Orchid hobbyists, by nature, can’t resist buying one more plant.
The lure is too great. Every few months, new varieties hit the marketplace. Fantastic colors, patterns, and fragrances – each designed to entice.
And when that new plant is obtained, it has to fit in someone’s house. Yet each windowsill, plant rack, and bay window may be full.
For those fortunate to have met Lady Thatcher on her many visits to Virginia, she was unquestionably warm and approachable despite her reputation as the ‘Iron Lady’. One warm sunny August day in 2004, she toured the campus of the University of Richmond greeting students and faculty before attending a dinner in her honor. She also made orchid history by accepting a Cattleya hybrid bearing her name.
The mission statement of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is “to promote an oasis of inspiration and tranquility, while furthering the understanding and appreciation of plants, especially epiphytes.” Selby has one the world’s largest living collections of epiphytic plants.
Top chefs know that the difference between an average meal and a culinary masterpiece is often as simple as the presentation. A bland bowl of mashed potatoes suddenly becomes quite intriguing when sautéed mushrooms and onions are added. Even toast comes alive when quartered diagonally.
In the late 1700’s, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson had four 3,800 gallon cisterns built at his Monticello home to catch rainwater that flowed off the many roofs and terraces. This water was used for the crops, gardens, and residents of the Charlottesville estate.
