orchids

Presentation is Everything

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.

Mounting

How to Mount an Orchid Plant

Around the country, there is a small but devoted group of hobbyists who grow their orchids the way nature intended – not in pots, but mounted to pieces of trees. Duplicating rainforest culture is not as challenging as it sounds. Simple materials such as cork, fishing line, sphagnum moss, and some un-potted orchid plants are all that is required.

Epidendrums, or "Epis"

Tutti Fruiti, Coral Orange, and Fire Engine Red are just some of the words used to describe the intriguing flowers of Epidendrums – a fascinating genus of orchids with over 1000 known species. Hobbyists love these plants because they are easy to cultivate – thriving in a wide range of conditions as well as readily making baby plantlets. Once thought of as having tall, somewhat unruly, foliage, today’s hybrids are compact and quite manageable.  

Rainwater for Orchids

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.

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