Not getting as deep as you. Early burn off, then only up to the mid 70's today. I'll take it.

Raining and miserable here this morning. After a couple of beautiful sunny days at our place in Pennsy, I was going to move Orchids outside here in Fair Lawn today. Hmm, I don't think that is happening....

Kathy posted two pictures on Fb. One of them showed the "Buying Shoes". It seems they did very well yesterday, bought nice stuff.

I can just imagine! Meantime, I have a funny little anomaly happening, maybe you'll have an idea why - My Enc. Green Hornet has one nice 10in. spike in bloom. Just last week I noticed at least 3 more spikes starting up, which is great.

What is strange is that at least two of them are opening flowers before the stem has elongated. One flower is right down in the leaf axil less than an inch above the pseudobulb.

Perhaps due to a spike in temperatures or light?

It sure has gotten warmer, today will be our first 90deg. day. The sun is getting to that shelf unit more than it was, too. Thanks, I'll deploy the shade cloth earlier in the morning.

Will increase the water as temps rise and the days are so sunny, too. Once our "summer pattern" really sets in, it clouds over in the afternoons more often than not, so that really helps keep the temps down and humidity up.

Another view of Enc. Green Hornet, and a couple of NOID phals.

Lucky you!! We had a whole day of dreary drizzle here, hopefully I can do some work outside tomorrow.

Nice Blooms!

I took a picture of my Neofinetia falcata Tamakongo with 3 spikes open and several more to go!

I'm back after a lovely three day trip to Redlands. I have been on the run getting the orchids and garden back in order after being away. May is my worst gardening month as the heat returns but the rain has yet to arrive. My poor plants will wither in two days if I don't get some water on them.

The Redlands trip was wonderful as the weather cooperated, the orchid shopping was beyond belief, I got the palm I had been looking for for a year, the food was great (Laurel's cooking and a Cuban restaurant) and most importantly, the company was fabulous. I could not have hoped for more. How nice it was to finally meet Kathy!

I came home with ten new orchids to go along with the palm:

1. Paphinia posadarum - pre-ordered from Andy's Orchids.
2. Cym. tracyanum - Also a pre-order
3. Epi. parkinsonianum - see third photo, another Andy's pre-order
4. Caularthron bicornutum - Another pre-order
5. Spathoglottis George Swirl - see second photo
6. Gongora portentosa - Gongoras seem to do well for me.
7. Laelia grandis
8. Brassia Rex 'Walomao Spotless FCC/AOS - They had a huge speciman plant that blew me away.
9. Schomburgkia tompsoniana - a huge expensive plant that should do well for me. - see the fourth photo.
10. Stanhopea nigroviolacia - I've been looking for this species for a long time and was thrilled to find it.

The first photo is the best:


I also snapped a photo of the Brassia Rex 'Walomao Spotless so you can see the size.


It is always nice to arrive home after a trip and find a bloom has opened in your absence. My treat yesterday was Epc. Rene Marques 'Tyler'.


Here is an update on my Encyclia tampensis:


And lastly, the Hand Puppeteers Union wants an update on the Sarcoglottis sceptrodes.


Jim

Brassia Rex 'Waiomao Spotless' is a lovely one to have! I had it blooming in June 2010. I have been remiss in its care though..should have kept it indoors last winter...so it is in a touch and go stage right now..

All lovely, Jim. Glad you had such fun! That Spath looks like it's sparkling.

Your Enc. tampensis is fabulous already. Mine is still teasing me, with not one flower open.Maybe tomorrow.

Did you take pictures at the show? (other than the nice group shot, of course)

I have one new bloomer today - Bc. Punakea

Jim, it sounds/looks like Redland was a success! Nice loot, I love the selection! Good picture of Kathy, Laurel and you!
I am happy you got the Cauarthron bicornutum, once it starts blooming, it flowers for a couple of months - really showy!

I love the Hand Puppets, you captured them very well! This member of the Union is happy! Lovely Enc tampensis, must be smelling great.

Elaine, pretty Bc. Punakea!

Epc. Rene Marques 'Tyler' looks good, Jim. And I agree that you made a nice haul. Like the choices

Trichopilia hennisiana opened a few pretty clusters of blooms over the weekend.


and Neofinetia falcata Higashidemiyako ( east side of Kyoto) came nicely through the Winter. This one has beautiful variegation. I planted some of my Neos last year into these rough clay pots, using just a bit of coconut fiber to anchor them. The roots attach very well to the pots.


edited - Nishidemiyako ( west side of Kyoto) is upstairs budding
These two have very similar variegation.

Finally I have a few flowers open on my Enc. tampensis! It's hanging from a huge oak tree branch above my head height, so a bit hard to photograph and even harder to sniff the lovely perfume. Jim gave me this lovely plant a year ago, with one huge spike. This year it has 5 spikes!

Nice haul, Jim! Looks like a good time was had by all, and love the picture of you, Kathy and Laurel!

Ursula, I really like the Trichopilia hennisiana. I hope I live long enough to see my Tric. suavis bloom. It's getting a new growth, at least.

Thanks Carol! You will see it bloom!! They can test your patience, don't they? Trichopilias are pretty, I think.

Looks like a happy plant, Elaine. I expect mine to start blooming here in a couple of weeks, I always like them.

Thanks for posting your photos Jim! I have not had a second to get any show photos up because I'm posting some orchids and my garden (exploding with color....and weeds) as a priority. The school where I work is providing what seems to be never ending work on an impossible schedule. My article for a parent website is due tomorrow. And I have an open garden on June 15th. So I'll hopefully have some time in a few weeks.

That Neofinetia falcata Nishidemiyako is a beauty, Ursula. I'll have to give you a thumbs up on that one!

Elaine, looks like your tampensis is coming right along. Wait until they all open and check the fragrance. Mine is perfuming the entire OC.

Kathy, I'm anxious to hear about your new orchids. We were so busy running and buying to keep track of what we were accumulating. It was a delight to meet you and I hope we can get together again some day.

Jim

Elaine, here is a better picture of my new Spathoglottis George Swirl.

Jim

Jim, it was truly wonderful to meet you too! I'm watching my orchids like a hawk (haha) because it was a big change from where they are originally from. The C. violacea's leaves are turning yellow. The roots were awfully short. Maybe I should try some rootone.....

I'm proud to say I helped Jim pick out that Spatho!

Shiny!

Some old, some new here-
A first spike on a seedling from the Hoosier-going-out-of-business sale some years ago. This is Encyclia dickinsoniana x edithiana and I don't think it is registered yet.


Another first is this spike on my Encyclia prismatocarpa. It added a lot of growth the last year or so and I finally see some pretty blooms.


Bulbo echinolabium tries to stink up the place again


And there is a lone bloom on my Cattleya schilleriana - that one was one of the Catts affected by rot last Summer, so I am happy to see good healthy growth this Spring.


And Iwanagaara Appleblossom is still opening blooms.


edited edithiana...