On Friday 17 Sep and Saturday 18 Sep, two seperate groups due to COVID restrictions, we enjoyed a pleasurable trip to Heather McKeans in Balendella stunning orchid displays and her delightful garden. Three green houses absolutely packed with flowering Dendrobiums, Cymbidiams, Natives, Exotics & Cattleas. The perfume was overwhelming and the colours just popped. Heather shared her success with trial and error along the way. POTTING- Heathers potting medium includes charcoal, wood chips & scoria with maybe perlite as well for a free draining mix. Dont repot unless very crowded and right to the edge of the pot. FEEDING- Feed with pelletised ‘INITIATOR’ balls planted in soil helps with beetles and pests as it absorbs through the bulbs as it feeds & repels. cut these in half for smaller pots. [ pellets are available at Bunnings note not cheap but goes along way!!] Her orchids are sheltered in her greenhouses from frosts and hot weather. WATERING- once a week winter, 2-3 times summer if needed. Try not to water over bulbs to discourage rot. LIQUID FERTILISER- best for small pots and native orchids. We then toured around the rest of her lovely garden full of flowering plants, bulbs, ferns and stag and elk horns plus many established trees. Talked to the resident cockatoo very chatty entertaining character. We then finished off for lunch at Curleos Waffles. And a bonus lovely weather.