Archive for the 'Growing Orchids in San Francisco' Category

Pacifica Blooms

Saturday, January 16th, 2016

Don’t hate us because we can garden year-round on the California coast! As a peace offering, please enjoy these pictures of a few orchids blooming outside on our back patio. I snapped these photos during a recent break in the rainy weather. The small Pleurothallis in the first two photos had just opened its strange […]

Easy Cool Growing Orchid Species

Sunday, December 6th, 2015

Following up on my earlier post about easy orchid species, here’s my list of easy cool growers. Unlike most orchid species, those listed below are as easy to grow as hybrids. Once again, this is not any sort of complete list, just a few that I know best. I’ve grown all of these varieties outdoors […]

More From Orchids in the Park

Friday, August 7th, 2015

Enjoy these photos from July’s Orchids in the Park in San Francisco. Brilliant orchid colors and strange flower shapes filled the show. Colorful miniatures competed for my camera with their dinner-plate sized orchid cousins. Flowers with twisted horns like an antelope stole the focus from other blooms with more vivid hues. The diversity always seems […]

Orchids in the Park

Tuesday, July 28th, 2015

Every year, Orchids in the Park puts on an amazing display. This past weekend, the event again filledĀ Golden Gate Park with fantastic orchids. San Francisco’s smaller annual show can’t compare with the Pacific Orchid Expo’s size and spectacle, but it always boasts outstanding and unusual plants. Of course, I especially love the bizarre varieties, which […]

Orchids in the Park Is Coming!

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015

The San Francisco Orchid Society presents Orchids in the Park this coming weekend, July 25th – 26th. Check out the orchids at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, near the park entrance by 9th Avenue & Lincoln Way. Enjoy orchid displays, vendors, talks by orchid experts, book sales, and raffles. To further whet […]

July Orchid Shows

Wednesday, July 1st, 2015

The orchid world focuses on the southern hemisphere this month, with busy show schedules in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and South Africa. There are still shows up north, too, in Louisiana, Iowa, Hawaii, Ontario, and more. San Francisco Bay Area residents, don’t miss Orchids in the Park in Golden Gate Park on July 25th-26th! Enjoy […]

Orchids at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

Monday, April 6th, 2015

It’s easy to spend a whole day enjoying the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley. Established in 1890, it has one of the largest and most diverse plant collections in the country, spread over 34 acres (13.8 hectares) of gardens and greenhouses. Among the botanical treasures, there are many unusual orchid species, which are rotated through […]

And More Photos From the Pacific Orchid Expo

Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Orchids are full of surprises.With incredibly diverse shapes, colors, and fragrances, it’s hard to believe that these flowers are actually related to one another. No other flowering plant family has such rich palettes and fascinating designs. These examples from the recent Pacific Orchid Expo certainly prove my point. Many of these lesser-known varieties are the […]

More Photos from the Pacific Orchid Expo

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

As I continue to sort through our pictures from this year’s Pacific Orchid Expo, I’m finding lots of great shots. Here are some of Dave’s photos. They’re wonderful examples of the stunning diversity of the orchid family, which goes far beyond what’s for sale at the supermarket. With their brilliant colors and strange shapes, these […]

Pacific Orchid Expo 2015

Monday, February 23rd, 2015

The Pacific Orchid Expo is always amazing, and this year was no exception. San Francisco’s premier orchid event was a huge hit. Whether you’re a seasoned orchid addict like myself, or an orchid newbie, this past weekend’s show was overwhelming. Here are the first of our photos from the expo, and there are many more […]