Coelia bella starts to bloom right on schedule! I had split my very large plant last Spring, gave a couple of good chunks away and now have 3 plants in large wire-baskets starting to bloom. I see also lots of nice new growth on those. I was reluctant in the Spring to give away some smaller clumps until I saw them growing properly. If you are in my neighborhood, I am happy to part with a basket…. (too unwieldy to ship)
These blooms are strongly Marzipan scented, they seemingly continue my cookie baking and making pralines containing Almond paste. I love that smell. This plant here is one of the smaller two.

Just a comment about the 2 white flowers without reading there parentage. Jims look bigger and a little like a Lailea where as Kens looks smaller and a cattleya, both pretty!
Paphiopedilum Vanda M Pearman

Very pretty Paph, Bree!

Jim's would have to be a whopper. My 'Diamond Jubilee' is 7" in diameter. I like your V. Pearman, Bree. Mr V. Sunlight Orange is now blooming, though only a single stem. My Blc. Greenwich 'Elmhurst' AM/AOS is also in bloom, a single flower. This flower is also 7" in diameter. The final photos are of the Blc. Copper Queen. Her flowers are 4" in diameter. Oddly enough, the colors of the Copper Queen are much more subdued than when it bloomed in May. These two photos show quite a bit of difference in the spring and fall colors. Other than the 'Diamond Jubilee', all these are all twice-a-year bloomers. Today is very dark and gloomy. Unfortunately I had to use a flash, so the colors are a little washed out.

Jim's? I am a bit confused?
In any case - Pretty stuff, Ken! I am partial to the Vanda!

Of course, that was your orchid being compared, Ursula, not Jim's. I just used what Bree had said, forgetting that it was your plant. Sorry.

My primary interest is and probably will always be the cattlela alliance plants. I like big, bold, fragrant flowers.

Oh, no sweat. Not that Jim doesn't have his major share of gorgeous Cattleyas!

I think my problem ( ?) is that I have a hard time walking past any interesting/ pretty Orchid…..

I am doing my best to "branch out", no pun intended, and obtain a more varied collection of orchids. I have a batch of vanda, gramm., dtps., den., and mtssa. (all "baby" or "teen" plants) and have several varieties of terrestrial ones that I am trying my hand with. Of my 600 or so plants, 2/3 are still cattleya alliance ones.

One thing I find most interesting with vandas, is their roots. I only have two mature plants, and while their flowers are nice, but not fragrant, the roots are all over the place. One in particular, a purple NOID, has the most unusual root formation I have ever seen. Since I don't grow lots of vandas, I am not sure if the roots are all that unusual. But those roots are bizarre when compared to cattlelas.

Good morning everyone,
I am on the edge of a coming ice event here in Memphis today. How depressing! The city of beautiful ancient trees. So I came here to cheer up, and WOW it's not hard now that these orchids are so vibrant, I could almost smell them. Truly beautiful Ken! I also noted you are not far from my alma mater, The W.
I am attempting my first picture, wish me well.

Bert

Hi Bert and welcome! I am away from my orchids until tomorrow and hope to post a few new blooms. They seem to like to pop when I am out of town.

The Botanical park here in Gr. Cayman has lots of orchids but they don't bloom at this time of year so we plan to come back in spring to see them (and dive some more too)…

Its not hard to post pictures, just touch the Upload an Image green bar and the program helps you. If I can do it anyone can!

We are practically neighbors, Bert.

Back in the day when I attended MSU, MSCW (the "W") was the most important college on the face of the planet!

Ursula, I'm glad you are confused too. I thought it was just me.

Nice show, Ken. They are all lovely.

Love that slipper, Bree.

I have pics to post but can't get near my computer. We are having all of the carpet replaced by hardwood and they are in my computer room now. I am confined to the kitchen and my IPad. What a mess!!

Jim

Thanks, Jim.

I have that to look forward to, Jim. The first week of January we are replacing all our carpet AND hardwood with new hardwood, over 2200 sf! It will be such a logistical problem, moving everything out of one room into another room, only to repeat that time and again as the carpet and hardwood are pulled up and replaced.

As you probably know, almost all my orchids were bought as plug or flask plants, tiny plants all. Small plants, with few leaves and even fewer roots are a real challenge, but I enjoy growing them that way. I have now had 100 or so that were purchased two years ago, and though still not blooming size, they are getting there. I look forward to the day when I will have dozens of orchids in bloom at the same time and can (often) post some great pictures.

I envy all of you with the beautiful blooms all the time, especially the Cats and Vandas that don't do well here. And Bree, I love you're Paphs too! I only have about 100, not counting duplicates, so I'm lucky to have a few open each month. Luckily, some last a long time.
Lc.Koolay seagulls X Slc. Golden Treat has 10 blooms on this one spike



Isochillus sp. Oz is right on time


After 3 1/2 years I finally have bloom on Sophronitis cernua

Wow everyone! There's a lot going for December! I was out watering the orchids and taking pictures of butterflies and I took a couple pictures of the orchids, too.

Here's what will probably be a last look at Rlc. Hawaiian Wizard. It's got a little brown on the white parts so I think it won't last too much longer. But it lasted a long time and it blooms regularly so it is one of my favorites.



And V. Banjong Sky Blue opened some new flowers and the color seems a little more purple today.



I also just noticed that an orchid given to me by my Dad's friend is about to bloom. I think it's a Chia Lin 'New City'. He gave me a bloom last year and we all agreed that's what it was. When he divided the plant, which had apparently gotten pretty big, he gave my Dad one. It's a big plant for a division! I can't help but wonder what the original must have looked like! Mine had sheaths on it when I got it but one looks like a bust - all wrinkled and brown - but this other one has surprised me by peeking open a little flower. Look for an update in a few days!

We just came back from our place in Pennsy. The house is now closed down for the Winter. See you in Spring, Pennsy! The Deer hunters saw a lot of young bucks, not one big enough to take. But our guys seemed to have enjoyed the vacation.
Lots of lovely activity here today! Truly beautiful blooms, Carol and Melanie! Have to check my Sophronitis cernua, yours is a cutie, Carol! And nice to have a good bloom-count as with the Lc.Koolay seagulls X Slc. Golden Treat.

And I especially like your pretty Vanda, Melanie.

Regarding my Chia Lin, some of the sheaths turned brown too, but I see some buds emerging on the ones which stayed green. Keeping fingers crossed.

Thanks, Ursula! My dad just got back from a week of deer hunting in Northern Florida. He saw lots of does and a couple of bucks who only had "button-type" antlers - not big enough to shoot. And the hogs he saw were "ham-sandwich" size. I laughed and asked him how he expected us to get through the winter. He said Mom better be a good hunter-gatherer at the grocery store.

Funny!!
Our guys had more success hunting in NJ a couple of weeks ago and I was really pleased when they gave me some Venison from that time. Good stuff!

No snow here this morning, the greenhouse ceiling is clear! Happily the rain containers in the garage are filled to the brim from this system coming through here yesterday.

We have snow here!

I thought you might, Kathy!