AboutOrchids

So you like orchids, but you don’t want to do the work? Orchid shows are a perfect solution. You’ll enjoy lots of amazing flowers, and you don’t have to water a single one. Here’s a small sampling of orchid shows happening in June. May 31-June 1 Express Orchid Exhibition, Holiday Inn Express Hotels and Suites, […]

It may look like just another orchid, but this blooming Epipactis gigantea is special for a few reasons. Unlike most commonly cultivated orchids, which come from tropical regions, this orchid is a San Francisco native. In fact, it’s native to a wide part of western North America, spanning from SW Canada to NW Mexico, and […]

I’ve been collecting orchid books for years, but this ranks as one of my favorites. Manuel Aubron’s fantastic photos capture the beauty and strangeness of orchids, and the text provides concise descriptions of how these plants grow in the wild. As a bonus it’s 2 books in 1, combining a large coffee-table book of detailed […]

A gardener friend once told me that if I’m not killing plants, I’m not learning anything. I do try to avoid fatalities in my learning process, but they still happen sometimes. This beautiful bloom is from last year, when my little Sophronitis cernua was doing well. This Cattleya relative is native to Brazil. I’ve kept […]

Tiny Lepanthopsis astrophora has a name that’s bigger than the plant itself. I bought this Masdevallia relative at a sale at OrchidMania last year, and it’s been in constant bloom for a year. The flowers only last a few days each, but there’s a constant resupply. If they look small in the pictures, they are! […]

With lots of cool days this Spring, our backyard garden has been slow to start. But with mild temperatures and longer days, it’s finally filling in. Enjoy these (non-orchid) photos. Our yard is partially shaded by our neighbors’ trees, so the poppies don’t receive enough sun until mid-Spring. This was one of the first to […]

Nicknamed the Hardy Chinese Orchid, Bletilla striata is a terrestrial that grows in soil. Originally from China, Japan, and Korea, Bletillas go dormant over the winter, and can handle light freezes. These flowers have been slowly opening over the past few days. They’re still not completely open in these photos, but you can see their […]

Whether you’re just starting to learn about orchids or you’re a seasoned pro, orchid shows are a great way to enjoy beautiful flowers and meet others in your area who share your interest. Here are just a few of the many shows happening in North America this month. May 2-4 Vancouver Orchid Society Show, Richmond […]

These orchids I can’t kill, because they’re part of a coloring book. In lieu of water and fertilizer, I’ll need crayons. And while I appreciate the subject matter, I think I’ll leave the coloring to a visiting niece or nephew. There’s a helpful glossary in the back for all the big botanical words in the […]