A Tom Larkin Phalaenopsis…and the wait goes on

My little Phal. equestris ‘Riverbend’ is blooming. It’s a young plant, just one inflorescence rather than the multi-inflorescences that I’ve seen on older Riverbends…but oh my, this little orchid is a workhorse . It blooms two or three times a year.  A couple of years ago, I had another equestris, which was pest and disease [...]

Read Full Post »

The Big Wait – Stanhopea florida buds

This week’s blog posting is delayed while I wait for the final unfurling of the long-awaited Stanhopea florida blossoms. Photo shows progress –excruciatingly slow progress — of its unfurling. [Note ants -- those ubiquitous ants!]

Read Full Post »

Bulb. echinolabium – aka How-could-something-this-pretty-smell-this-foul

I bought Bulbophyllum echinolabium as a small seedling about five years ago after I saw its fabulous bloom on a large plant exhibited by Windy Hills Orchids at a Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Conference in Arkansas. I was lulled into orchid-junky admiration (a familiar affliction among newbies to the hobby) by the flower’s size, coloring [...]

Read Full Post »

Vandas on summer vacation

I’m trying something different this summer with the seven Vandas in my collection. Rather than hanging them either in the Shade House or on poles outside the greenhouse, I’m putting them together above the garden pond. The photo at the left shows them hanging from a rod stretched between two trees. In this position, the [...]

Read Full Post »

The Greenhouse – New blooms and new shelving

Several in-spike orchids remain in the greenhouse, delaying their backyard summer vacation in anticipation of impending blooms. Three have now hatched. See the photo page for images. With 75% of the collection currently outdoors, there’s room to launch a few greenhouse clean-up and renovation projects. My first project was washing down the Lexan panels, which were streaked [...]

Read Full Post »