Archive for the 'Photos' Category

Equinox Trials and Tribulations

Monday, September 22nd, 2025

Despite the trials and tribulations of our planet, the earth continues to spin, the seasons continue their cycles, and orchids make great stress relievers. Enjoy these photos from this summer’s Orchids in the Park event in San Francisco to celebrate today’s equinox. Let the beauty of nature stop you in your tracks. When thoughts are […]

Elegant Coelogyne Orchid Brightens the Garden

Monday, August 25th, 2025

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 […]

Photos from Orchids in the Park 2025

Thursday, August 7th, 2025

Last week’s Orchids in the Park event was crowded with blooms and with people. The San Francisco Orchid Society always does a great job putting together its shows, and this was no exception. Enjoy these photos, and check back soon for more.

Don’t Miss Orchids in the Park Next Weekend!

Saturday, July 19th, 2025

Be sure to head to Golden Gate Park next weekend for Orchids in the Park. San Francisco’s summer show features lots of orchids, and also bromeliads, succulents, and carnivorous plants. There will be plant sales, orchid care workshops, and special activities for kids. These photos from last year’s event offer a glimpse of the wonders that […]

Summertime, Summertime

Friday, June 20th, 2025

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 […]

Spring Blooms

Saturday, May 24th, 2025

It’s not just orchids in our garden. While I recently boasted about the orchids in bloom, the rest of the plants are springing up, too. They include succulents, Mediterranean-climate plants, and California natives. Some really stand out, like the adorable Fivespots in the first photo above, and the stunning blue Aristea in the second photo. […]

Our Spring Garden Orchids

Tuesday, May 13th, 2025

Our garden has been bursting with spring orchid color. With mild weather and regular rains, these cool growers are loving life on the Northern California coast. When I remember to fertilize, I use 20-20-20 orchid fertilizer, but also alternate with light sprinklings of worm castings or compost. The natural fertilizer often kicks them into flower […]

Stenia: A Charming, Unusual Mini Orchid

Monday, April 14th, 2025

Being an orchid geek, one of my favorite things is blooming a species for the first time. When this unusual Stenia pushed out a single flower bud, I was excited. Over several weeks, the bud fattened up, and finally opened to reveal a fascinating blossom. Stenia vasquezii has a spotted flower with a lip folded […]

More Photos from Pacific Orchid Expo 2025

Thursday, March 20th, 2025

Celebrate today’s equinox with more pictures from the recent Pacific Orchid Expo in San Francisco. Begin with six terrific Cymbidiums, shown in the photos above. It’s no surprise that they were in abundance at the show. They’re relatively easy to grow on the California coast, and many are blooming at this time of year. The […]

“Orchids in the Clouds” Was Heavenly

Thursday, March 6th, 2025

Last weekend’s Pacific Orchid Expo in San Francisco was spectacular. The theme, “Orchids in the Clouds,” inspired heavenly displays. Dave and I took lots of pictures, and I’m just starting to sort through them. As always, there were amazing flowers, captivating fragrances, and friendly orchid lovers. I came home with a couple of miniatures, a […]