Archive for the 'Botanical Gardens' Category
Saturday, August 19th, 2023
Dave and I have been so fortunate to vacation in Hawaii over the years, but we’ve only been to Maui once. It was in 2005, before this old blog began. Maybe it’s a cliché to call it paradise, but it’s truly deserving of the title. These photos show a tiny fraction of the botanical wonders […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos
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Saturday, July 22nd, 2023
When I said we had more photos from the Conservatory of Flowers, I wasn’t kidding. There are a lot of magnificent plants packed under that elegant metalwork and white glass. With all the lush greenery, it’s easy to miss some of the orchids, especially the miniatures. To take it in, it’s best to go slowly […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos
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Saturday, June 17th, 2023
San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers is one of the many gems in Golden Gate Park. I’ve blogged about our past visits, but it had been a few years since we were there. Last week, Dave and I remedied that, and we were again in awe of their astounding collection. The glasshouse is magnificent on the […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos
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Tuesday, March 14th, 2023
The Guardian reports on the New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) latest big exhibition, and also its efforts to rescue endangered orchids. Behind the scenes, there are orchids salvaged from the illegal plant trade. When stolen species are confiscated by customs officials, they are sent to botanical gardens like NYBG to be saved. The plants are […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Conservation, In the News
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Tuesday, June 21st, 2022
Celebrate today’s summer solstice with more photos from our recent visit to San Francisco Botanical Garden. I already blogged about three of the most amazing plants we saw, but of course, the rest of the gardens are stunning, too. There were California natives, like a gorgeous California Azalea, and giant Coast Redwood Trees. South African […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos
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Tuesday, June 14th, 2022
San Francisco Botanical Garden, also known as Strybing Arboretum, is full of wonders. Whenever we go, Dave and I always expect to enjoy lush growth and plentiful blooms. But on a recent visit, it seems the gardens went above and beyond their usual magic. There weren’t any orchids, but we were astounded by some stunning […]
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Wednesday, October 20th, 2021
All over the world, rare plants are being stolen from the wild, and from botanical gardens. London’s legendary Kew Gardens employs security officers and cameras 24 hours a day. Its orchids, however, need extra protection. Many are displayed in locked glass cabinets to prevent theft. The rarest aren’t put out for visitors at all. Spurred […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Conservation, In the News
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Thursday, October 1st, 2020
This is the first events post since March. These are virtual except for the Singapore show, which promises to follow COVID19 safety guidelines. Check with your local orchid society for more shows, meetings, talks, and sales which have gone online. October 1 – 15 San Francisco Orchid Society October Sale – Order plants online. You […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Events
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Saturday, May 16th, 2020
The Pink Lady Slipper, or Cypripedium acaule, used to grow wild in the Philadelphia area, but now is uncommon. It’s one of the most enchanting and elegant orchids native to the Eastern USA and Canada. When local plants were discovered last June, experts from nearby Longwood Gardens jumped into action. They hand-pollinated the flowers, and […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Conservation, Cool Growers, In the News
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Saturday, April 4th, 2020
Happy birthday, Golden Gate Park! It’s one of the most famous parks in the world, and it’s turning 150 years old. Formerly barren sand dunes, it’s now full of plants, animals, museums, statues, hiking trails, lakes, and meadows. It’s one of our favorite destinations. (Of course, much of it is shut down because of the […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, In the News, Misc, Photos
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