The Flying Duck Orchid – An Amazing Anatine Attraction in Australia

Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana) is a small orchid can be found in eastern and southern Australia. This is terrestrial plant features amazing flowers resembling a duck in flight. The flower is also inducing insects, such as male sawflies which pollinate the flower in a process recognized as pseudocopulation. In 1986 this orchid was featured on an Australian postage stamp. The flying duck orchid encountered as a terrestrial herb, up to 50 cm tall. And 2 to 4 flowers grow on the green stem. Furthermore the single leaf appears near the base of the stalk. It is generally prostrate, narrow-lanceolate, to 12 cm long and 8 mm wide, often spotted. The Flying Duck Orchid flower color is normally reddish-brown, almost 15 to 20 mm long. However, in some rare cases, the flower can be greenish with dark spots. The plant is pollinated by insects. A sensitive strap is attached to the flower, which is triggered by vibration. The plant is flowering from September to January occurring from Queensland to South Australia, to even Tasmania, and this plant can be found in eucalyptus woodland in coastal or swampy shrubland and heathland. Typically near the coast, but sporadically at higher altitudes. Due to flower small size, it is a hard to notice in the wild plant. 

The duck orchid is a perpetual but blooms in late spring or early summer.  At up to 45 centimeters in height you might think it would stand out in its natural habitat.  However, because of the reddy-brown colors of both the stem and flowers it moulds in to its Australian surroundings so proficiently that it becomes almost invisible unless you are purposely seeking out its company. The genus Caleana was named after George Caley, an early botanical collector. Latin for "larger", major refers to the contrast with the other smaller Duck orchid, Paracaleana minor. The original specimen of this plant was gathered at Bennelong Point, the present day site of the Sydney Opera House in September, 1803. Moreover in 1810, the species originally appeared in the scientific literature, Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown.  Therefore; Caleana has been difficult to maintain in cultivation, because plants flower for one or sometimes two years but progressively weaken until they die. If you’ve abruptly been gripped by the desire to own your very own duck orchid then you will be very disappointed.  Regardless of several attempts, this orchid stubbornly refuses to be propagated. This is because the roots of caleana have a symbiotic relationship with the vegetative part of a fungus which only thrives in the part of Australia in which it originates. The fungus supports the plant to stave off infections and without its assistance the duck orchid never lasts long.

Roses are a reflection of life

You know roses are a reflection of life and they are like a poem, a rose can say so much without saying much at all. The feeling silky soft rose petal fresh evokes tenderness; the fragrant aroma of a new pink spring brings refreshment; the bright colors of red, pink, peach, purple, orange, yellow and white roses remind us of the dazzling beauty of creation; and get pricked by a thorn causes pain.

Columbine or Aquilegia Flowers

The flowers and leaves of columbines have a dainty, airy quality. Several of flowers have long spurs, and they come in every color, including bicolor in which the inner row of petals is one color, the outer petals (sepals) and the spurs another. Heights also vary. Most bloom in mind to late spring. Aquilegia Canadensis “Common Columbine” is yellow and red and grows one or two feet. A caerulea (Colorado or Rocky Mountain columbine) is blue and white and grows up to three feet tall. Both are Native American wild flowers. A chrysantha is yellow, two to three feet. A vulgaris is shades of blue and rose and grows up to three feet. A flabel lata (Japanese fan columbine) is as short as six inches although sometimes as tall as 1 ½ feet with bluish leaves; available varieties are usually white or blue and white. In addition there’re many hybrids; “McKana” and “Dragon Fly” hybrids in mixed shades are medium height; “Biedermeier” strain are mixed and shorter. “Snow Queen” is white; “Crimson Star” is red; “Maxi Star” is yellow. In general the species are Zone four, while the bybrids Zone Five. 

How to Grow Columbine or Aquilegia

Columbines normally do well in either full sun or part shade. They only transplant well when small, and are sometimes short lived, but have a strong tendency to self-sow, and volunteer seedlings can be moved to the desired location. All need well drained soil. Leaf miners, which make white tunnels in the leaves, do considerable harm in some gardens, but when the tunnels are merely unsightly they’re best ignored. 

How to Grow Snapdragon (Antirrhinum Majus)

Snapdragons are perennials grown as half hardy annuals. Flowers grow on spikes of varying heights, from six inches to four feet. Rocket varieties are tall, sentinel are somewhat shorter Floral Carpet is very low but spreads widely. Colors can be pink, red, yellow, orange, purple, rust and white. There is always a place for their strong, vertical accents in the flower garden, and I find they bloom long after frost has cut down many other plants. As a bonus they’re a long lasting cut flower, so plant extras. 

Well, if you want to grow this flower, then sow seeds indoors at least six weeks before the last frost, and transplant to the garden six to eight inches apart, as soon as you have some vigorous seedlings about four inches tall. They are cool weather plants that can be sown in August in warm climates for fall blooms, or in winter for early spring bloom. They like fertile, slightly alkaline soil. Pinch at four inches for bushier plants and more flower spikes. Cutting the flowers helps them to keep blooming. They will often self sow. 

Light salmon-apricot, petals translucent and centered with a small gold burst of stamens

Light salmon-apricot, petals translucent and centered with a small gold burst of stamens.  You can see similar blooms waving in the blue sky; they and all the green-gold leaves are suffused with midday brilliance.  This is "Ambridge Rose", flowering on a little rose-tree above the steps to my cousin's garden where I took the photograph, memory of delightful weather and plants that are bouquets of roses.

This rose fits in well with our English Old Rose Hybrids,

This rose fits in well with our English Old Rose Hybrids, even though it has a little of the Leander group in its genetic make-up. This shows up in its rather shiny foliage. It is a superb rose with flowers of an unfading, strong yellow. Their formation is most pleasing, having a neat outer ring of petals enclosing an informal group of petals within. The growth is low and naturally rounded, making it an ideal rose for a position towards the front of the border. There is a rich fragrance with strong lemon tints at first, becoming sweeter and stronger with age.

THE WILD ANEMONE-ROSE

It will bloom in May-June and I will show it to you at the seaside. Its fine scent is out of the world and I fall in love every year to its unique beauty. It has been originally in the 18.century found and called the Japanese Rose or Anemone (rosa rugosa - of corrugated leafs) and is now common in Europe but at its best only here at the wild Atlantic coastline withstanding storms and salt spray in the dunes.

Beautiful Leander and Green Rose

This rose fits in well with our English Old Rose Hybrids, even though it has a little of the Leander group in its genetic make-up. This shows up in its rather shiny foliage. It is a superb rose with flowers of an unfading, strong yellow. Their formation is most pleasing, having a neat outer ring of petals enclosing an informal group of petals within. The growth ...is low and naturally rounded, making it an ideal rose for a position towards the front of the border. There is a rich fragrance with strong lemon tints at first, becoming sweeter and stronger with age.

Silver Lace Vine (Fleece Vine)

This vigorous twining vine is unusual because it blooms profusely in later summer, usually August. The flowers are 6 inch clusters, usually greenish white, sometimes pinkish. It has many uses in the landscape because it not only provides a dense screen in a hurry you can have a sizable vine within two years. But it is attractive too. It is a good vine to shade an arbor because it is deciduous and will let the sun in when winter comes. It is a heavy vine that needs plenty of room and a strong support, but its vigor should not be a problem with regular pruning. 

Though the vine blooms best in full sun it will tolerate partial shade. It is not fussy about soil, though a moderately fertile sandy loam is best. It is drought tolerant and has no serious pests. It may die back in winter in colder zones, and dead growth should be removed in spring. Where dieback does not occur the vine may be pruned back fairly hard in fall or winter and will then bloom profusely on new wood. Propagate by division stem cuttings or from seed. 

Roses are a traditional symbol of love and, depending on their color, can suggest different nuances of love.

Roses are a traditional symbol of love and, depending on their color, can suggest different nuances of love. For example, red roses indicate passion and true love. Light pink suggests desire, passion, and energy; dark pink suggests gratitude. Yellow roses can mean friendship or jealousy. A lavender or thornless rose can mean love at first sight. White roses mean virtue or devotion. Some roses even combine colors to created more complicated meanings.