Whenever I'm away from the garden I love to see what's changed in the garden whilst I was gone. A lot of flowers have come in in the last two weeks. The violas are in full bloom.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/violasjuly.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uoq51xPx5NzUptxbwMAkAax9QGsAjNK6xwr7us8kPer30843liwSzG74e1PRBAurFYt2SjD79ghoc-2FAxks7tUvo9E43c3Q0MUaby8WNa5UmaCPOFnPI=s0-d)
Last year only one of my hellebores blossomed, a beautiful purple. This year all three are blooming ... and lucky me, all three are a deep gorgeous purple (though it's hard to see in this photo). I didn't know what colour they'd be because they came from a mixed colour batch.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/hellebore.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vYeNWQIYHWvHvOJQrKNt5XDDM1fWg3cK6lzQo2f4-wXRjATaVwMKd720Hf-hW4OL2yZT0Dtf7lZMd30p9NS-0bPfG1575NjiYaWq8yxlklWGtQmSHX=s0-d)
And finally, the snowflakes are going gangbusters this year. I think every clump has spread this year. The cyclamen just keep struggling, but the snowflakes are definitely happy. I hope they keep spreading and spreading.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/snowflakesjuly.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u_iqpIFvW-oVCmDDyDTki7yCYw-7AwdcZw-G_hcphQsa_QCErJ86bZ2ZCEEboCvniGA1X9bIhlmy-ZdfQEN9XBO2v_0D7zBrUtaxoKjJ3F2fKyJviCH4dYIaV6=s0-d)
My snowpeas have also powered along. I had problems last year with long, leggy plants not thriving. This year I chose a "bush-type" pea and put it in a larger pot, and it's thriving more than any of my plants last year. The problem is that I still only get a few pods ripe at one time. When we eat them in stir-fries we go through a big handful at a time, but this is only giving me 4 or 5 at a go. I tried to grow a pea patch out the back but first the possums ate the shoots, and then rats started digging up and eating the seeds! Maybe next year I'll have a full pea patch.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/peasjuly.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ve5e5xVXdix-3vnNKZ2VvJeWMRspa8qTto3KYe46zghPG0LvA6cBlNo85BpPWUrBEHaDKN5FIcpuhhrWWemPA2EIgc6HgGhcE5r9n3-1ss7dw5TTQC=s0-d)
This is my first year growing broad beans. It seems to be chugging along nicely, but I do know that they take a long time to develop. The first flowers are only just appearing so we'll see.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/broadbeansjuly.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v3N8jIsZYexa60gFHNC7LM6-6cbJCDBIDrgsjq3Uf-0Az2Bf3OL7P6netEQRd0Ac-YabXS7JQbXxxYVRou8B3-W5Papl_8BDIzejOiB2T6zJAGyeR-g3TC9XZx=s0-d)
And finally, I bought myself an orchid. My stepmom had moth orchids in almost every room of her house, they were so beautiful, so I thought I'd try one myself. I don't remember what kind it is but I loved the colour.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/orchid1.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tVv24A_e3k9De4rkGTzcG-qHIM6BnChey771wThy7iRKTRa7v7p1xT3LmABorugIlu__z12ZD2SQAeJr1vNHWWwoasOojcGDcfnf-UZc5Gp6vZXTU=s0-d)
The garden shop also gave me a moth orchid for free. Their shop was far too cold to keep them happy so as you can see it's looking pathetic - all the flowers dropped off. In the words of the garden shop they "needed some TLC", mostly warmth.
![http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/orchid2.JPG](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tpYvwfJY5ees1zxSbWcQeNLvIkg760C-1ISLMrUGu5cqoI9_XfTIt0H1V3I1UfghFmG7qa_K3r1pKrRORRI37uwmsMYA-fZh7hp-BNGle1Sp-5-Hs=s0-d)
I already lost all the flowers on the moth orchid, we'll see if I have the patience to keep it alive until next year when it will bloom again. And unfortunately, my yellow orchid is starting to drop flowers and a few leaves too. I hope it survives!
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vAzRNgd-wp9sYBP56n3oT_QoygF7zGA1IHuYzWgcJPRDEnEQzJj8RoLg_vkkkXK84yzMOWW9u4jrLJcruYSdsTakS4TN54ohpTctUAOnWEbQmlmCFTFbdUINJ3io9uwYRfYIB5URYx9s7uRRA=s0-d)
Monday 2 August 2010
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3 comments:
Ive been thinking about getting an orchid....just gorgeous.
Hugs
D
I wonder how the heat pads work? Ive only ever used the sun...Id better get investigating (Im very new to this).
Hugs
D
I bought mine off ebay as a herptarium heat pad. But it's a powerful little sucker, I have to leave a few cm space between the heat pad and the tub or else it heats the soil too much and the seeds fry.
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