this is one of my $12 Phalenopsis that I buy at the grocery store, after the plant has gone out of bloom.  It is easy to bring them into bloom again on my light garden.

 This is an airplant that Ihave had for several years.  It is coming into bloom, at last!  These plants are very easy, and interesting.  I have only 2 of them, both have had spectacular blooms.  Otherwise, they need very little care.  I mist them every day as I am misting the orchids and African violets.

 This is Ludisia discolor.  It gets planted into ordinary planting mix.  I added a bit of cactus mix for better drainage.  I bought it at the orchid show for its lovely foliage.  It was featured with some of the dark lady slippers in a display at the orchid show.  Looked really good.

 This is one of the winning plants at the orchid show.  There were too many people for me to get any good photos, so I gave up trying to get any worthwhile photos.  The show did not seem to be as big as it has been in the past.  The vendors in the sales room seemed to me to be showing less variety, also.

 These are my new purchases from the orchid show and sale.  Five plants for total cost of apx $85.  I will list them below; and hopefully in my garden journal... if ever I get time to do it.
My new Plants:
1. Ludisia discolor - lovely floiage, It spreads easily in ordinary planting soil.
2. S/C Jewellers Art x S/C circie of life.  This one is interesting.  It is about 4 years old from seed.  When it blooms the breeder will apply to have it registered and named.   It is tiny and may come into bloom in a couple more years.  I think it is a miniature cattleya.
3. Masd. 'Dark Star' - macrura x cucallata - this one has a tiny bud.  A new kind of orchid for me.  I believe it will have several flowers on the the spray of blooms. (Chow)
4.  My notes say:  Pot. Lisa Taylor Gallis "Nora" (BLC. California Girl x SC. Beautort)  A small cattleya, in pink/purple tones, I believe.  We will see when it comes into bloom in a couple of years. (H & R Nurseries, Hawaii)
5.  Paph. Wossner's Vietnam Love (Forest View Gardens  www.fvgardens.com 
I attended the orchid show and sale on March 3, out at the Students Union Building at UVic.  The show did not seem to be as big as I have seen it in the past.  There were some fine displays but the opportunities for photos on the day I attended were limited by the number of people, as well as more photographers.
I have repotted my orchids and they all seem to be doing ok.  The Masd's little bud is progressing.  I hope to have a flower from the little Paph. in a year or two.  The miniature cattyleyas may take awhile.  I do have a lovely 'Pixie" cat. that blooms and is very forgiving of my neglect.   I have no success with dendrobiums.    I have 3 of them languishing at the back of the light garden.  I might liberate their pots and space for something that I can get to bloom.
I am quite excited about the air plant.  It is going to be spectacular.  These plants seem to take ages to bloom, but are worth the wait.
I transplanted my orange trees a couple of weeks ago.  I might have lost one or two of them.  I transplanted them because I had some with 2 plants per pot.  I mist them every morning.  Yesterday, I watered and fed all the indoor plants.  All are doing well, but will watch the Orange trees.
Otherwise, I have been cleaning cupboards, closets, etc in the suite.  The renovation is coming along quite nicely. Painting is finished.  Flooring is done.  Counter top needs some adjustment.  I have one side of the cabinets to clean and do shelf lining.  The drapery is to be done on the 20th.  It smells of paint, but that is far better than the cat stink.  
 We have had some high wind storms recently.  There have been a lot of people with their power out.  Lots of wind damage.  Fortunately, we had no problems.  Our power was on all the time. 
Since taking the photos of my crocuses, the crocus field has suffered a bit of damage from the high winds and rain.  The daffodils will soon be open.  The hellebores, cyclamens and a few of the primulas are in bloom.

Orchids

the pixie - miniature cattalaya orchid has two blooms and this phalenopsis, which is one of my $12 orchids has put out another spray with two more blooms that are actually darker than the first ones. The first spray has 7 flowers on it. There is another moth orchid in bloom with the lighter colored blooms.
I have been playing with my new photoshop.   The phalenopsis are shot sitting on the shelf of the light garden.  Pixie I moved and shot against the light yellow walls that look too dark on my monitor.   Pixie is totally out doing herself this time.  Huge blossoms.
It has been raining, so I have not been out to the garden.  This is working out okay as I have time to try to get used to my new computer and all its components.  Its interesting, and yet frustrating at times.  I thought Windows XP was just fine.  My new monitor is a pain.  I don't understand the need for these wide screens.  I suppose I could be multi tasking with several things going on at the same time, but that is beyond my capabilities or my interest. 
My techie took one of the orange trees.  I hope it grows up with his family.  :)   We have been with him since he started and he seems to be doing very well.  New home, new young son, dog, cat and a thriving business.  Computers on Wheels is where to find him.  I see he is featuring the Apple Ipad, which I understand I should wait for the next version... and that I would need to get on the list for this next version 2 of Ipad.  I have my wi fi connection with my new stuff.  Everywhere we went on our trip recently, the campgrounds had wi fi available.  We were quite busy, but I suppose we would have used it, if we had an ipad or other gizmo to use.
I have had to learn how to download from my new camera, as its SD card did not seem to kick up the drive on the computer to download.  Now, this download from camera is realatively painless!  I think I may use it all  the time for the new camera, and if I can find the connecting cords for the S3 IS I will use it there too.  I seem to have lost the downloads that went into the windows downloader... ah well I am sure I will find them again some day. 
Our Megashot.net is looking better all the time.  Version 2 is going to be excellent.  We already have the ability to totally customize your own page.Version 2 will have more designs and options, with user friendly customization.  If you want to network, all the features are available.  There is the critique forum for fun and learning.  Contests and communities.  If you want to market your products, version 2 will have a fully operational Home Store.  If you want to communicate with clients,or family,  there is password protected galleries, and private comments. 
Please come and have a look!

Orchids and Violets

These two orchids are in bloom in the light garden now.  The lady slipper is Phrag. Andean Fire and the other one is SL. Psyche 'China" l. cinnabariana x s. coccinea.  Its all Greek to me.    The Andean Fire seems a bit droopy.  Psyche is a vibrant orange with 3 blooms this time.

This is one of the African Violets in bloom.  I played with this one in my photo editors.  In Virtual Studio, I can correct the 'temperature' as I had neglected to change the white balance to florescent when shooting.  I also used the dodge and burn tools, as well as sharpening in photoshop.  Virtual Studio also has noise reduction and a few other good things.  Google the Optic Verve or Virtual Studio and do a free download, if you are interested.

Another of the violets in bloom.
All of the plants in the light garden survived my two week trip away from home.  Andy and Tara looked in on things.  Thanks.
In the garden today, I mowed the grass -- first mow of the year.  The crocus field did not get mown, of course.  The leaves need to harden off.  When the crocus leaves begin to brown, I can then mow the grass where they grow.  Andy topped up the pond a few days ago... the leak seems to be even slower, now.  I skimmed some of the plum tree dropped blooms off the pond.  I put the grass clippings around the strawberry plants and added some manure compost to them and to the rhubarb which is now about 2 feet high.  I cleaned up a few more perennials, dug out dandilions, moved one of the old clay pots that contains a lily and moved the rocks around a bit.    It was fun playing outside, as it was a beautiful sunny 12 degree day.

The Rock and Alpine Garden Club has its Spring Show and Sale  next weekend:

The annual Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Sp[ring Show for 2010 will be on Friday, March 26th and Saturday March 27th, at Cadboro Bay United Church, 2625 Arbutus Rd.  Show hours are from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m to 3:30 p.m on Saturday.  The members plant sale is from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Speciality nurseries will sell plants during the entire show and seeds will be on sale throughout.  Afternoon teas will be available.  The show will feature door prizes and a silent auction.

This is an annual event for me, although I have not entered any plants in the show yet.  I like to go and see what people are growing and to purchase precious little plants.  The little Daphne, a tiny grey mounding plant, and a very nice polyanthus marginata from last year are thriving in the small rockery and in a pot.  Over the years I have managed to get a few very nice alpines growing.   Last year, we went away for a month in the hottest time of the year and some of my new purchases perished.  The ones I put into pots do not do as well as the ones that go directly into the rockery, or into very large pots.   I have 3 large pots that only need good fast draining soil and then I could have a few more alpines.   I will see what might be available, but should get the pots ready, now. 

This year, I should redo the woodland path and the woodland area itself, needs cleaning up.  The bluebells are just taking over everything.  They are nice, but so very invasive.  The garden is not too bad right now.  It helps to keep up to the weeds and any needed renovations.  The arabis, daffodils, hyaciths, polyanthus, hellebores, camillias and both magnolia shrubs are in bloom.   The moss garden is slowly growing. 

Orchids

I have two orchids in bloom. The pink one, I believe is a miniature catalaya called Pixie, the lady slipper is Paph. philippenense Graeham x Nancy, according to its tag. I have grown the lady slipper from a tiny plant and this is its first bloom for me. It has four flowers, Pixie has 3.

I was trying to do macros of Pixie's petals for Chrissie's Petal Art group on Flickr. One of these works, I think.

I brushed some heavy snow off my boxwood hedge today. I think the hedge will spring back up, without too much damage. I hope my fish have survived in the tubs. The snow is melting, but not very fast. This morning there was black ice on the roads until it warmed up a bit.

We received a lovely flower arrangement from J and C. I must send pictures. Pat has sent a note.

Orchid Society show and sale

Yesterday, Pat dropped me off at the Student Union Bldg. at the Uni to attend the Orchid Show and Sale. I have not been for a few years. This year seemed smaller than the last one I attended. Some glorious displays though. I came away $113 lighter of pocket and 6 new plants. One is the Ludisia pictured above -- grown primarily for its colorful leaves. Another one I now have is the Paph. (lady slipper) Ho Chi Minh pictured above. Its a lovely fat light pink slipper. Mine should bloom next year. I have a mini cattleya - Psyche, a phalenopsis, Porroglossum hystrix (tiny) and a Tris andreettae (tiny). I was home before noon, and could not seem to keep my eyes open all afternoon.... so tired. My thyroid meds need adjustment, so hopefully when I get on the higher dosage I should be zipping around again.

I got quite a lot of things done today. Including going to Cannor Nursery and getting the stuff to plant the orchids in... 4 three litre bags each at $8.00. Also picked up 4 cedars and 4 choice perennials, dill seeds, pot trays. This ran to over $100 so I got the Cannor membership to get the 10% off, and the $25 rebate on the order over $100. (Membership is $20 and includes free delivery (not including gravel mart). So, $96 later I am set for the Spring, I think.

When I got home with this an hour later, I transplanted up the new orchids and read up on them on the internet. Also soaked the old pots in 10% bleach solution, then scrubbed them, and soaked again in sink full of clean water. Hopefully, this will kill any diseases that may have been in the old soils. I have a few clay pots left over and now a few extra trays. In the past few years a few of my orchids have died. I might be overwatering them, or at least letting them stand in water. I think they should drain freely and be watered more often. Who knows what happens to them when I am on holidays. I have not seen any scale on the plants since the last time I cleaned them, so I hope this is under control now. I must pay attention to fertizing the plants -- orchids, anyway -- more often.

I have been spending at least half an hour a day on the cat. It is going to be glad to see Andy and Tara home, I guess. I don't care for this cat. It shreds the sofa, scratches and bites... thinks it is playing, and does not have a very nice dispositon at all.

phalenopsis

This light pink phalenopsis named Etourneau "Ponkan" Rose de Sables is now in bloom. It only has one blossum. I knocked the other one off when watering it. I now have the dark pink phal., the little yellow ladyslipper, and 'pixie' the minature catalyea in bloom. More about pixie in my next post.

We had a feast night of mussels, bagette with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, a spinach/avocado salad, a very nice white wine and lemon zest cheese to finish off the wine. Heaven!

Painted Vases Series

This morning I was trying to shoot another 'Painted Vase' for my series. This one was very noisy. I was trying to shoot higher ISO, but should have had higher fstop number, also. But it cleaned up very nicely in Neat Image, I think. This is my light pink phalenopsis on the wine colored vase with a dark blue background. The blue is not as dark as it should be. I guess I should have removed the UV filter. ooops.