Gardening and Gardens

Each year, the New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, NY holds an Orchid Show in it's conservatory. This year's theme was Key West Contemporary and is described on the nybg.org website as a show "where the dramatic beauty of a flourishing tropical garden is amplified by vibrant architecture that recalls this particular island's charm and ambience." I've been to the show before during the daylight hours, but this year my husband and I attended one of the "Orchid Evening" events whereby guests are treated to a complimentary cocktail while a DJ's music sets the tone for a fun event.  I've always admired orchids for their delicate and intricate designs, and seeing all these different varieties, such as Vanda (rainbow orchids), Dendrobium (cane orchids) and Cymbidium (Asian corsage orchids) made me wonder... what makes an orchid an orchid? Doing a search online, I came across Merkles Orchids  and a very knowledgeable duo about orc...

Every year, Hicks Nurseries in Westbury, NY transforms their showroom to a gorgeous display of landscape plants and flowers right as old man winter is starting to release his grip. The annual Spring Flower and Garden show is the largest and most popular flower show on Long Island. For many local gardeners, this flower show is the official beginning of spring.  Each year has a different theme and to be honest, I think some have been better than others. This year's theme is "Garden for Life: Discover Health and Wellness through the Joy of Gardening"  - how gardening can enhance your life, your neighborhood and the planet. I thought it was fantastic.  There were four different garden displays: the Relaxation Garden, the Easy Garden, the Earth Friendly Garden and the Learning Garden. The Relaxation Garden was like a tropical oasis in your own backyard: Filled with Palms, Bromeliads, Croton, Gardenias, Orchids and other tropical plants, it was sooth...

The birds have been chirping, the sun is brighter and now we have an extra hour of daylight in the evening. Even though I still have snow on the ground, I did manage to see a few other signs of spring in the neighborhood yesterday. The first was a beautiful yellow-bloomed witch hazel tree (Hamamelis). It's one of the earliest to bloom in late winter/early spring.  The flowers have these squiggly little petals and gives off a sweet, delicate scent.  Here is a close up, from Wikipedia: Another early bloomer is the lovely and delicate Snowdrops (Galanthus). These are just about to open: The name Galanthus means "milk flower" in Greek. The petals, when open, face downward and when in a mass, looks like a light covering of snow.  Where the snow has melted, I see a few shoots of crocus and daffodils. Soon my landscape will be a riot of color. Soon!

I was in Aruba last week where it was sunny and 85 degrees every day. Long Island is supposed to get more snow tomorrow and I find myself looking at my photos from Aruba, trying to feel the warm sun on my face. Here's a photo to help with that: This lovely tree was right on the beach and had a beautiful cluster of flowers: It's not a tree that grows in my climate so if you know it, please mention it in the comments section below.  Warm thoughts!!