At the end of April, Dave and I enjoyed attending a little orchid show in nearby San Mateo, south of San Francisco. The Peninsula Orchid Society and the Gold Coast Cymbidium Society joined forces for an event that was full of winning orchids. Elegant, exotic, weird, wonderful, large, and small were packed into wonderfully diverse […]
For years, I’ve needed glasses to see small things. Despite that, I bought this lovable little Lepanthes orchid at February’s Pacific Orchid Expo. I knew that its blossoms would be tiny, colorful specks. A month after bringing it home, it popped open a flower, then another, and another. It’s kept going ever since. The charming […]
As spring begins today, these orchids have been flowering in our garden over the winter. Regular readers of this blog won’t be surprised that this post is heavy on the Cymbidiums, which are in the six photos below. The non-Cymbidiums in the six photos above include a Zygo, a Laelia, an Epidendrum, a Giant Hyacinth […]
By the time I leave an orchid show, like last month’s Pacific Orchid Expo, I’m on orchid overload. Sorting through our photos, I find fascinating details I hadn’t noticed, and I’m even more amazed. Brilliant colors, showy flowers, and strange shapes reveal themselves. And there are always new hybrids, and species I’ve never seen before. […]
San Francisco’s Pacific Orchid Expo is always spectacular, and this past weekend’s event did not disappoint. It was full of stunning flowers, and the eager visitors included a few old friends. We all enjoyed the exhibits, the awarded orchids, and the sales area. Among the vibrant colors, there was a purple Dendrobium with an FCC, […]
The 71st Annual Pacific Orchid Expo runs from this Friday, February 16th through Sunday, February 18th, with a special preview night on Thursday, February 15th. It happens at the Hall of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, in San Francisco. Tickets are available in advance for a discount, or at […]
Pansy Orchids, or Miltoniopsis, have brilliant colors, sweet scents, and delightful waterfalls. This popular genus resembles pansies, and features pink, yellow, red, purple, or white blooms. Colorful patterns on their flower lips appear to flow downwards, and are called waterfalls. There’s lots of confusion between Miltoniopsis and Miltonia. Miltonias are a closely related genus, requiring […]
The winter solstice comes and goes, but Moth Orchids keep on blooming. This purple beauty was a gift from a neighbor. It’s been flowering over two months already, and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Certainly, it inspires warm thoughts on the shortest day of the year. I admit that I’ve sometimes mocked Moth […]
What’s my favorite orchid? My answer to that question has always been “whatever’s in bloom right now.” Of course, there are special ones, but I can’t narrow it down to a single winner. Instead, I’ll invent a few categories to help out. Favorite flowers – Masdevallias are my favorites, but it was a tough call […]
I’m captivated by this legendary Masdevallia veitchiana with its bold colors. In mid-October, it opened a gorgeous flower. A few weeks later, it was followed by a second, and then a third! The oldest blossom has been damaged by the elements, but it’s still standing tall. Together, all three are putting on a great show […]
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