Orchids - Nature's Masterpiece

I love working in my garden, and while I can't say that I am great at it, I derive no end of pleasure from seeing a pampered flower bloom. I have grown all kinds of plants just to see if I could do it and have to say that Orchids have always been my failing.

But, going to a show where hundreds are featured allows me to give tribute to the growers who are able to produce these wonderful creations. As usual, click on each photo for a better view.

I took well over a hundred pictures so you can imagine the monumental task I had to whittle that number down for the blog. It was a labor of love though and I hope you find the ones selected as fascinating as I did.

for those of you who like purple, have I got a purple for you! The orchids appear like little purple bells ready to ring. The yellow hood on each bloom only adds to the imagery.

I've included this shot just because of the alien nature of the flower. All we need is Sigourney Weaver and we have a movie set.

I love this shot, just because the blooms seem to rise out of the dark background with little baby flowers over to the left. There were numerous variations of this type but I liked this one the best.

Orchids truly are wonderfully complex plants and growers seem to come up with no end of variations on types. This shot just speaks to me on so many levels based on it's simplicity and the beauty of the bloom.

These two blooms and were of interest to me based on their brilliant colors and the almost "buttery" texture of the petals.


There is a lushness about the two that make you want to stand and admire them forever...




I really like this shot that looks almost as if the blooms have been cut or tapered. It adds an interesting aspect to the visual effect.

Beauty and simplicity, are the aspects that make the orchid nature's masterpiece. This shot highlights that fact perfectly. The blooms are lovely without being wildly so. There is a simplicity to the bloom that makes it perfect.

I saw numerous variations of this type, but liked this one again because of the thick buttery quality of the bloom. Some of the other colors I saw were in that deep purple shade I mentioned earlier. This yellow background with red spots adds a different twist to the type.




several people who had attended the Orchid Society's annual event told me in all the years they had attended, this year's show had the most variety and they loved it. I vote with them that it is hard to imagine so much perfection housed in one place. I enjoyed the magnificent show!

Stay tuned, next stop the Jacksonville Arts Market!

Spring is Just Around the Corner

Nothing says Spring like the arrival of the annual Home and Garden Show! It is always a good place to wander through for ideas for the Spring and Summer months around the house. Not to be left out, me and a friend decided to join the crowd. As usual, click each photo for a better view.

The above photo is from the pond tours. If making a backyard oasis is somewhere in your future there were ideas for every taste and budget.

We arrived early because nice weather promised to produce a large crowd. I took this shot near the entrance and for some reason just liked the look of it.

Walking through the show, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter the folks from the Jax Boat Club. You may remember them from the Christmas Boat Light Show. This was the group that saved the tradition of a light show on the St Johns River. They are people with big hearts and I could not resist stopping by to chat and then taking a photo.

And now, back to looking for home decorating ideas... I really liked the distinct look of these tiles and the excitement any one of them could add to a kitchen atmosphere.

Further down was a Teak furniture display that could make any backyard patio a show place.

Outdoor rooms are definitely in vogue and there were loads of examples of things to try. This patio bar is a good example.

And, there was even a chef demonstrating cooking techniques for a special type of cookware. He made it look almost effortless.

But the two items that really got my attention was first, this skylight company with a very informative husband and wife team. They showed me how they could almost instantly add the drama of a skylight to your home in a little over an hour.

The technology that makes it happen looks like something from NASA, but when explained makes perfect sense. Light comes through the dome and down the tube, which is really a tubular mirror, and is reflected through the opening. See, I told you!

And second, this anamorphic art display. The artist was just starting the drawing but you can see how the building seems to rise up and float in space. This is normally street art, but I could see this as a great center piece for a patio floor or even a wall.

The artist was taking a break from creating the building and beginning work on a lovely flower display. I didn't want to disturb her but took great pleasure in just watching the magic happen.

All-in-all I got some really great ideas and there were a couple of vendors I definitely plan to contact. An early Spring gives me lots of time to work on bringing some of the ideas I now have to glorious life.