt slapped in the face by a warm wet blanket when you stepped outside. The sun didn't scorch. Tonight, it may even dip into the 60's. Wayne and I spent some time fertilizing, pruning, repotting. We repotted a Madagascar Palm that was becoming top heavy in a too small pot. That took a heavy old blanket, thick leather welder's gloves and a trowel to loosen the roots. I also repotted an Amazon Lily that Tom from work traded me for a Voodoo Lily. I can't wait to see it bloom. Several orchids are blooming now. With something like 130 of them, several are always blooming! From orchids O. Sharry Baby has the aroma of chocolate covered cherries. From orchids V. Golmaco's blue magic has large blue flowers that last for weeks. From orchids C. Chocolate drop 'Volcano Queen' with its waxy shiny red petals is really stunning. From Garden Madagascar Palm in its new pot. From...

After rains yesterday and today, the garden looks renewed and there are new blooms.  It's nice to take a moment to stretch the knitting fingers and wrists while marveling at these beautiful flowers.  Here's what's blooming... Lc. mini purple - Maikai, purchased at USF Botanical Gardens annual Orchid Show and Sale Pot. Beaufort Gold 'Susan Fender' from Phelps Farm Orchids The strange looking  bulb. marv ragan.  This one just keeps blooming and blooming and has a little hinged lip that teeters in the slightest breeze. Lots of dendrobiums are blooming now as well as sherry babies and several vandas have bloom spikes.  I'll take pictures of those when they open.