Wow. You all are WAY sensitive. I've posted almost a hundred pics. No worries - with all the defense and anxiety out there, my say on this is over. Chill, people.

Sherri, I think you would do well to step back and look at what happened here. You popped in to an active, long standing forum and, without establishing any credibility, leveled criticism against one of our popular threads. When met with resistance, (and what did you expect?) you condemn our members as way sensitive. This is textbook "How NOT to win friends and influence people". As a friend of mine once said upon getting his third divorce; "If this happens again, I'll have to consider that it may be my fault".

Go in peace.

Jim

OK, I get it. I am sorry I offended. Peace, all.

Sherri, we'd still like to see pictures of your orchids. My thread on Florida Gardening has had 14 hits (3 of them were me) but no responses. I think it takes a while, and people to get to know each other for these forums to develop a life.

Jim, I love the divorce story!

Ursula, did you burn your RicRac plant with too much sun? I'd better go check on mine, the sun is so hot right now! I'm planning to mist it with weak fert along with the orchids and see what happens.

Alpinia gingers are coming into bloom. Another color of African Iris, they are a little more yellow than the camera shows here.


My favorite Caladiums, 'Gingerland'.

Pretty!
Yes, I had moved my Ric Rac outside into the cage together with my Epiphyllums. The Ric Rac was more protected than the Epis, so I thought - not!
The Epis took the outside conditions very well, the Ric Rac looks really badly burned. I am kinda sick of looking at this monster, it takes up a lot of room and never produces a single bloom for me. I would rather give that room to another Epiphyllum.

As to blooming the Ric Rac cactus, a couple of my friends have them hanging outdoors and they bloom regularly in Feb. to March here.

I wonder if maybe it needs a little chillin in the winter? Maybe you're being too nice to it? They are tender, but even zone 11 can get down into the 40's.

The gal I got mine from is up in central FL north of Orlando so she's 9b at best. She keeps hers outside on a covered porch, I believe.

Elaine, I keep it in Winter in our frost free garage, temperatures range there during the coldest months ca 40 -50 degr F. Years ago, I kept it at various location around the house. The plant always grew well, but bloom-wise never said peep.

Amazing, and odd. Isn't gardening a puzzle. I surely was thinking you kept it in your greenhouse.

Maybe take it to Pennsy so it gets ignored? Then you'd come for a visit and see it has covered itself with flowers while you weren't looking . . . isn't that always the way?

Naahh, no room in the greenhouse for that one, this one is a sprawler and I rather keep Orchids and/or smaller, more manageable C&S in the greenhouse.
It would totally freeze to death in our Pennsy house, we shut that one down for the Winter.

OK, so here are a few orchid pics taken over the last few months. I'm pretty new at this, only growing chids since last September, but I really love them! I have a bunch of mounted Catts that I will probably sell or trade. Honestly, I've learned you need a greenhouse for mounties . . . or LOTS of time! But, I love my Phals which have faithfully bloomed and rebloomed for me. AND, my little Epidendrum psuedoepidendrum X self just bloomed again - after 2 mos rest! Also, I have an Epi radicans, which I put outside to enjoy the warmth. It's leaves are turning purple. Not a clue why!




P.S. - ignore the #19 tag on the Epi - it's wrong. It's not a Den!

And here are some pics of my Chicago area garden . . .

Great looking orchids, Sherri. btw, we do have another thread where we show our current bloomers, when you're inclined and those buds open.

Your garden is absolutely lovely. You have an artistic eye. That Brunnera in the last pic has such pretty leaves I thought at first it was a Caladium.

Thanks, Elaine!

Very nice, Sherri!

Yes, please be so kind and post the Orchids into the monthly threads, unless they are truly natives, or in your area growing in the ground. Regarding the color on your Epi radicans, extra sunlight will have that effect on many Orchids.

Very nice. Having been born and raised in the Chicago area, I now how difficult it can be to keep a nice garden up. You're doing well. Two seasons in Chicago, Winter and road construction

It is always nice to see what is growing in other parts of the country (and world). Nice looking orchids. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Jim

My Bletilla striata are in full bloom this week, although today's strong thunderstorms was not too kind to them. Some of the leaves have pretty variegation, some blooms are totally white, some have a pink edge, some are mostly pink - one can see that I planted Bletillas from different sources years ago.


Clematis Josephine starts blooming on the right side of the cage and the Euphorbia x lomis are getting soaked today in the cage together with a bunch of Cattleyas etc

Those bletillas sure look like they're happy, Ursula. Lots of buds coming along for an extended bloom season, too! So pretty.

Ted5310 said:Very nice. Having been born and raised in the Chicago area, I now how difficult it can be to keep a nice garden up. You're doing well. Two seasons in Chicago, Winter and road construction

Yep, Ted, you know our seasons. You are definitely a native Chicagoan! 'Course, I haven't heard you speak yet - say "The Bears" . . .

DA BEARS