I reckon you've seen more Aotearo(vi)an orchids than you know, Rosie! They're not always that conspicuous, but I think I see them near daily just walking 'round Wellington, especially during the summer. We have many that only grow terrestrially, rather than the tropical epiphytes. Check it out:
"Year has now turned and we are now looking towards the lengthening days. We're in a cool snap this week but the ground is very wet from the months of precipitation. The 'meadow' is in a confused state - the primroses are well on their way but the grass needs to be cut short to encourage the orchids. Last year we sadly had no bee orchids due, we think, to me not keeping the grass short over the fallow season. We have learnt. To add to our list of indicator species I found adders tongue fern in one section this year. I'm sure it's been here doing it's thing year after year without us even being aware and giving it a severe haircut everytime the grass was cut.
I managed to get myself organised enough to cut the grass with the scythe I bought after doing a course the year before. All a bit flailing and a lot of hacking due to the rough grasses and Rag wort.
The area has now been truely trashed by foxes and badgers digging for the wildlife that has obviously enjoyed the new found 'wilding' 😄.
Subzero temperature here at the moment so anything that has made growing moves over the last few months is bound to be a bit chillsome for a few weeks!"
I went to Eva Orchids in Manakau ( https://www.evaorchids.co.nz/ ). The woman in the enormous greenhouse said there was nothing much to see at the moment, and I should come back in Autumn. The greenhouse was like an orchid cathedral, huge, vaulted, and full of light and life. "Oh yeah, PHALLIES." she said. "This isn't a tropical country, you know." The main thing, she reckons, is that below 16 degrees, they can't drink. They prefer between 20 and 30 degrees and really shouldn't go below 18. She mostly grows Cymbidiums, which are much more hardy. She said the Phalaenopsis babies mostly come from Taiwan, though some come from Australia.
I reckon you've seen more Aotearo(vi)an orchids than you know, Rosie! They're not always that conspicuous, but I think I see them near daily just walking 'round Wellington, especially during the summer. We have many that only grow terrestrially, rather than the tropical epiphytes. Check it out:
https://inaturalist.nz/observations?nelat=-41.263910951222094&nelng=174.8452851779297&place_id=any&subview=map&swlat=-41.362455&swlng=174.74235595546878&taxon_id=47217
I just don't have my eyes tuned. Will have to look better!
I cannot for the life of me pinpoint why I like these rambles so much which is clearly why I do. Let us all wizard our way through these days...
Meadow update from Sean in Sussex:
"Year has now turned and we are now looking towards the lengthening days. We're in a cool snap this week but the ground is very wet from the months of precipitation. The 'meadow' is in a confused state - the primroses are well on their way but the grass needs to be cut short to encourage the orchids. Last year we sadly had no bee orchids due, we think, to me not keeping the grass short over the fallow season. We have learnt. To add to our list of indicator species I found adders tongue fern in one section this year. I'm sure it's been here doing it's thing year after year without us even being aware and giving it a severe haircut everytime the grass was cut.
I managed to get myself organised enough to cut the grass with the scythe I bought after doing a course the year before. All a bit flailing and a lot of hacking due to the rough grasses and Rag wort.
The area has now been truely trashed by foxes and badgers digging for the wildlife that has obviously enjoyed the new found 'wilding' 😄.
Subzero temperature here at the moment so anything that has made growing moves over the last few months is bound to be a bit chillsome for a few weeks!"
Pretty sure Jacinda Ardern's wedding bouquet was white Phalaenopsis, though I can't be 100% certain from the photos
Anton tells me the calligraphed stone is the work of Tyler Clifton. https://www.instagram.com/t_clifton_/
I went to Eva Orchids in Manakau ( https://www.evaorchids.co.nz/ ). The woman in the enormous greenhouse said there was nothing much to see at the moment, and I should come back in Autumn. The greenhouse was like an orchid cathedral, huge, vaulted, and full of light and life. "Oh yeah, PHALLIES." she said. "This isn't a tropical country, you know." The main thing, she reckons, is that below 16 degrees, they can't drink. They prefer between 20 and 30 degrees and really shouldn't go below 18. She mostly grows Cymbidiums, which are much more hardy. She said the Phalaenopsis babies mostly come from Taiwan, though some come from Australia.