Time for Orchids!

I recently visited Olbrich Botanical Gardens for Orchid Escape and Orchid Quest. What a wonderful way to briefly put winter aside and enjoy the beauty of these amazing plants and blooms! The theme this year: “Rise of the Angiosperm,” with a nod to the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth and proto-orchids developed.







It was fun to see the dino “fossils” flanked by orchids of all types, sizes, and colors. 



Colorful signage described orchid anatomy.



And the specialized methods of orchid pollination.



Beautiful displays were around every corner in the conservatory, including this collection in the pond.

I captured a few photos of the more than 1,000 blooming orchids displayed, some of which are permanent residents. I tried to include the names on each photo (hold your cursor over the image to see them). If plants weren’t marked, or I wasn’t sure I had the correct label, I simply included the genus. If you see any errors please let me know:

































It was a great way to warm up, enjoy the beauty, and learn more about the world’s thousands of magical orchid species!

At the time of this post, Orchid Escape is still on through March 3, 2024. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Or visit olbrich.org to learn about future events.

This and That From the Winter Garden

As we began to leap out of the polar vortex plunge, I decided to venture outdoors to gather a few elements for a winter arrangement. I also gathered some dried items and pulled them all together. (Check out the wonderful In a Vase on Monday meme for more great arranging ideas.) My choices included:



A few dried sprigs of Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium).

Pine cones (I've saved many over the years).

Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra), blades and seedheads.



Sprigs of evergreen Yew (Taxus canadensis).



Dried Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) blooms. I have quite a few saved over the years.



And freshly clipped Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum) stems with heavy, frozen berries that eventually thawed and held their shape. They were so plentiful this year!

I filled the clear glass vase with more evergreen branches, for interest and anchoring.

This past week was brutal, but even on the coldest days there are garden elements to celebrate and display. Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting the In a Vase on Monday meme.

Wordless Memories of September Blooms

[All photos in this post were taken at the 2023 Garden Fling in Philadelphia, September 21-24. To learn more about past and future Flings, visit gardenfling.org.]

New Year, New Growth

Sometimes little surprises bring tiny hopes and pleasures.



Back in early December, I posted about an arrangement that included Chrysanthemum foliage and a flower that was still blooming.



I was lazy about removing the vase of foliage and berries, although I changed the water a couple of times. Imagine my surprise when new foliage started shooting up out of the top.



Yes, the Mum cuttings were forming new roots! I couldn't just throw them out, so...

I repotted a few, and I'll replant them in the garden in spring. It's a circle of life moment. Happy New Year!

[Alternate title for this post: "Unintentional Propagation."  ;-) ]