Orchids
The first one for me was in high school, probably it was at the prom. It came in a clear plastic box and was so ornate, almost bizarre looking, that I could hardly believe it was a real flower. It was delicate green with dark burgundy stripes and it lasted for a whole week in the refrigerator before it started to decompose. It was an orchid.
One of the best things about life in Florida is that orchids will grow here, outside, unattended for the most part. Of course, they do better when cared for, but even I with my frequent lapses in attention to my plants, even I can keep orchids alive. April is a very good month for orchids. They bloom and stay beautiful for weeks.
Here are some pictures of my favorites. I get to see them every day, hanging in the pergola outside my dining room window.
I bought this orchid having not seen it in bloom. I waited for a whole year before coming out one morning and seeing this flower stalk – not at all what I expected. Since then, it has bloomed every spring and looks like this
A neighbor has an “orchid wall” and I use it as an example of what they can look like when they are carefully tended.
Anyone else have a favorite flower this spring?
I Just Have to Say... 
I always look forward to seeing the spring bulbs peek out of the ground. Sometimes through the snow! -Marie The Articulate Image
I’m not sure where you live but I hope you’ve seen some already!
Your orchids are lovely! I don’t think they would survive our awful IL winters. 😦
I love daffodils and pansies, and hyacinth. Sweet alyssum must be one of my most favorites though, just for the scent alone. 🙂
Orchids seem exotic and delicate. Beautiful, but untouchable. Too special for every day. To be surrounded by them would be a decadent indulgence.
Clearly, my perception of them is ignorant and far too restrictive.
When I think of the price of a one flower corsage, multiplied by the number of flowers on my plants, I feel very surrounded by luxury. All kinds of ways of being rich, I guess.
I like your way. 🙂
Ya know, I don’t take time to enjoy flowers. But I gotta say, those orchids are most impressive. Maybe I need to slow down and smell the flowers as the old adage tells us. Thanks for the reminder!
Beautiful things were put here on earth for our benefit, even if we just look at them they have an effect. But smelling, yes, for sure. Thanks for reading!
Pure gorgeousness! Like Susan, I’m in Chicago and this isn’t the best climate for those beauties. However, I’m a flower essence practitioner and I work extensively with a line of essences made from orchids. They are quite wonderful indeed.
What interesting work! Essences for perfume? For health? Have you blogged about it?
Flower essences are vibrational remedies that don’t contain any plant material, and hence no scent. But they carry the energetic vibration of the flower/plant. Bach flower remedies are widely known and have been around for ages and perhaps you’ve heard of them; but there are many many more lines of essences available these days.
Essential oils are a different thing altogether. They’re scented, and indeed made from botanical material. I’m also an aromatherapist and natural botanical perfumer, so I do use essential oils both for therapeutic reasons and to create perfumes.
While that’s not what I’m blogging about in this challenge, I have written about both flower essences and essential oils.
Essential oils I’m familiar with, but not the flower essences. Thanks, I’ll read up.
Lovely – I love orchids. I haven’t had much success getting them to grow. Yours are beautiful.
It’s all in where you live. They love to be outside in Florida. Mine die if I keep them inside very long too. Thanks for reading!
I love your orchids–I also wrote about orchids today. They aren’t really happy here in Chicago, although I know a couple people who do well with them as indoor plants. But I still think they’re amazing! Thanks for sharing yours.
What gorgeous orchids! I love them myself. My favorite? Dendrobium orchids. And no, it’s not odd that you stop and stare. I think that’s why she placed them all there — for people to enjoy. 🙂
That’s what I’m hoping! Thanks for coming by.