Monday, April 05, 2010

Red Butte Garden's Orchid Sale: Come to Mama!

Brassidium Shooting Star Black Gold
 I was trying to be strong at the local orchid show. But then I rounded the corner, saw this crazy gal, and got weak in the knees... Seriously? $15 dollars? Come to Mama!

If you're a fan of the PBS Nature series, you've probably seen this rude trick: While animal Mom is out foraging for food, some techno geek sneaks into her underground den and installs a live camera.

Sheesh! While I feel that's a horrible invasion of privacy, if things get any worse around here, I may have to do that, too. With my Daffodils.

Because somewhere out there? Underneath drifts of fresh snow... is a whole garden of happy spring flowers. Not to mention a few hard to find Easter eggs.
Lady Slipper Orchids are endangered. The gal who grabbed this one right out from under me was in mortal danger, too.

April, I am sorry to say, is the second snowiest month of my year. [With March being the first.] Right about the time I've had it up to here with the color of white... 'true winter' kicks in.  April Showers, high mountain style, snow vs. dreary rain.

Which is why I am ever so grateful to have Red Butte Gardens to fall back on. Not only did they dazzle us with the most amazing Orchids I've ever seen. They were selling these breathtaking blossoms for a mere pittance! (Long live the Mastercard.) Enjoy the show:

22 comments:

Noelle Johnson said...

Isn't it wonderful that no matter how awful the weather is outside, that orchids just look beautiful inside? I can see why you were in trouble at Red Butte Gardens....I would have been too ;-)

Anonymous said...

I hear ya about the dang snow! I'm more than done with it and yet, here comes some more tonight and tomorrow. These little ladies are BEAUTIFUL! Glad you had a chance to go see some color and snag one :)

Beautiful pics!

Wesley said...

GORGEOUS!!!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Noelle;
It was a fab show. Orchids are a huge weakness of mine so it was awfully hard to resist. :)

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Jeannie;
Yeah, yeah. This latest storm was more than a little depressing. Especially after I wandered around the blogosphere to see how everyone else had sunny skies and time in the garden!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hello Wesley and Welcome Back!

Are you blogging again? I shall head over there, now, and pay you a visit. Thanks for the kind compliment on the photos. Hope you were able to make it to Red Butte. The show was quite spectacular. :)

Gail said...

kate, They are exquisite! Thank goodness for pretty flowers. gail

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Glad you enjoyed them, Gail ;)

Victoria said...

Kate..these are all so super beautiful..with a unique flair!! AWesome! Gorgeous pictures!
Kiki~

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Kiki!
Glad you like them. That show was such a gorgeous display of orchids. I wanted to steal them all and bring 'em home! :))

Melospiza said...

Oh, these are so gorgeous!

And I loved your idea of putting a wildlife cam under the snow to watch your flowers.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thanks, Melospiza;
Glad you survived the road trip... :)

Christine B. said...

I'm an orchid-killer extraordinaire. Never met one I couldn't kill.

Our snow is finally melting so I can start thinking about those plant sales, too.

Christine in Alaska

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Christine;
I have a hunch I may become an orchid serial killer real soon. They're so pretty but my new babies will probably give me loads of grief. Should be fun, though. Glad to hear your snow is melting. I wish mine would! :(

jan said...

That lady slipper is gorgeous! I have never been tempted by orchids. They are a bit scary to me. I will enjoy your lovely photos, though!

Melanie J Watts said...

Kate , I know exactly what you mean about there being snow on top of the spring garden. :) those orchids are beautiful! I'm glad you had your mastercard handy.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Thx, Melanie -- Completely snowbound today. 3 more feet of snow overnight! Oh, dear spring, when will you arrive???

sweetbay said...

March and April are the snowiest months? Ooo, that's just cruel.

I'm sorry you couldn't nab that gorgeous Lady's Slipper, but you did good with the Shooting Star Black Gold. It's a showstopper.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I started to write this in your last post, but deleted it. Someone is going to have to explain orchids to me some day. Don't et me wrong--I can see their appeal because those speckled flowers are gorgeous! And I even like how the foliage, at least in my mind, looks nothing like what would go with the flower. But for a lazy gardener that isn't wild about houseplants, I've never seen the attraction of actually growing one. I've felt the same way about roses--so many people are coocoo for them and I'm like, eh, what's the big deal? Still, I plan to grow my first rose this year and am willing to try an orchid... are there any that are easier care than others? Or do I have misconceptions of their care?

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Monica;
I'm nuts for orchids because I treat them like flowering annuals. I get 6 fabulous months of gorgeous indoor flowers out of them and I don't much care if they re-bloom. Phaleanopsis Moth Orchids are easy.

PS: Have you discovered the John Cabot Rose? That hot pink beauty blooms non-stop for 4 solid months in my garden. Anybody that flowers that profusely is okay by me. :))

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Hi, Sweet Bay;
Yes, horribly cruel. It's hard to visit your sunny gardens when I'm still shoveling snow. :((

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I've settled on 'Golden Wings' rose--it can take some shade (very un-rose-like but necessary for my garden and is cold hardy). Plus, I like the single forms and really want a non-red, non-pink rose. (I don't know why as I like other red and pink flowers. But that is how I fell about roses and so that's what I'm going to have to go with.) :)