San Francisco’s annual Pacific Orchid Expo is full of botanical riches. There are plenty of novel hybrids, extraordinary species, and awards for the best among them. It’s the cream of the crop. Add in more colors than any rainbow, and some rich perfumes, and it’s easy to see why orchid lovers are so hooked. It’s […]
You can now buy first-class orchids at the post office. The US Postal Service has just released 10 new stamps featuring wild orchids. All the species represented are native to the USA. My photos show both sides of a 20-stamp booklet and the cover image. There are nine orchid species depicted. Three Birds Orchid, Triphora […]
San Francisco’s big annual orchid show runs this weekend from February 21st – 23rd, and includes a special preview night on Thursday, February 20th. These photos from last year’s expo are just a small sample of what to expect. Over 150,000 orchids will be on display, alongside dozens of vendors, expert care demos, and kids’ […]
Orchids have become so favored as Valentine’s gifts that it’s now a common dilemma whether to keep the plant afterwards. Many think that orchids are impossible to grow, but with basic care info, common varieties are easy. The most popular are Moth Orchids, like those pictured in the photos above. Check out more tips about […]
In my first post about RHS Garden Wisley, I focused on orchids, but there was certainly plenty more to enjoy. There’s only one more orchid in this post, a Stanhopea in the first picture. Stanhopeas are known for their bizarre but short-lived flowers, only lasting a few days. We certainly were lucky to find so […]
Vandas are orchid royalty, but they can be challenging to grow. They need sun, warmth, regular water, high humidity, and lots of space for their long, dangling roots. Since they don’t like being potted, they’re usually grown on mounts or in baskets, with their roots hanging freely. That makes them difficult for home growers, who […]
Oxford Botanic Garden has great orchids, and many other impressive plants, too. The photos in this post include a couple of orchids, more from the glasshouses, and sights from the surrounding grounds. The glasshouses feature fantastic collections of exotic tropical flowers, carnivorous plants, desert plants, and more. Outdoors, the gardens offer ample winter interest, with […]
London’s Kew Gardens is home to the Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse. It was closed for renovations for five years, and reopened in 2018. The skilled staff at Kew have regrown its lush greenery, and it’s full of remarkable plants. During my visit there in early December, I found a couple of Cymbidiums […]
RHS Garden Wisley doesn’t have Kew Gardens’ international reputation, or Oxford Botanic Garden’s ancient pedigree, but it does have plenty of amazing orchids. Wisley is located south of London in Surrey County. When Dave and I visited in early December, its large Glasshouse featured lots of elegant Lady Slippers, dazzling Stanhopeas, and other orchids in […]
Celebrate today’s solstice with more photos from my recent visit to Kew Gardens in London. These pictures are all from the Princess of Wales Conservatory, which is one of several large glasshouses at Kew. They include a few orchids, some brilliantly colorful bromeliads, and other tropical plants. The conservatory features separate tropical and temperate zones […]
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