Gardening and Gardens

Spring seems to be taking it's timing coming to New York this year. But inside the conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden, one quickly forgets the weather outside and its transfixed on the beauty and majesty inside. This year, the annual Orchid Show has been expanded to include beautiful displays throughout all the Rain Forest Galleries as well as the main exhibit section. In addition, the orchids aren't simply on display here and there, they are suspended from the ceiling and from the tops of trees and arches, truly living up to this year's theme name: Orchid Chandeliers. By suspending these "chandeliers" one can admire the aerial beauty of these gorgeous and fascinating flowers. Most of the cultivated orchids are epiphytes, which literally means "air plant" or "to grow on a plant." The roots of these plants do not grow on the ground, but rather in trees or on rocks. They are not parasites though, and therefore do not take ...

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...