Orchids spring 2008

[mark smyth]

Can anyone tell me anything about the Dactylorhiza 'Harold Esselmont'? I bought it at the first SRGC weekend I attended. It's doing very well in my garden and caused a bit of a stir when a local hardy Orchid expert called to see my collection

Here are a couple of photos of 'Harold'
Dactylorhiza Cruickshanks form
Dactylorhiza elata x majalis
Dactylorhiza photographed in a local private estate

[Maggi Young]

Mark, this orchid, thought by some to be D. foliosa (though doubted as purely that because of its hardiness over more than 50 years in Aberdeen!) was grown and shown by the late Harold Esslemont, an SRGC grower and exhibitor of great renown. The plant was given his name by Mrs Kath Dryden, who gained a PC in 2002 and an Award of Merit in 2003 for it from the RHS Joint Rock plant committee.
Under Kath's care it has featured on several AGS Chelsea exhibits, tending to look a little paler in those circumstances, having been opened under glass, in time for the show, than it appears in the open garden.
You can read about the Preliminary Commendation award in the AGS bulletin, Volume 70, December 2002, beginning on page 484, and for the AM award in AGS  bulletin Volume 71, December 2003, on page 390.
It is a most excellent plant, deserving to be more widely grown.

[mark smyth]

foliosa has the upper 'petals' that usually form a hood seperated clearly showing the male and female parts

[johanneshoeller]

 "Schwarzes Kohlröschen" (black Nigritella) in my garden. Very difficult to cultivate!

[derekb]

Two from me today one I have not seen on the Forum Calopogon Tuberosa and one of my Disa I will not bore you with the others Disa Uniflora alba,

Calopogon Tuberosa.
Disa Uniflora alba.

[Maggi Young]

Derek, I have never seen the "white" Disa.... what a pretty lemony colour! Are the flowers as large as the usual D. uniflora types?

[Lesley Cox]

The "white" disa is beautiful Derek, and do post whatever you have out. NOT bored by them.

[Tony Willis]

One of the orchids on Mt Kymachalan Northern Greece. They flower there in thousands . And then three from Mt Vermion

[Lesley Cox]

A loverly bunch of.....orchids Tony. The yellow is especially attractive, to me.

[Hans J]

here some pics from yesterday -from a nice walk


Cephalanthera rubra
Orchis spec.

[Maggi Young]

Very nice, Hans, but no time for a walk today.... we must see the Dauphine libere!!

[Hans J]

Maggi - now we watching too 

[derekb]

Derek, I have never seen the "white" Disa.... what a pretty lemony colour! Are the flowers as large as the usual D. uniflora types?

Derek, I have never seen the "white" Disa.... what a pretty lemony colour! Are the flowers as large as the usual D. uniflora types?

Maggi exactly the same size but I always thought Alba was white but this is pale lemon.  Derek

[derekb]

Three more Disa,
                     Disa Cinnamon,
                     Disa Orangeade,
                     Disa New Design.

[Joakim B]

Hans nice Nigritella Do You have more of the around You?
The Alps seem to be their center of distribution. Malmgren has a little about propagation and cultivation of this plant here.
http://www.lidaforsgarden.com/Orchids/co_le_pl_ne_eng.htm
Has the plant moved to You or dod it naturally occur?

Nice dactylorhiza Mark. 

Tony nice ones 

Hans J nice findings

Derek nice Disas 

Kind regards
Joakim