I sincerely hope so!

My patience has paid off. Here are a few blooms from today.
Cl Rebecca Northen 'Grapefruit Pink'


Ctt Jewel Box (can't remember the clonal name) - the cold made it really red!


Rth Fuchs Orange Nuggett - not the best bloom. Got a bit cold and it didn't like that.


C Claesinter v coerulea


Den amethystoglossum - got a little upset when the fan was blowing on it


Den lindleyi - just starting to pop open

Those are all just gorgeous, Melissa. I have only one forlorn Phal. in bloom. But I have several "expecting" plants, so hopefully by mid-spring, I will have some blossoms.

Now that is a very beautiful eyeful this morning!! Just gorgeous! The color on the Jewel Box is wonderful and the Cl just glows, I love it!!

Ursula, like always, I envy your Phrag!

Melissa, great show. Could the clonal name of your Jewel Box be 'Scheherazade'? I remember that being the most common one and the winner of lots of ribbons. That's a beautiful Cl. Rebecca Northen. Good growing!

I spotted Epi. ciliare blooming out in the OC. This one is also called an Encyclia by many. You would think the orchid boffins could better spend their time sorting things like this out and leave my Schomburgkias alone (he said emphatically but sarcastically).


Speaking of Schomburgkias, my L. undulata spikes are at an even four feet and show no signs of stopping.


Difficult to photograph Den. Nora Tokunaga is so pretty but hanging flowers are detractive.


Caulaelia [Cll.] Star of Rio 'Rose' (L. superbiens x Cau. bicornutum) is just starting to open. I could have posted this in the anticipation thread. It looks like we're in for a good show.


Jim

Lots of beauties, Jim!! The Star of Rio is very interesting! I love the color too!

I have my orchids outside for four days now, they do have to come in Tuesday night. Temps will be in 40s for night lows for about 3 or 4 nights. I have everything on racks with big wheels, so easy!

I have my Vanilla Orchids out, plumeria, some bromeliads, and staghorns. That's it. Oh, and my one citrus tree.

.....as Ursula watches the progress of the snow receding from the lawns and rejoices at the sight of small Crocus plants emerging.....

What great blooms everyone !

I've been busy moving stuff outside too. In between that and tearing up a bathroom. What we "thought " was going to be a somewhat minor repair looks like it's going to be a total redo. Not in the plan but looks like it's going to have to be done. Argghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Anyway I have a few pics.

Blc .Anna Balmores and Lc Trick or Treat. Not a great pic........



Bulbophyllum makoyanum - First time blooming for me. I think they are so cute ! 4 more spikes coming.




Melissa I have the Slc Shehrazade Jewel Box also but mine's never been that Red !. Here it is in April of 2014

Ursula said:.....as Ursula watches the progress of the snow receding from the lawns and rejoices at the sight of small Crocus plants emerging.....

Ursula, really we don't keep everything out until after April 10th but the Rainey mist these last few days is waking my (dorment) catts up! I haven't taken my violacea x purpurata out but maybe the purp will give it more temp tolerance. Night temps are difficult to get down in my apt, so most nights they were near 70 degrees and very dry with only 30% humidity. My other genera are wintering at my sisters GH and I have not seen them since last Nov. Will take them outside next month and expect loses as well. Situation is difficult for loved ones during a move. These are my babies.

Mj, very nice ! I love the Bulbo makoyanum!

Roberta, they are our babies for sure.
I usually start bringing Epiphyllums and cool growing Orchids outside somewhere in April, keeping a watchful eye on the night time temps.
Actually, I start leaving the garage door open during the day to acclimatize the Epiphyllum hybrids and some odds and ends which overwinter in there with them. Clumps of Jade plants do very well kept like that.
The Laelia purpuratas are amongst the early Orchids out on the deck.

It's hard to tell with crosses how temp toleranent they will be. But I knew the violacea needed 70 night and 70% humidity, I really should not have bought it even with the purpurata parent. Anyone have success with the warm growing catts?

I assume the vast majority of what I have (Cattleya alliance) are warm-growers.

Ken, most catts are intermediate! Warm in that they grow at sea level hanging over the Amazon river basin, really hot and humid there are only 6 species that I know of that can live there, there are 2 BV species, martiana and I forget the other.
I have never done well with hot to warm and above 70% humidity!

I have always considered them warm growers. I guess the definition of "warm", "intermediate" and "cool" is in the eye of the grower. I cannot imagine successfully growing orchids in the heat and humidity that we have in our region if they don't love the heat. Perhaps "love" is not a good term. "Tolerant" may be a better term. Bert, don't you grow your Cattleya alliance orchids outside during the spring, summer, and early fall?

Yes, they are on the patio. Bright today, they may burn so I may roll them back in a minute. Night time temps are still in the cool category so as long as it gets below 55 regularly I will keep my I and especially W growers in at night. While most catts can tolerate a range the goal should be to follow the best night time temps. The I growers are rarely in our heat Ken, because of the elevation they grow at in situ.
The best light bulb moment on habitats was looking at Ursula's pictures on her orchid travels. The cloudy, foggy environment in the mountains, with burn off around noon leaving no doubt that I was not doing right by my orchids, I strive to do better!

Thanks so much, Roberta!!
Looking at Orchids in their specific habitats gives one a bit of a feel what a certain Orchid might feel comfortable in.
Ken, just for interest, Orchid growers actually define cool, intermediate and warm habitats as follows here, I took this excerpt from the AOS pages

Cool, Intermediate or Warm?
Orchids are usually classified as either cool-, intermediate- or warm-growing depending on their temperature needs and the usual definitions of these ranges are: Warm 80-90F days and 65-70F nights, Intermediate 70-80F days and 55-65F nights and Cool 60-70F days and 50-55F nights.

In addition to those in cold, and or temperate zones.

I guess orchids, like many plants, are pretty good at adapting to conditions that are even close to what their native climates were like. I tried to grow a few "Lady-slipper" orchids 30 years ago and lost them all. I am sure I cooked them to death. I never tried to grow ones that I knew did well in cool climates after that failure.

I remember seeing Masdevallia coccinea growing at the famous garden at the foot of Machu Picchu and knew I could never duplicate those conditions. I was correct, and I quit growing Masdies years ago since I could never keep them alive.