Symphony of Cymbidiums

One of the best things about this time of year is the annual gift given to me by my beautiful cymbidium orchids.

We had four orchid plants just short of two years ago. Two were given to us as gifts by my Mum and Dad before they emigrated in 1996 and I'd bought two others since. They grew in the garden outdoors and flowered quite well, although somewhat sporadically, through the years. Often, the snails would get to them before the flowers had properly opened. This was disheartening, but try as I did, I never remembered to put down snailbait in time.

When I got my greenhouse in October 2009, we spilt and repotted them, happily ending up with quite a few plants, all of which survived and have been growing very contentedly in their new pots in the greenhouse ever since.  Unexpectedly, they flowered well last year. I'd read that after splitting and replanting, they can take two or three years to settle down before flowering again. Naturally, we were delighted and this year, they have been determined to outdo their efforts of last year...we have fed them and looked after them with much greater care and attentiveness since moving them to the greenhouse and this has obviously been beneficial.


To continue reading this post, please click the Read more button below...

The first to flower are now in full and glorious bloom! I really ought to count how many flowers there are, per individual stem, but it seems to be such an onerous task as there are so many and I don't find the time to do so with the puppies rushing about underfoot.

It's miraculous to me how those oft untidy, strappy leafed clumps that rest quietly all through the long hot summer months, imperceptibly send forth fat, pointed nodes that slowly, but determinedly, reach upwards towards the light...

...until, seemingly overnight, the next season's plump little buds eagerly break free of their protective sheaf and slowly, slowly unfurl to reveal the most exquisitely and delicately sculpted individual blooms of utter perfection.

 Totally captivating.

 Utterly absorbing, they require no enticement to be admired.

They know their beauty is rare and sought after.

 All they need to do is wait until I fall under their spell, hopelessly unable to break my lingering gaze of utter delight!

Their silent symphony is the most humbling sound I've heard.