What a gorgeous welcome home , Jim!
We had a substantial thunder and lightening event here with monsoon like rain..I wish I could say that the temperature has dropped! I'll be putting my tarp back up tomorrow as the forecast is for more every day.

Do you have to protect your orchids from rains, Lindsey?

Yes, it lies in the Atacama Desert, the driest one in the world. A cold current, called the Humboldt, flows from Antarctica northward along the coast causing the cool, damp fog. I lived there for three years.

Jim

Toughened you up then....................

Good food and friendly people, I enjoyed my time there.

Jim

Beauties to come home to, Jim and that pot/mount is ingenious. I love the shape of the flower on that Rlc.

You can call the Mcm. a Schombocattleya if you want to, we won't tell the boffins, promise. Great colors on that one.

I hope all mine have survived - DH says it hasn't rained but a few drops since I left, which is probably better than if it had been pouring every day. I finally asked him to give them all a good heavy hose shower yesterday. They're all on automatic misters, but if the wind is blowing the mist sometimes misses some orchids.

@Boojum. Kathy, sorry to hear you are leaving your lovely gardens but we will have thousands of pictures to remember them by. Best of luck but knowing you, you will come up with great ideas for new gardening adventures. Above all, remember you have some really good friends over here that will be happy to support you anytime you ask. So, don't be a stranger. Stop by and let us know how you're doing. Many of us really care.

Jim

Hi All! Long time no post. We have been busy! The back yard is cleared and ready to start the greenhouse build. We have the permit and contractors start coming tomorrow. So exciting!

Also introducing Podangis dactyloceras 'Dink Dink' CCM/AOS. I am so proud of this plant. Last year it had 2 small spikes and about 20 flowers. This year, 14 spikes and 122 flowers! I was awarded an 85 pt Certificate of Cultural Merit today.

Good to hear from you, Melissa, and that is a beautiful plant. Good growing.

Jim

I do Ken, if the rain chances are above 40% for a few days, I rig up a clear tarp that I made ..suspended from the facia board on the house and run to a few trees on the far side of the patio..it covers 2 of my 3 benches..and I move the pots from the 3rd bench under the tarp.
Congrats,Melissa on your award..well done!..and on the new greenhouse taking shape!

I figure it would take a 2000 sf. tarp to protect my orchids. That's a pretty large tarp, Lindsey.

Thank you everyone for the compliments regarding my pic for Paph Chiu Hua Dancer (gigantifolium x sanderianum). I acquired this NBS plant in early summer of 2013 from eBay and it bloomed for the first time in 5/2014. And it is in full bloom again right now. I also have a Paph Michael Koopowitz ((phillippenense x sanderianum) for almost 10 years and it stubbornly refuses to grow much or bloom. It had stayed looking virtually unchanged for years and years until recently when it showed signs of a new leave. Anyone else have this plant, and any luck in getting it to bloom?

Nice one, Melissa!

Jim, nice to come back and have some lovely blooms like that to greet you! Your plants have lots of good growth and lots of roots too!


We were in Lima ca 10 years ago on a trip and Klaus and I did a lot of walking through the city, we liked it very much!!

Just want to say it's great that I still have friends here. I definitely may need your support! Of course your words made me cry Jim! There are only a few people who understand me and you are one of them! Thank you!

Its because of you, Kathy, that I found ATP, now NGA. Change can be good or bad. It simply depends on ones sense of optimism, adventure, and well-being. Knowing you, you'll do well.

and Kathy, you were the first to extend words of encouragement when I was without orchid support in NC! We will ALWAYS be here for you!

Brassavola cuculatta

Wow, I like that, Carol.

Wow Wow. That's gorgeous. Is it grown outdoors Carol