Contents of latest Issue

June 2003  (Vol.15 No.3)                    

THIS MONTH'S FEATURES:

FRONT COVER:

Ascda. (Vanda Red Ball x Ascda. Tubtim Velvet)

Our cover this month features the Grand Champion of the Rockhampton Orchid Society's Autumn Show.  The proud owners were Jeff and Marilyn Bloxsom.  (Jeff is the Society President, and he took the photo using his new digital camera for the first time!)

Awarded Oncidiums

AOC Registrar General of Judging, Colin Jennings, has been delving into the awards files again and this month presents us with an unusual collection of Oncidiums, a genus not presented too often for award judging.  Six award photographs accompany the article and it covers a few different types of Oncidiums.

16th AOC Conference and Show draws near

David Harmer is Judging Co-ordinator for the 16th AOC Conference and Show, and brings us up to date on the latest information.  The Show Schedule is now available and the call has gone out to orchid growers to prepare their entries.  There is also a quick run down on the Guest Speakers and the Social Program.

(For latest Conference information, check the listing at the top of our ConneXions page.

Promenaea species and hybrids rewarding and easy to grow

So says Neville Roper of Sydney.  There is eight pages of text and 18 illustrations showing an extensive range of colours and patterns in this not too prominent orchid group.  Neville says if you can grow Zygopetalums, you can grow these little beauties - and they are real space savers, and prolific bloomers.

Back to Basics - Light and Orchids (Part 2)

Dr. Noel Grundon concludes his informative article on this topic.  Says Noel: "Like us, plants are affected by, and respond to, light - one of the Big Four requirements for the good growth and flowering of orchids."  Are you providing enough?

Odontoglossum Hybrids

Gary Hart of Caringbah (Sydney) writes of his fascination with the Odontoglossum alliance and how he grows them in his part of Australia.  Gary has provided seven highly colourful photographs, all his own work, to make our mouths water!

Cymbidiums - The Lip (continued)

Kevin Butler from Perth and major Cymbidium grower, continues his fascinating series of the variety of lip colour in the Cymbidium hybrids, and speculates the influence from the parentage.  This month he delves into the pastel and pink range of Cymbidiums, providing six photographs to illustrate his article.

Ethylene cause of premature ageing of cut flowers

Regular US contributor, Ed Wright of Texas, has sent us a short article of the production and effect of ethylene produced by cut orchids - sometimes with disasterous effect, such as premature sepal wilt.

WANTED:  Editor and Publications Director

After four years at the helm of Orchids Australia, Editor Dennis Simmons will vacate the chair come December.  The Australian Orchid Council is calling for expressions of interest from appropriate persons for the role of Editor and/or Publications Director.  Full details are provided in the June issue, or contact the Acting Publications Director, Colin Jennings, on (08) 8264 6490.  Applications close 15th July 2003.

Cooktown Orchid a hit at Brisbane Garden Exhibition

Orchid lovers and other green thumbs gathered in their hundreds to display their wares for the inaugural ABC Gardening Australia Live show in Brisbane, Queensland.  The Cooktown orchid (Den. phalaenopsis and Den. bigibbum) is the floral emblem of Queensland.  Being held in April, the "cookies" were in abundance and found a ready market, though it is unsure that this was entirely patriotic!  Thanks to Rhonda & Ross Harvey of Cedarvale Orchids for this story.

Newer is not always better

Another regular US correspondent, Gerald M. Lawless, provides a discussion of the FCC/AOS cultivars of Paphiopedilum rothschildianum frin 1969 to 2002, and poses the question: Is newer better?  Four stunning photographs accompany this story.

Just Browsing, with Colin Jennings

Colin has an abiding interest in botanical history.  This month he shares with us his foray into the archives of The Orchid Review of 1923, recounting the importations of orchids from Trinidad in the early 1800's.

Colin then goes on to another topic, Disa Julia A. Stuckey, also written up in The Orchid Review in 1922.

Dendrobium bigibbum Ldl - Culture in SE Queensland

Ross Harvey provides another aspect of this Queensland native species, and attempts to describe the difference between varieties, and how to grow them in southeast Queensland.

Plus… - 

All the regular features of: Latest list of Australian Orchid Council awards for 2002; Computer Corner,  what's winning at Shows around the country, Cultural Notes for various parts of Australia, and our list of upcoming International orchid events through to 2005. There is also a surprise for some lucky Australian subscriber - Orchids Australia free for one year, provided it is claimed in 14 days.