Large duck orchid (Caleana major) + sun orchid with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) near Karbeethong, E. Gippsland, VIC. Only made it down south on 3 mornings this spring but still managed to see a good range of the regular locals (plus several new orchids!) #orchids #inthefield

Microtis parviflora (slender onion orchid) growing amongst the sun orchids at the back of the house - Corunna, NSW. Grows here alongside Microtis unifolia (common onion orchid) which has shorter flowering stems with more crowded flowers at this location. #orchids #ozplants

A few more late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Mallacoota, E. Gippsland, VIC. Only plants in part shade on the edge of the forest were still flowering in early Nov at this location - usually in slightly damper soils #orchids #inthefield

Rosy hyacinth orchid (Dipodium roseum) still flowering at Christmas, Corunna, NSW. Only a few small scattered plants out this yr at home with almost no meaningful spring rainfall + a dry start to summer. But quite a few larger flowering stems out on roadside verges between Tilba and Narooma #orchids

Late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Karbeethong, East Gippsland, VIC. Quite a few different variations still in flower here in more shaded spots with protection from harsh afternoon sun when more exposed plants have finished #orchids

It's been another poor year for the hyacinth orchids (Dipodium) at home in Corunna, NSW with most of the small patch of Dipodium variegatum not flowering at all after a dry spring. However in recent weeks several new flower spikes have emerged later than usual - but with only 2 or 3 flowers #orchids

Sun orchids (Thelymitra) growing together in open grassland west of Mallacoota, E. Gippsland, VIC. Sun orchids with spots (T. ixioides / T. juncifolia) growing near T. carnea + species in the T. pauciflora group can lead to some beautiful hybrids - including T. x irregularis (top right) #orchids

Grevillea candelabroides (grafted) flowering in the garden at Corunna, NSW. This beautiful WA species features attractive foliage and large sprays of creamy white flowers (which are scented). Grafted plants are a good option in the east but are not often seen in nurseries #grevilleas #ozplants

Late flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Not sure if slightly different lobes on these plants are just a result of aging - or something different. Only saw one plant like this on the last trip. #orchids #inthefield

Interesting form of Thelymitra × irregularis (crested sun orchid) near Karbeethong, East Gippsland, VIC. Only one roadside plant out at this location with fewer spots and richer colours than other nearby populations.I haven't seen this beautiful natural hybrid here before. #orchids #inthefield

Black-hooded sun orchid (Thelymitra atronitida) near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. This uncommon species tends to be very shy to flower - usually only see one or two flowers open briefly on warm/humid mornings. A nice patch of plants at this location but only one flower open. #orchids #inthefield

Microtis unifolia (common onion orchid) growing amongst the sun orchids at the back of the house, Corunna, NSW. Flowers are very small - standard Aussie fly included for scale. Grows here alongside a robust form of M. parviflora (slender onion orchid) which has much longer flowering stems #orchids

Crested sun orchid (Thelymitra × irregularis) west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Slightly different form of this beautiful naturally occurring hybrid (thought to be a cross between T. ixioides x T. carnea) compared to plants growing further west near Genoa. Only a couple of plants out #orchids

Double ducks west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Didn't see a lot of large duck orchids (Caleana major) on my couple of brief East Gippsland trips this year but did see scattered plants in full flight at a couple of locations. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Nice variations in the some of the later sun orchids with spots west of Mallacoota, VIC. I've decided to go with sun orchids with spots rather than spotted sun orchid (Thelymitra ixioides) as there are maybe just as many plants at this location that could also be T. juncifolia - or hybrids #orchids

Probably the best purple donkey orchids (Diuris punctata) I saw this spring near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC. I only made it down for a brief visit at the start of November this year so a lot of plants were not out in full flower when I was there. #Orchids #OzPlants #InTheField

Cymbidium sauve (Grass-leaf Cymbidium / snake orchid) in the rain at Corunna, NSW. After what looked like a goodish start to the flowering season only one plant on the road in actually made it to full-flowering - the very dry spring affected most other plants around the property. #orchids #cymbidium

Sun orchid (Thelymitra) variations growing close together on the edge of Croajingolong NP, VIC. Thelymitra ixioides (spotted sun orchid) are common nearby but in open grassland some smaller-flowering forms are maybe closer to the very similar Thelymitra juncifolia (rush-leaf sun orchid) #orchids

Rosy hyacinth orchids (Dipodium roseum) out in the light rain at Corunna, NSW. Dipodium are the most visible summer orchids around Corunna with 3 x species growing locally. This patch of D. roseum next to the track behind the house are usually the the first ones out most years #Orchids #OzPlants

Thelymitra atronitida (black-hooded sun orchid) near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC. Flowers only open briefly on warm humid mornings and then close before midday. Usually starts to flower at this location just as the other local sun orchids have finished - only saw 1 plant this year #orchids

Roadside onion orchids (Microtis sp.) near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC. Maybe M. parviflora although some recent reclassifications split this widespread species into 3 x species in VIC. Tip of little finger here for scale - individual flowers are very small! #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Nice pink form of Thelymitra ixioides (spotted sun orchid) near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Have seen one or two pink forms at this location in past years but haven't seen them every spring. #Orchids #OzPlants #InTheField

Purple donkey orchids (Diuris punctata) and Trigger plants (Stylidium sp.) on the edge of Croajingalong National Park, East Gippsland, VIC. Most of the trigger plants out here were this very attractive pale-flowering form with tall flower spikes. #Orchids #Stylidium #InTheField

Thelymitra × irregularis (crested sun orchid) near the Genoa River, VIC. This beautiful naturally occurring hybrid is thought to be a cross between T. ixioides x T. carnea (which both grow nearby). Regarded as rare in VIC but managed to see plants flowering at several locations this spring #orchids

Slender sun orchid (Thelymitra pauciflora) and pink sun orchid (Thelymitra carnea) flowering close together near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC. These two small sun orchids combine to form some interesting hybrids at this location but I didn't see any out this year on my quick visit #orchids

Small pink Caladenia orchid variations near the Mongarlowe River, Monga, NSW. Some interesting variations in flower colour and size in roadside plants on the edge of tall forest. Most plants here are prob closer to C. carnea although C. fuscata is more common to the north around Mongarlowe #orchids

Thelymitra ixioides (spotted sun orchid) variations growing side by side in open grassland near the Genoa River, VIC. Most spotted suns here have smaller flowers (+ fewer flowers / plant on shorter stems) than more typical coastal forms. Flower colour + shape is also very variable #orchids #ozplants

Purple Beard Orchid (Calochilus robertsonii) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC. The flowers are fairly small at this location but they generally feature some of the bushiest beards of the local Calochilus. Only saw the one plant out this year in a dry spring #Orchids #OzPlants #InTheField

Tailed leek orchid (Prasophyllum appendiculatum) near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC. Only found the two plants out here this year which may have been a result of a dry spring - or me only having a quick look a week or so earlier than I usually drop by ;) #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Pink sun orchids (Thelymitra carnea) near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC. Quite a common species around Genoa in both heathland and open grassland - often combining with other blue-flowering sun orchids growing nearby to form interesting hybrids. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) near the Genoa River, East Gippsland, VIC. Most spotted suns at this location have fewer smaller flowers than these more robust plants (which are a bit closer to the typical coastal forms growing around Mallacoota to the east). #Orchids #OzPlants #InTheField

Trigger plants (Stylidium sp.) and some of the smaller locals dining out on the local vegetation in open grassland near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC. #inthefield #ozplants #spring #beetles

Slender sun orchids (Thelymitra pauciflora) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC. As with other nearby populations of this diminutive sun orchid flower colour can vary a bit between light blue and slightly pink. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Early morning purple donkey orchids (Diuris punctata) near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC. A fairly widespread species in VIC and NSW but generally uncommon and only found in disjunct populations (regarded as vulnerable in VIC due to habitat depletion). #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Sun orchid (Thelymitra) near Genoa, VIC - probably a hybrid between T. ixioides x T.pauciflora (both flowering nearby). Similar hybrids are known as Thelymitra × truncata in SA, VIC, NSW, TAS but this name has also been applied to a wide range of hybrids involving 5 different species #orchids

Pink forms of Caladenia alata (fairy fingers) north of Mallacoota, VIC. All of the plants in this small patch have the same pink flowers -while all of the plants in more open heathland nearby are the more typical white-flowering forms of this delicate orchid. These pink forms may be hybrids #orchids

Marsh sun orchids (Thelymitra longiloba) on the edge of Croajingolong National Park, East Gippsland, VIC. This is the first time I've seen this species - although I have seen a single plant of the similar Thelymitra improcera just nearby in the past. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Tailed leek orchids (Prasophyllum appendiculatum) near Genoa, VIC. Flower colour is quite variable in this rare species with a mix of yellow, brown, red + purple forms often growing together. Only saw a couple of plants out on my last visit but may have been a week or so too early this year #orchids

Slender sun orchids (Thelymitra pauciflora) in open grassland on the edge of Croajingalong National Park, East Gippsland, VIC. Most early flowering plants here have only one or two flowers with colour varying slightly between blue and slightly pink #orchids #inthefield #ozplants

Small pink Caladenia orchids near Monga, NSW. The pinker forms here look a lot like C. hillmani - although this is generally a coastal sp. This plant was slightly unusual with two buds on the flowering stem (most plants here were single flowers) plus one of the buds had split into 2 flowers #orchids

Kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos hybrid) and Grevillea plurijuga currently flying the flag for WA flora in the Corunna, NSW garden. Grafted G. plurijugas are now more widely available in SE NSW nurseries (as G 'Purple Haze') and do pretty well in local conditions. #inthegarden #ozplants #grevilleas

Spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides) near Half Moon, NSW. As with populations of this variable sp. nearby at Mongarlowe there was a nice mix of spotted and not so spotted flowers out here on roadside verges. Didn't see any other colour variations here either - just shades of blue #orchids

Cymbidium sauve (Grass-leaf Cymbidium / snake orchid) at Corunna, NSW. Wasn't sure there would be a lot of flowers out this year with very little rain at home recently - but 2 of the 3 plants on the road in are looking great (despite being munched a little by some of the smaller locals!) #orchids

Purple donkey orchids (Diuris punctata) out in heathland in the edge of Croajingolong NP, E. Gippsland, VIC. Not as many of these beautiful orchids out this spring compared to recent wetter years but still a few plants in bud so might be some more flowering later in the season #orchids #inthefield

Croajingalong orchids - Slender sun orchid (Thelymitra pauciflora) and large duck orchid (Caleana major) flowering together in open grassland surrounded by sundews and trigger plants. Croajingalong National Park, East Gippsland, VIC. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants #spring

Mongarlowe sun orchids - plants out on roadside verges here were either fairly typical spotted sun orchids (Thelymitra ixioides - blue with spots) with the occasional really nice unspotted form. Didn't see any other major colour variations - just a couple of slighty pinker unspotted flowers #orchids

Red beard orchids (Calochilus paludosus) near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC. Didn't see a lot of other beard orchid species out on several East Gippsland visits this spring but the red beards were out in good numbers at several spots. #orchids #inthefield #ozplants #spring

Thelymitra longiloba (marsh sun orchid) in open heathland near Genoa, East Gippsland, VIC. A widespread sp. in VIC but highly localised + only known from small disjunct populations. 10-12 plants at this location with most opening mid-morning - this is the first time I've seen this sp. #orchids

Small pink Caladenia variations near Monga, NSW. Smaller white forms here resemble C. alata but the pinker forms maybe look a bit more like C. hillmani - particularly plants with much larger flowers? C. hillmani is a coastal sp. so not exactly sure what is going on here at almost 1000m alt. #orchids

Larger flowering form in this year's patch of Corunna backdoor sun orchids (Thelymitra sp. - prob. T.peniculata). These plants with much larger ribbed leaves grew next to the house with no direct sun - so were very shy to flower. This was the only one I saw out (for just an hour or so) #orchids