Florida Family Visit.

Here I am in Boca Raton again. Not for suntanning or for golf or for the food. For family saturation. For seeing the twins I hadn't met yet, the grandmother who's getting shorter and slower but no less salty, an aunt and uncle whose gracious hospitality is immense, their children whose births I remember, and all the in-laws who speckle the landscape.

Today I went to the American Orchid Society in Delray Beach. Twas lovely. I'm looking forward to an orchid field trip the weekend after next in San Francisco, so it was nice to get a quiet head start on the exotic flower madness.

There's also something to be said for walking on geography those we have loved, and who have died, have enjoyed before. Sometimes we can conjure those we miss when we walk where they once loved to walk, see what they led us to look at, learn more about what they began to teach us of.

At home I have an orchid blooming. My favorite-- the one whose white petals with just a whisper hint of pink blush make me think of Geishas, painted and quiet. And then there are two orchids whose flowers I have never seen-- they both sent spikes just days before I boarded the plane to Florida. (In orchid talk a "spike" means the plant sends out a stalk with flower buds upon it. It is a cause for celebration and much excitement.)

Although many say orchids are difficult plants to grow, I've not had much problems with them. I realize that one needs to be quite patient with them, as it can be months or even a full year, before they'll bloom again. But really a flower which stays blooming for weeks, and often months, is well worth the wait.

I have had some help. A good friend of mine's partner is an orchid expert. When I inherited most of my orchids she came over and we re-potted all of them. Dana showed me how to trim roots that had died or rotted, and split plants to encourage more blooms. Each orchid got it's own favorite flavor wood-chip and I was given hints about what each one did and did not like in terms of watering and moisture.

I don't know the Latin names of my orchids. I don't own any orchid books. I haven't fertilized them in over a year. I don't own a mister or a tray full of wet rocks. I don't own any special lights.

I live in a house chosen for its light. I move the orchids around to give them all a chance on this windowsill or that. I water them on a schedule and if someone else waters them when I go away I show them how I do it. My latest favourite thing is I give them a shower for about 10 minutes, then I pull the drain stopper and they all soak for a few hours. Before putting some of them in their respective "show" pots, I let them air out. I have all of the orchids potted in terracotta because Dana told me they like to breathe and/or stay moist accordingly.

I'm one of those people who could own way too many plants if I'm not careful. It could be worse, right? It could be too many cats. Or birds.

Although more likely with me, it would be too many snakes or dogs or lizards.

Comments

[Dana]

There is no such thing as to many orchids…glad you’re “hooked” but I don’t think I can take any of the credit. Looking forward to the POE!

[Alto2]

When you were at AOS, you were right across the street from my parents. Did you stop in and say hello?? The other wonderful attraction right there is the Morikami Museum, which is an amazing Japanese garden. You would find great solace there.

[kara]

I love orchids as well. And I, too, have found raising them to be quite easy.

Turning this back to food, I am sure you already know that vanilla is the only plant in the orchid family that is edible. Beautiful and delicious!

[Jeanne]

I love orchids - but not the sad cut ones made into corsages - rather the living, flowering plants. My dad bought my mom an orchid for her birthday one year, and once the flowers had died, she put the pot on the shady back patio, thinking it would probably never flower again - everyone knows they need a greenhouse and proper care, right?! A friend of hers who was rather an orchid fancier told her to water them with cold water from the fridge (needed in the hot African climate, apparently), which she did. The following year, my father bought her another... then another, then another. And all she did with them was leave them on the shady patio, give them their iced water and feed them liquid feed when she remembered. Do you know that those orchids spiked religiously every year, sometimes two or more spikes as they got bigger. You always knew Mamma's birthday was coming round when the orchids start spiking! I can't look at an orchid without remembering and missing my mom.

[jessica]

You will be thrilled to see that there are now THREE delicate blossoms open on the breakfast table. They have been so cheery during this deluge of rain!