Picture one shows the aesculus hippocastanum (conker tree) photographed in early spring, picture three shows the fatsia japonica that has been infected with armillia (honey fungus). on this visit two of the three stems have died and rotted and fell free of the actual root stock leaving a gaping hole in the butt. The folage was a healthy green with new growth showing. i pruned some small branches to reduce the weight on the leaning side, and choose the spot where i felt the orchids would have a good chance of surviving. These plants were planted in march 1998, four flowered in may, in 1999 four came up in may and three were seen in flower, this year (2000) i hope that they have settled down and expext to see at least four,(i will update at the end of may). The folage indicates that possibly the fatsia survived the last attack and still has a healthy root system working for it. This could be attributed to fate, or perhaps the 'tonic' i fed it last year helped to strengthen it's resistence aganst armillia attack,or perhaps unbalanced the soil environment enough to knock back the fungus mycelium.