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.
There’s plenty on offer this August, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Right on the equator, Singapore’s wondrous Flower Dome is going to pack in even more orchids than usual for a month-long Orchid Extravaganza. No matter where in the world, these events are great opportunities to immerse yourself in orchids.
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 will be on display. Buy discounted tickets in advance online. The online presale is open to the public so you can start your shopping now (you must pick up purchases in San Francisco during the show.)
Download your free copy of A Guide to Building Ethical Orchid Collections and Societies. This digital book, which encourages conservation among orchid societies and individual orchid collectors, has been published in English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Indonesian. It addresses one of the greatest crises in the orchid world, which is the harvest of wild plants. That’s already caused many extinctions, and can decimate rare species. This book offers guidelines for orchid societies to educate their members, discourage harmful practices, and promote conservation. Good practices include not buying or selling wild orchids, and only purchasing from legal, sustainable plant sources.
Learn more about how to be a responsible orchid collector in these previous posts:
July brings big shows in Singapore, San Francisco, and Hilo, Hawaii. In addition to the dozens of listings below, orchid societies around the world have monthly meetings, speakers, and special events, so be sure to check with your local society for more.
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’re celebrating the longest day of the year or the longest night of the year, have a happy solstice.
India is the most populous nation in the world, and also home to lots of orchids, from its tropical south to its mountainous north. As the country grows and develops, habitat destruction threatens biodiversity, including in the southern state of Kerala. Road construction results in trees being removed, with the loss of all the orchids attached to them. Fortunately, people are trying to save India’s orchids. With proper legal permission, scientists, farmers, and volunteers are working together with Kew Gardens, and have salvaged 18,000 orchids from trees that were chopped down. Over two thirds were endemic species, occurring nowhere else. The rescues have been moved to a 200 acre (81 hectare) city park, where most have adapted nicely to their new home. Besides safeguarding the plants, they will help improve public awareness of conservation needs. In future years, it is hoped that they can imitate Singapore’s success conserving orchids in urban environments.
June offers events on six continents. They’re great opportunities to enjoy wonderful orchids, take photos, talk to experts, or buy plants. For those interested in Orchid Digest Speakers Day, there are both online and in-person options.
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.
Other plants are unsung heroes. Pink Clover first arrived as a weed, but it was cute, so it stayed. Now it reappears annually as a ground cover, with a perpetual supply of cheery, pink pom-pom flowers. The bees love it, and it delightfully fills up the cracks in the concrete patio.
There are more plants which thrive on their own, and need very little care. Nasturtiums reseed each year. They wind across the patio and around flowerpots, with a kaleidoscope of orange, yellow, and red blossoms. Brilliant orange California Poppies proudly demonstrate why they’re the official state flower. Close to the coast, many have bright yellow on the ends of their petals. That variety doesn’t seem to occur inland. It’s a joy to have it among our spring blooms.
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 within a few weeks.
Cymbidiums are reliable bloomers here, so it’s no surprise that this post includes lots of them. Many started blossoming over the winter, even before the worm castings. The nutritional boost extends their blooming period, and prompts additional flower spikes.
Orchids add a lot of life to our back garden. I’m spoiled that beautiful cool growing orchids love this climate.
Check out these links about the orchids pictured above:
