Neither plant has a label. I identified them by looking at photos online. Both are the bright pink phalaenopsis. Both had no buds when I got them over a year ago. One I cut down per information I saw online about getting it them to bloom. The other, I did not cut down. The one I didn't cut down is the one that keeps growing and growing and always has new buds. The other one has not bloomed. I've repotted both and changed the orchid bark on the non blooming plant recently. What is interesting to me is that I have read to get it to bloom to place it in a dark cool area. I have also read to place it in a cooler area in bright light. Both plants are in front of a window (kind of cold) and in bright light. Should I try moving it into a dark area for awhile? Interesting how the one that I didn't follow the directions on is the one that is blooming beautifully.

I am going to put this here so other newbies can learn from this post also. 1) cuttings... most people dont bother with cuttings from datura because they come true from seed. 2) Varigation, it could be that your plant has something it its genes for the varigation but if you want to market that varigation then most societies want to have the varigation in the seedlings for at least 3 generations and then you have to name it and get it listed with the brug societies. For the pollination, well, nature usually takes care of itself, usually early morning or late evening bugs will do the job. It will always be an annual, the difference between an annual and a perennial is that an annual will die in our winters but a perennial will die to the ground but resprout in the spring. I killed my triple yellow datura last year.. good thing I got seeds! Here is a link for you to start.. good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: American Brugmansia/Datura Society

First it is good to identify what kind of hydrangea you have. If it blooms pink or blue then you have H. macrophylla which should NOT be pruned in the fall (otherwise you cut the flower buds off). What gardening zone are you in? Perhaps zone 5? If so, you might also be getting winter freeze on the buds and killing the flowers that way. 'Endless Summer' is one hydrangea was developed to overcome winter bud kill because it can bloom on new wood. Please look at the site below for lots more information about caring for hydrangeas. Here is a link that might be useful: Very good site on the care of hydrangeas

Hi AlisonOz, I too have some queries re medinilla (probably also myriantha) and am also in subtropical east-coast Australia (Byron Bay). Over the last 2-3 years, I've had two Probably Myrianthas. Both did okay. Both bloomed. Then I moved (only 20 minutes up the road) and took one with me and left the other under some else's care, where it died. So now I've just one (the one I took with me). Aaand, although I've tried to create similar conditions to what it was used to (and seemed to like), it's stopped blooming (whereas before they both bloomed year round!) aaand it's also begun to get ... well maybe it's leaf-tip burn, but it really doesnt get much sun (just filtered arvo sun) and the symptoms look more like a type of mould type on the leaves. The leaves crumple and krinkle as well...and then they become fragile - and drop off if you touch them. They not only get "mouldy" at their tips but I note a purple-red 'bruising' at where they're joined to the stem. I've even come to suspect that it's some form of canker (why? ah because I also note that some of its woodier stems have blistered and split open!). I've got this one in a cymbid bark in a black plastic pot. It's been under a balcony (protected from too much rain), gets the SLIGHTEST bit of arvo sun, no morning sun. I water it as i do my orchids - by sitting the pot into a bath of water and letting it soak for a bit. Then it goes back onto it's a humidity pebble tray but the water doesnt touch the bottom of the pot. I feed it orchid strike back very occasionally (which incidently I'm convinced they love - always seem to perk up!). Otherwise its leaves are green and healthy... oh but some have "holes' in them (full circular holes, yep!). So no, i cannot get to the bottom of what's going on with this leaf-burn or leaf-mould AND the NO-blooming anymore... I'll post some pix in a tick (when I work out how). Any ideas? Any advice?