It
was a blustery snowy day, but that did not stop my sister and I – along with
hundreds of others from visiting the Southern Ontario Orchid
Society‘s 33rd Annual Orchid Show at the Toronto Botanical Garden this
past weekend.
Whether
you are an experienced orchid grower, a novice collector / simply someone like
me who admires the amazing beauty of these flowers, orchids will always make us
smile, make us look & remind us of
the pure awesomeness of nature. Because they make me happy & I love their
architecture I have an orchid in every room of my home but the kitchen.
I
thought I would brighten up your dreary winter day by showing you just a few of
the hundreds of orchids on display & for sale that captured my eye & I
like the sweet face of this paphiopedilum beauty below – smiled back at
me. Organize to be amazed!
Six fun facts regarding orchids
1.
Orchids grow on every continent except
Antarctica. There are almost ninety species of orchid native to Canada, but
it is the tropics & semi-tropics that produce the most spectacular species.
2.
The plants & especially the
flowers come in myriad shapes &
sizes. Some flowers are as large as dinner plates, though others will
hardly cover the head of a pin. Most are anywhere in between. When it comes to
shape the deviation is infinite.
It
is no mystery why artists & photographers are fascinated by the intricate
details and ethereal colours of orchids.
3.
Orchids can be the purest white &
almost solid black (as seen below). Brilliant sky-blue is a uncommon colour
for flowers, but it’s found in some terrestrial species & Vandas. Every hue
of the rainbow is represented by an orchid flower.
4.
Orchids are becoming the most important
flower in the global multi-billion dollar horticultural trade. The
growth of world trade of these captivating flowers is due to improved
cultivation techniques that have led to the mass production of hybrids
developed for special characteristics. Orchids are now available in most grocery
stores, nurseries & home improvement stores.
5.
Orchids teach us several things, but the
most essential are the two Ps: patience & perseverance. It takes
patience to wait the eighteen years, it takes to produce some of those amazing
flowers from kernel. There are thirty thousand species produced by nature &
hundreds of thousands of hybrids added by man.
Above and below: Stunning displays of
award-winning orchids demonstrate the flower’s myriad colours, shapes &
sizes. Patience & perseverance indeed!
6. Research into the history of & the
relationship among orchid genus is ongoing. Did you know that orchids are
used as curative herbs in Chinese culture & that their scents, which range
from sweet & savory to spicy and pungent, are significant in the perfume
industry? Vanilla flavour comes from the Vanilla species of orchids found in
the Americas. The Aztecs assorted orchid through chocolate, which they drank for
strength.
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