AboutOrchids

In The Guardian, British botanist James Wong offers tips on figuring out if that rare plant you’re buying is illegal. Rare plants, including endangered orchids, are taken from the wild by unscrupulous sellers. It’s illegal, and contributes to extinctions. In addition, wild plants are unlikely to survive in cultivation. So how can responsible gardeners know […]

We’ve got the equinox blues. No, no, there aren’t any blue flowers here. These blues are the sadness kind, arising from a pandemic, climate change catastrophes, and a fascist government in this country that’s already cheating in the next election. Fortunately, pretty flowers are a great distraction. Celebrate today’s equinox, and enjoy these stunning blooms […]

Fuchsias have lots of flower power, and are perennial garden favorites for humans and hummingbirds. They feature charming blooms which dangle like bells in soft pastel colors, or bright reds, pinks, or purples. They’re great companion plants for orchids, too. Our fuchsias, shown in the first two photos above, grow happily in the sun alongside […]

Orchids are one of the largest plant families in existence, and that family is still growing. There’s always a steady stream of orchids which are new to science. Recent discoveries include a Vanilla species from Vietnam, a Palmorchis from the Amazon, and a bright orange Dendrochilum from the Philippines. There’s also a fascinating little Corybas, […]

For over 120 years, the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has employed an official artist to render portraits of award-winning orchids. This stunning art is not only beautiful, but also precise in its botanical elements, making it better than photographs for discerning floral details. Since 1897, there have been nine official artists who have painted […]

Six months ago, I did a regular post about March’s upcoming orchid events. It included a note about a few cancellations because of COVID19. I certainly had no idea how much the world would change since then. By April, almost everything was cancelled, and it would have been irresponsible for me to publicize any remaining […]