Welcome to autumn. Enjoy these recent blooms from our garden in honor of today’s equinox. These flowers may already be familiar to regular readers. I’ll include links for these orchids at the end of the post. This has definitely been the least foggy summer that I remember after many decades in the SF Bay Area. […]
Scaphosepalums aren’t very popular orchids. Having small flowers and long names doesn’t help. That’s a shame, because they’re beautiful and fascinating. Some have blooms which look like mustaches. Some resemble birds in flight, and some look like they have fangs. They can flower sequentially on the same spike, so happy plants may continue blooming for years. […]
Meet Elleanthus amethystinus, a fascinating orchid from the Andes. Out of bloom, the plant looks like a small clump of bamboo, with pointed leaves on thin stems. But when clusters of bright pink flowers emerge, it’s obviously an orchid. The charming blossoms boast fringed lips, and resemble little joyous birds. Each flower is only about […]
For today’s summer solstice, enjoy these orchids happily growing wild in Colorado and Utah. The first row of photos features the Spotted Coralroot, an unusual leafless plant which only appears above ground when it blooms. Despite this peculiarity, its flowers are spectacular, as are its deep red stems. Below, the second row of pictures highlights […]
Ask locals in the San Francisco Bay Area where it’s the foggiest, and many will say Pacifica. The town that Dave and I have called home for over a dozen years even has an annual Fog Fest. Blowing in from ocean, the fog is fascinating and beautiful, even when it arrives on a chilly wind. […]
Artificial Intelligence is in vogue nowadays. It can be helpful, but it makes it tougher than ever to know what’s real and what’s not. That includes orchid photos. There are fake AI orchids all over. Actual orchids are beautiful and amazing enough. Phony AI photos go overboard, like slathering paint on a peacock. I guarantee […]
Pleurothallis orchids don’t have the largest or most colorful flowers, but they can be fascinating. These two species exemplify their charms. In the photos above, the first is Pleurothallis viduata, a miniature from Ecuador. I bought it at Orchids in the Park this past July. Its white and purple flowers bob in the breeze on thin, […]
We’re spoiled on the California coast with year-round gardening. The rainy season has slowly begun, and we’re heading into our winter growing season. Cymbidium flower spikes are sprouting. Masdevallias and other pleurothallids are reveling in the cool conditions. The evidence is here in the brilliant colors from our garden. These cool-growers flourish despite pests and […]
This gorgeous Coelogyne arrived in our garden recently after a friend gave me a division. Happily, it bloomed quickly, and we’ve been enjoying these great flowers. Coelogyne Memoria W. Micholitz is a hybrid orchid, and it’s truly a prize. Its crystal white blooms boast a flower lip with brilliant orange hues. This is a primary […]
In honor of today’s solstice, enjoy these photos from a recent visit to a friend’s garden. The plants thriving outdoors in her backyard in San Francisco’s Mission District include lots of orchids. Cool-growing Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, and Coelogynes put on a stunning show. Flowering maples, fuchsias, and a very happy orange clivia complement the orchids. Whether […]
You are currently browsing the archives for the Cool Growers category.
