A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal. -Oscar Wilde

Thursday, April 23, 2009

orchid fever

Actually, I wasn't impressed with that book at all. Lazy writing and research, too many strawman arguments and too much reliance upon stereotypes about "orchid people." Very disappointing.

I have free admission to Phipps & the museums for just under a week, so I guess I'd better hurry up and see everything. Thursday : Phipps.

Phipps conservatory is probably my favorite place in the city, especially on a weekday when it's nice and quiet. Someday I'll have a greenhouse/ conservatory of my own, one that's a hybrid of the Palm Court and Orchid room, I think.

The spring show is over, so the staff was in the midst of changing the exhibits. The daffodils here in particular are spent, but it's still an absolute riot of color

a riot of color

Of course, I had to dawdle in the Orchid Room. A lot of the scented orchids were in bloom, like this Bifrenaria harrisoniae. Delicious floral lemon cologne scent.

Bifrenaria harrisoniae

A butterfly escaped from the butterfly forest and decided to hide out in the Orchid Room. You know, the room full of plants that have evolved to look like flying insects? I felt so bad for the poor guy trying to catch the escapee.

escapee

Vanda 'Patricia Low.' Breathtaking.

Vanda patricia low

Dendrobium yukidaruma "the king." Beautiful, slight scent (maybe more of a night-scented orchid?). Den. nobile based hybrid, I think.

Dendrobium yukidaruma "the king"

No id, but I believe this is a Brassidium 'Fly Away'

brassidium?

Den. thyrsflorum. It looks like a cluster of sunny side-up eggs.

dendrobium thyrsiflorum

Phragmipedium Sorcerer's Apprentice x Grande

phrag hybrid

Leonara appleblossom 'pippin'. Very elegant.

Leonara appleblossom 'pippin'

The teeth-looking structures on this Chysis are a bit alarming. With the whole cluster in bloom, it looks like something Bosch would paint if given a more cheerful palette.

Chysis bractescens

Much of the rest of Phipps was torn up in the process of creating new exhibits, but there are more pictures on Flicjr. Dippy lost his Steelers scarf, but now he's carrying flowers

dippy

And what of my own orchids? Some might think it a little odd (and some would say it's because of things like this that I can't get a date...), but I moved my orchid family to the window in my shower. Yes, it's a little awkward to start the shower, let them steam a bit, and then take them out so I can shower, but they're about ten billion time happier. My old and new Dens (or as I think of them, cane and pseudobulbous dens) are putting out new canes/ pseudobulbs.

my orchids

The suspected Miltonidium that lives in my shower, greeting me with its last blooms.

shower orchid

So they mostly seem to be doing well. :)

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