Gardenworld

Hortivations at Ball Australia

by James Wall

 

Hortivations is an industry only event for businesses involved with and related to horticulture. It has been going for a few years now and is one of the premier events in the Australian horticultural calender. The thing people seem to like about it is that it is a fun event and a great place to catch up with whats going on. There is everything from new plants to new potting machines, but more than anything, it is a place of new ideas. Its a bit of fun, and we need that.

Red Hot Poker stokes my fire.

Kniphofia - Red Hot Poker - (Kniphofia Hybrid Cultivar)

There are nearly 70 species in this genus (Asphodelaceae). They are South African clump forming perennials that increase in size each year.

Cymbidium Orchids from Collector's Corner

Today's blog comes from our orchid specialists, Collector's Corner. They are one of Australia's most experienced orchid growers and retailers, and have hundreds of orchids in flower and for sale right now:

Cymbidium orchids are by far the most popular orchids to be grown in Southern Australia and in most cooler climates around the world.  Renown for their ease of care, hardiness, beauty and exotic mystique, they make a perfect gift.

Originally bred from wild orchids from the mountains of India and South East Asia they are well suited to our conditions here in Melbourne as the climate is very similar to that in their native environment.

Linaria - a flowering annual for winter colour.

The spreading petunias at the nursery had lasted about 8 months but they were looking straggly and tired. So we pulled the all out ! My dilemma now was what to put in their place. The usual replacement would have been pansies or violas, but that's what we did last year and it felt like time for a change. Pansies can also lack flower power in the dearth of winter and don't pack them on until spring. We want something flowering now and something that will hang down like a trailing lobelia. That was when we thought, lets try linaria.

Phalaenopsis Orchids - creating humidity, and watering.

Information by Collectors Corner

Often called a butterfly or moth orchid these plants have long graceful stems and beautiful and long lasting flowers. They are native to the Philipines and tropical Asia although modern hybrids have now improved the plant from the original species. In Melbourne, phalaenopsis can be grown quite successfully as indoor plants, providing some consideration is given to their special requirements.

Temperature: Phalaenopsis are happiest in a humid atmosphere with plenty of fresh moving air,filtered or artificial light and a minimum temperature of 16C. In such conditions, the plant will flower for many months - white flowers last longer than pink (12-20 weeks vs 8-12 weeks). If minimum temp is 12C the plant will still flower regularly yet the leaves may not grow as large.

To create a humid atmosphere you can do either: