National Capital Orchid Society

The 64th Annual Orchid Show & Sale at the National Arboretum was as spectacular as ever, and I am always thrilled to see such an abundance of enchanting orchids on display. The variety of plants for sale makes this the absolute best opportunity of the year for orchid shopping, and I brought home 3 Cattleyas and 1 Miltonia. I'm trying hard to keep my orchid collection basic, with a focus on Phalenopsis, but it is so hard to resist a pretty flower. The latest craze seems to be miniature orchids, and definitely that's a trend I'm happy to jump on.

A Second Chance

Five years ago I had a thriving Orchid Collection with around two dozen Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Vanda, and Cymbidium. And then my son arrived in the Summer of 2008, and then we bought a house in 2009 which shifted all my focus and energy to my outdoor garden, and finally another baby arrived in Spring 2011. The orchids withered away throughout all these transitions, downed by mealy bugs, starvation and thirst, and general lack of care. I figured it a lost cause, and after the last frost this year I dragged their corpses from the basement and sat them in a corner on the deck to await a trip to the Compost Pile. But then weeks turned into months, and as they lay forgotten a few began to show some signs of life. Surviving with only Mother Nature's water, and the high humidity of a Mid-Atlantic Summer, 3 managed to make a comeback. Today I gave them a good soaking, trimmed their roots and divided one, then re-potted. Thankfully, I've now been given a second chance to cultivate a glorious Orchid Collection.

What's In Bloom?

My orchid collection is always growing, and I just couldn't resist the beautiful (though pricey) Cymbidium and precious pink Phalenopsis found at Home Depot over the weekend.


Adding to my indoor Bloom Fest, are 2 potted Amaryllis now in full bloom...


...and a set of African Violets.


The dark Winter days are so much more bearable when you've got gorgeous blooms and greenery to greet you every day. Thanks to May Dreams Gardens, I don't have to wait until May to get my Gardening Fix.