Glen Ryan

Interesting tall leek orchid (Prasophyllum elatum) form with green stems + green/yellow flowers near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.

Interesting tall leek orchid (Prasophyllum elatum) form with green stems + green/yellow flowers near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Just a few scattered plants flowering this year surrounded by large numbers of the more common black-stemmed forms - but with almost no intergrades #orchids #ozplants

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Wonboyn River, NSW - spring orchids 2025.

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Wonboyn River, NSW - spring orchids 2025.

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Wonboyn River, NSW - spring orchids 2025.

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia/Caladenia major*) near the Wonboyn River, NSW. Fairly common orchid at this location - sometimes growing alongside the closely related Glossodia minor (Caladenia glossodia*).

*Some recent reviews of the genus return the 2 x Glossodia species back into Caladenia #orchids

Pink cap orchid - Caladenia clarkiae - near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC.

Pink cap orchid - Caladenia clarkiae - near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC.

This is probably the pinkest form of this small cap orchid I have seen in East Gippsland - although plants with almost entirely reddish/pink flowers are found in some locations.

#orchids #inthefield #Caladenia #ozplants

Sun orchids (Thelymitra sp.) flowering near Corunna NSW.

First flowers are out on the patch of sun orchids just behind the house at home in Corunna, NSW. These early plants are probably closer to TheIymitra peniculata (trim sun orchid) than anything else - although later plants usually show more variation, with some maybe closer to T. pauciflora #orchids

Caladenia pusilla (tiny fingers) in open grassland near the Genoa River, VIC - spring orchids 2025.

Caladenia pusilla (tiny fingers) in open grassland near the Genoa River, VIC. Only one flower out at this location at the start of October - but several more in bud close by. Flowers are very small on this easily over-looked orchid - tip of my little finger included here for scale #orchids #spring

Diuris orientis (eastern donkey orchid / wallflower orchid) in open grassland near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC.

Diuris orientis (eastern donkey orchid / wallflower orchid) in open grassland near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC.

Diuris orientis (eastern donkey orchid / wallflower orchid) in open grassland near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC.

More out this spring than the last few years but didn't see any of the 100% yellow forms which occasionally occur here.

#orchids #inthefield #ozplants #spring

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) in open grassland near Genoa,VIC.

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) in open grassland near Genoa,VIC. This species usually flowers a little later at this location than coastal populations closer to Mallacoota - there were only a few early scattered flowers starting to open on this visit at the end of Sept. #orchids

Tall leek orchids (Prasophyllum elatum) near Mallacoota, VIC - spring orchids 2025.

Tall leek orchids (Prasophyllum elatum) near Mallacoota, VIC. This is the largest leek orchid found in VIC and can grow to 1.5m tall. Most flower spikes on the black-stemmed forms at this location were 60-70cm tall. Interesting forms with green stems + yellow/green flowers also grow nearby #orchids

Caladenia clarkiae (pink caps) on the edge of light forest near the Genoa River, VIC - spring orchids 2025.

Caladenia clarkiae (pink caps) on the edge of light forest near the Genoa River, VIC. Can have up to 4 x flowers but all of the plants at this location only had 1 or 2 this spring. Fairly widespread orchid in East Gippsland but usually only occurs in small, scattered populations #orchids #spring

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Genoa Rr, VIC.

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Genoa Rr, VIC.

Waxlip orchids (Glossodia / Caladenia major) near the Genoa Rr, VIC. Lots of flowers out in light forest at this location with many still in bud or just opening in more open grassland.

Flower colour is fairly consistent here with some variations between mauve and purple. #orchids #inthefield

Leopard orchids flowering in heathland near the Genoa River, VIC.

Leopard orchids flowering in heathland near the Genoa River, VIC. These coastal E. Gippsland plants are still widley regarded as Diuris pardina but recent revisions of the genus have suggested a return to D. maculata (spotted donkey orchid) which also grows just across the border in NSW #orchids

Caladenia alata (Fairy Fingers/Fairy Orchid) starting to flower in open heathland near Mallacoota, E. Gippsland, VIC.

Caladenia alata (Fairy Fingers/Fairy Orchid) starting to flower in open heathland near Mallacoota, E. Gippsland, VIC. Most plants here are close to the more typical white-flowering form although there are usually a few pink flowers (which may be hybrids) out nearby #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Black-striped greenhood (Pterostylis melagramma) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC.

Black-striped greenhood (Pterostylis melagramma) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC.

Usually only the odd scattered plant seen at this location in good years growing on the edge of large colonies of other greenhoods (P. curta, P. nutans and P. pedunculata).

#Orchids #OzPlants #InTheField

I have the Complete Edition of Orchids of Australia by W H Nicholls W H which is pretty old school - and has a lot of illustrations (over 450 species in total - good range of Pterostylis). Is this the kind of thing you are after?

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) starting to open in coastal heathland near Mallacoota, VIC

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) starting to open in coastal heathland near Mallacoota, VIC. Lots of both this sp. + other sun orchids in bud around Mallacoota when I dropped by this week but the weather was maybe just a little too cold + cloudy for most of them to actually open #orchids

Yeah they are great little plants - and very tough! I'm pretty new to them as I usually grow and garden with Australian native plants but my partner has a lot o them in her garden .. and we sell them in the nursery. Not that well known in my neck of the woods (so to speak ;) )

Caladenia catenata (White Fingers) flowering amongst tall sundews near Gipsy Point, VIC.

Caladenia catenata (White Fingers) flowering amongst tall sundews near Gipsy Point, VIC. Large numbers of these sundews (I'm presuming Drosera auriculata) occur here in both open forest and heathland - often alongside various spring orchid species

#Orchids #InTheField #Sundews #Spring #Ozplants

These are all spring flowering … it’s spring down here in Australia :)

Epimedium 'Lilac Cascade' (flowering in the nursery).

Epimedium 'Hot Lips' (flowering in the nursery).

Epimedium 'Rose Queen' (flowering in the nursery).

Epimedium grandiflorum var violaceum (flowering in the nursery).

Epimediums flowering in the nursery over the weekend. Mostly pinks/lilacs out before the other colours - although I just noticed there are some amazing yellow forms out in the garden already so hopefully the full range will be flowering soon.

#Epimediums

Yeah we sell a pink form of P. nottii in the nursery in Tilba Tilba - seems to go ok down this way

Looking good !

we've always presumed this old timer was a fella ... so ......

Swamp wallaby - Akolele NSW

If any of these new plantings disappear over night I'm pretty sure I've already identified the prime suspect ... ;)

#wallaby #wallabies #swampwallaby #inthegarden

Just had a read through your article - very interesting :) I see a lot of Pterostylis at this time of the year so will look out for any possibly blotching on my travels.

Nice one - I'll have a look :)

Do you mean like Cymbidium mosaic virus?

I think it's just natural genetic variation - lot of Caladenias have a range of floral colours within a population. Sun orchids can also range from white to pink to blue in plants growing side by side :)

Pterostylis melagramma (black-striped greenhood) near Maramingo Creek, East Gippsland,VIC.

Pterostylis melagramma (black-striped greenhood) near Maramingo Creek, East Gippsland,VIC. Have seen a couple of scattered plants at this location in the past but only found one still out in flower in early September this year.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Spring #InTheField #EastGippsland

Cyanicula / Caladenia caerulea (blue fingers) near Genoa, VIC - spring orchids 2025.

Cyanicula / Caladenia caerulea (blue fingers) near Genoa, VIC. Generally a fairly uniform species but in most populations there are usually a few slightly bluer + a few slightly lighter flowers. Not a large orchid - tip of my little finger included here for scale. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Yeah that's often the way with native gardens - try some potentially incorrect options then get some more if they work ... All part of the fun! ;)