Eastern Iowa Orchid Show

I didn't go to the Eastern Iowa Orchid Show but my orchids did. I sent three plants and two received ribbons.

Sc. Crystelle Smith 'BK Orchids', 2nd place

Neostylis Lou Sneary 'Bluebird', 3rd place

Colm. Wildcat 'Carmela'

I got my Colm. Wildcat 'Carmela' last year at Windsong Orchids. It has two flowers open and the markings are different on each flower.

Freeze warning

It is raining today but it is supposed to drop down to 37 F overnight. I must decide if I should bring in my Phalaenopsis. I had left them outside to induce them to spike. I am also not sure how successful the spiking will be since it looks like an animal has chewed off at least one spike.

Neostylis Lou Sneary 'Bluebird'

I am going to try to post more pictures now that I have a new phone. This mericlone started blooming two days ago. It is fragrant.

Blc. Solar Flare 'Paradise'

The Blc. Solar Flare 'Paradise' from Kawamoto Orchids earlier this year has bloomed.  The first day, I was disappointed with the blooms as the flaring was not very obvious.

After about a week and a half, the flower is looking much more like the advertised picture.

Loot from Natt's

The last meeting of the IOS (and my second) was at Natt's Orchids.  I bought some plants and then sat around for two hours as my daughter was having way too much fun playing with Anchalee and Pryool's granddaughter to leave.

I brought home:

Bc. Maikai x Bl. Richard Mueller
Cym. eburneum x Balkinald 'Naomi' AM/AOS
Prosthecea garciana 'Pink Zebra'
Cattleya loddigesii var. coerulea 'Blue Sky'
Cym. ensifolium 'Yu Hua'

Summer Growing Area

I have spent the last few weeks setting up my summer growing area. I got a shade cloth last year to keep the plants from sun burning but it kept collapsing on my plants. So, this year I am trying out some new ideas using more plastic twine and PVC pipe.

I also have some new plants in bloom, Onc. Sharry Baby 'Yellow Panda', Onc. Space Race 'Coco', and Epicatteya Lime Sherbert.

Purpose of this Blog

This blog is my attempt to keep track of my orchid collection which has grown exponentially since I added a conservatory to my house three years ago.  My collection was much more manageable when I was poor and forced to grow under lights. 

Snapped Spike

I didn't notice that my Brassia Rex 'Jean' was in spike and the spike got trapped. By the time I noticed and freed the spike from the leaves, the spike had snapped in half. However, it seems determined to continue on the path to blooming so I am watching the spike to see if the flowers will bloom.

IOS Loot

I came home from the IOS show with:

Ten-Shin
Cym. ensifolium 'She Chang Hong'
Cym. ensifolium 'Pon Lai Chi Hua'
Cym. sinense 'Rue Hua'
Encyclia (tampensis x cordigera) x cordigera

Natt's
Slc. World Vacation '5th Avenue'
Pot. Risky Business 'NN'
Slc. Love Castle 'Kurenai'
Blc. Majestic Light 'Glory'
C. Motte Spot 'Paradise'
Lc. Memoria Robert Strait 'Blue Hawaii'

Michel
Iwanagara Appleblossom 'Golden Beauty'

IOS Spring Show

Today, I went to the IOS Spring Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden. In the greenhouses off the show pavilion, there are fabulous orchid trees.

Den. Spring Dream 'Kumiko'

This nobile dendrobium bloomed earlier this year but it decided to put out a second blooming of three blossoms.

NOID Phal

Today's picture is a NOID Phal. that I am re-blooming for Cheney Mansion. I should try to find time to take it over today as the flowers are now opening.

Orchids 365

I love the idea of 365 projects where you do the same thing everyday for an entire year but I always fail at them. This, however, does not stop me from trying again and again and again. So, here is to another try.

This Blc. George King 'Southern Cross' came in sheath from Carmela Orchids last month.

First Auction

To start off this blog, I thought I would begin with the purchases from my first online auction. I bought:

• Blc. Yen Corona 'Green Genie' AM/AOS (x2)
• Hamelwellsara June "Indigo Sue"
• Blc. Solar Flare 'Paradise'
• Bpl. Golden Peacock 'Orange Beauty'

From Kawamoto Orchids on EBay. They arrived today. The Bpl. Golden Peacock 'Orange Beauty' was advertised as being in bud. I was nicely surprised to see the Hamelwellsara June also in bud.