terrestrial orchids companion plants for aloes
The small terrestrial orchid Pterygodium.volucris can grow happy in the same conditions as the aloes in the garden. The name orchid usually goes with pretty or very odd flowers, but not in the case of this small orchid. The flowers are so plain and the same colour as the leaves so that it is easy to overlook them. The plants are neat and they grow very easy.  Pterygodium volucris is from the winter rainfall area so it needs rest in summer and water in winter. It can remain in the ground in a dry climate.

The orchids grow next to the Paintbrush lily Haemanthus coccinius (The two large leaves in photo ) which bloomed a few weeks ago. 

 The Paintbrush lily sends out the flower first( photo below), then the leaves. The leaves measure, each 39 cm long and 17 cm wide. In inches that is roughly 16 inches long and 7 inches wide. I measured them.

The little blue aloe in the top photo is a hybrid growing without any attention. I would have liked to ask it to make an offshoot or two, but it seems that is not going to happen.
The winter rain has started and the dry patches between the aloes are turning green - soon there will be flowers all over. For now we enjoy the green and the anticipation.

The winter is here with rain and aloe flowers. I can not remember ever looking forward to winter before I had an aloe garden.
We have more than 100 different aloes, mostly species, but a few hybrids too. The aloe in bloom is a hybrid with Aloe framesii (on the left next to it) and Aloe krapohliana which is a smaller aloe. Aloe krapohliana grows in the very arid Namaqualand and Aloe framesii grows along the west coast. Their habitat overlap, but there are very few natural hybrids. We saw one only once.
The climate in Namaqualand is very harsh in the summer, but in winter when it rains Namaqualand changes into a flower garden. Mostly succulents, mesembs and daisies, but also lilies and even ground orchards. The Western Cape where we live border on Namaqualand and our rain season is also in the winter - our rainfall is quite a bit higher, but strictly speaking we are very near to Namaqualand and many of the plants can grow in our garden.
By the way the garden above is part of Rudi's garden. The aloes in front are left to right. Aloe comptonii, Aloe framesii (two plants ), Aloe hybrid mentioned above and Aloe thraskii.

photo left is roughly what my side of the garden looks like in bloom.

Something special. My favourite little patch

The cone shaped plants in the centre are ground orchards Satyrium odorum.  Very pretty bright green and easy growing,  in our winter rainfall climate.  The flowers are very small and green with a pleasant soft smell but it is easy to overlook them.  Not even the comment that they are  ugly (like the flowers of some orchards), as they are so small and easy to miss.
The lily at the back has just two very large leaves Haemanthus coccineus - the paintbrush lily. The two leaves span close to a meter.

Paintbrush lily the name fits perfectly.