A passion spanning more than 40 years delivers a smile to orchid lovers Max and Val Kennedy each spring.
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Growing orchids can be a challenging role - making sure they bloom at just the right time adds to the pressure.
Mr Kennedy decided to take on the task after visiting a flower show.
"I was a clay target shooter and had trouble with my hearing so I had to give it up," he said.
"I went to an orchid show and thought it was alright and that I could give it a go."
Mr Kennedy said his oldest orchid he owns would be more than 40 years old.
"My favourite colour is red. I think it just stands out and they appeal to me," Mr Kennedy said.
"I grow cymbidium orchids. They don't require any heat.
"At shows, the judges aren't really keen on cymbidiums but they will come back in as the cycle comes around again."
The Stawell Orchid Society will host its annual spring show at the Stawell Entertainment Centre from Friday, September 27-29.
Plants of different genre, as well as Australian Natives, will be featured in many displays.
Mr and Mrs Kennedy have entered orchids in the show.
"It takes a whole day to get the plants down to the centre," Mrs Kennedy said.
"It's a big job to get them all there. Max has shown his orchids all over the place over the years, but now he just takes them to the show in Stawell and the summer show in Halls Gap.
"I help carry them out but I don't interfere too much. You can break one very easily."
Mrs Kennedy shared her tips on preparing gardens for springtime.
"We aren't vegetable growers," she said.
"We grow a lot of annuals in our garden but now is the time to trim everything up and get everything right.
"We don't have a flash garden. Just have something easy to keep. If you do a small amount of maintenance in the garden throughout the year and choose your plants wisely you can have plants flowering all year round."
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