L is for Lycaste AB Little Scatterbrain - one of the orchids from the Hartley’s. So grateful for everyone who continues to support us as we conserve these fantastic collections 🌿 Any L orchids to share today? #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

K is for Masdevallia Kimballiana another historic hybrid registered in 1893 a primary of caudata and veitchiana. Which K orchids do you have? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

J is for Oncidium Janus, a historic hybrid registered in 1910. This one is a remake by the renown hybridizer, Bob Hamilton and is late flowering each year. Do share your J orchids too? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

I continues to challenge so here is Comparettia ignea. Originally from Colombia this delights visitors each year with its orange blooms. What orchids do you have with I in the name? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

H has also been tricky for our collection! Sharing Habenaria medusa instead from Kew - it is moth pollinated, terrestrial and goes completely dormant for the dry season. Do you have any H orchids to share? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

G is for Gomesa flexuosa a species native to Brazil and Argentina with petite bright yellow flowers. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

F has been tricky with very unusual species! To keep the alphabet and joy here is Cymbidium Fliquet from our new National Collection of Cymbidiums. Registered in 1990 you can see the strong influence of sanderae. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

E is for Eulophia roempleriana seen on our travels in Madagascar. An interesting fact about this rare showstopper is that it climbs pandanus trees, rooting in each leaf axil. What E orchids do you want to share today? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet

D is for Disa uniflora. These South African terrestrials enjoy life on our flood bench in Sussex with running water to replicate the conditions in nature. Do share any orchids with a D in their name! 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

Chysis aurea

C for Cattleya orchids from the display at last year’s Festa da Flor (usually held annually from around the beginning of May) #AtoZ #SharingMadeira

As well as the beautiful orchids B is also for Bougainvillea - whatever time of year there always seems to be some brightening up the surroundings #AtoZ #SharingMadeira

C is for Cymbidium King Paul which featured on one of the displays at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year - always a winner. Which orchids beginning with C would you like to share? 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

Aganpanthus - so prolific here #SharingMadeira #AtoZ

B is for Bulbophyllum ericssonii (aka binnendijki) a usual species and part of the Hartley collection. Which is your favourite bulbopyllum? 🔠 🌿🌸 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

Starting the lead up to New Year with an A to Z of our collection🎉. Do join in by sharing your A to Z’s too! Anguloa Rolfei registered by Sanders in 1915 is a primary hybrid of cliftonii and brevilabris 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation #orchidalphabet🌱

Ending the month with a trip to Kew Gardens - always inspirational. Lots of orchids in flower and beautiful paintings too 🎨🌸🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Selenipedium dodsonii is an extremely rare orchid (2.5m tall) not usually seen in the wild so this was a real highlight. Named by Phil Cribb in honour of Calaway Dodson this was seen near Puyo 🇪🇨🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Sobralia rosea today which was seen at several different locations on our travels. Flowers are very short lived but look stunning 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Sobralia virginalis was seen on the steep roadside cliffs between Baeza and Puyo. The flowers are really stunning, large and supposedly fragrant too 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Oncidium fuscatum alba is rare - usually the colours are burgundy and white. It’s native range is from Panama to Peru and North Brazil. This was also found near El Pangui. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Oncidium baueri is a species found throughout South America - this was seen close to the end of our trip near El Pangui and it is good to see another species we have in our National Collection 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Cattleya iricolor has a fascinating history. Strongly fragrant with delicate yellow flowers this species was described by Reichenbach in 1874 then undiscovered until 1962 when Padre Angel Andreetta found it in the Upano valley. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Oncidium abortivum was seen close to Baeza near the Antisana National Park. Our own abortivum is a baby by comparison! Here taking measurements for our database. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Maxillaria erikae (aka Trigonidium grande) with yellow flowers. This was seen on the road leading to Gualaceo from the Amazon basin. A striking orchid with just one flower! 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Stelis sclerophylla with a mass of flowers just spotted beside the road on a fence with farmland near Mindo 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Maxillaria acuminata is one of many we saw on our explorations. This was on a quiet roadside tree near Baeza. Many of the trees host lots of different epiphytes of all sizes! 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Pterichis pauciflora was seen in the cloudy Antisana Reserve close to the pink Elleanthus previously posted. This genus is one of approx 44 species of cool growing, terrestial orchids that grow at high altitude over 3000m 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Another Telipogon today. This species is possibly williamsii - a tiny flower growing as an epiphyte on a roadside tree near Mindo, the cloud forest outside Quito.🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

A rare unusual species today - Telipogon andicola with petite yellow flowers that are bigger than the plant. Growing on a steep cliff at 3000m. It dies back after blooming, resting until next season. #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Oncidium strictum a petite cool growing epiphyte on the road from Mindo to Quito. This species has been used in nearly 180 hybrids - one of the icons in our collection is Prince Vultan (strictum x nobile) that won an Award of Merit. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Epidendrum spathatum (aka embreei) was seen in a cloud forest reserve near Mindo. This beautiful orange flower - often these bright coloured orchids are pollinated by hummingbirds 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Epidendrum glossaspis was found on the roadside leading up to Gualaceo 🇪🇨 . It is interesting this is non-resupinate meaning the flowers do not turn round 180 degrees during development leaving the lip in uppermost position! 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Elleanthus maculatus was found in the Antisana Ecological Reserve growing lithophytically on volcanic rock. This stop was towards the end of the day and it was very cloudy making finding orchids even more of a challenge. #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Phragmipedium longifolium was another trip highlight. This was found beside the roadside near Mindo directly on the equator making it easier to photograph. Several hidden amongst the tall grass which needed an expert eye to spot! 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Today’s Phragmipedium is x richteri a natural hybrid (pearcei and boisserianum) also found in Ecuador as part of our travels. This has beautiful colourings. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Phragmipedium pearcei was seen growing in several locations growing lithophytically on the banks of rivers in the Amazon basin. Despite being periodically flooded in high rainfall or storms the colonies we saw were large and healthy. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Phragmipedium bessae is an iconic Ecuadorean species and it was really special to see a few in flower growing high on a water strewn bank on the roadside in the foothills of the Andes. The flowers are petite but shine like jewels. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

A stunning one today - this is Crytochilum pastacae another highlight to see in nature. This one was spotted at 1700m on a windy high road leading from the Amazon basin to Cuenca. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Another Crytochilum that matches one from our collection. This is diodon a small scrambling epiphyte with many small flowers which are yellow and brown. This was also spotted on the roadside to Quito from Mindo 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Another Crytochilum today - this one is serratum . This was rambling through the trees on the steep roadside from the cloud forest in Mindo down towards Quito and has large brown distinctive flowers. #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Now back from travels in Ecuador sharing some of the amazing orchids seen there. Starting with Crytochilum geniculatum, with striking coloured burgundy and white flowers, seen growing on the roadside near Mindo in North Ecuador. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Heading away for a month on an orchid conservation trip so will not be posting for a while….thanks for following and will be back early November 👀 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Oncidium D'Auvergne flowering in the warm house - this has warm growing species in its ancestry so has been moved to see the results 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Ludisia discolor was donated earlier this year by the McDonald family. With strong leaf markings one has just come into flower. So grateful for everyone who supports us and enables us to have a growing diverse collection. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Bulbophyllum makoyanum is an unusual one from the Hartley collection. Hard to photograph this one has six flower spikes in a large hanging basket. The species is from SE Asia where it grows in lowland forests up to 300m. 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Cymbidium Doctor Seton 'Las Vegas' x Cymbidium (Brook No Greenies x Runaway) '#2' 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Autumn colours with six orchids from our collections 🍂🍁 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Acenita barkeri flowering for the first time in the nursery 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation

Some of the Masdevallias in bloom at the nursery 🌿 #orchids #orquídeas #nature #conservation