Yep, Cactus & Tropicals is one of my regular stops when I'm in Salt Lake. I usually need a humidity and a tropical plant fix while I'm there and they have such a nice facility. They have unusual varieties of perennials in their little outdoor nursery in summer too.

I'm very capricious and fickle about what I grow. I have a large east facing window where I grow my house plants. I've grown Phalaenopsis there with success in the past but now the window is full of Amaryllis just starting to bloom. When I get cabin fever in the winter I have several nurseries that I head to and Cactus and Tropicals is a favorite as is Sunriver Gardens in Orem, Utah.

I wish there were a generic entry for Vandas in the data base as none of those pictured had cultivar names. Many plants have a generic entry.....

Things are slow due to the cool weather here but here are a few blooms

Mini Epi. ellipticom and Gerberara 'Snow Ballet' (yes I know the name has changed, but that's its' tag)


Ansellia Africana has a couple more spike but they're being slooow , and Epi.secundum is recovering from radical prunning


Sophronitis cernua isn't as pretty as Ted's, but it's blooming

Paul, thanks for sharing your lovely pics!

Carol, they are all lovely! I could never keep a Sophronitis cernua alive for long!

Just taking another look here, those Vandas are droolworthy, Paul.

Thanks for sharing, Paul. Wonderful pictures.

Jim

I enjoy my repeat bloomers, as they come one by one into bloom. This one here is C. Loddiglossa 'Honey Ball' SM/JOGA bought a few years ago from Suwada


and a twofer - one old, one new: old Brassavola Little Stars and first repeat bloom Rlc Chia Lin 'Shinsu'. Scent heaven!


And as I was watering I noticed this little cutie in full bloom. I almost missed it!
Asctm Mona Church

I need to re-order some of the B. nodosa varieties and V. Mona Church. I sold out of them all by mid-summer. Heck, I just need to re-order a lot of orchids. For the first time in five years, I have not ordered a single orchid. My normal yearly orders total around 250 seedlings and 100 BS/NBS plants. Does this mean I have to double my orders next year? Wow!

I am headed south to Sarasota around Dec. 23. We have a bowl game in St. Pete on the 26. My son and daughter-in-law live in Sarasota, so we'll stay 4-6 days with them. Maybe I will have a day to visit the Apopka area and see what's available. I will be in my SUV and there's always room for plants, lots of plants.

How great is that, Ken. Maybe we can meet up at Tropiflora? I'm still not allowed to make any long drives such as to Apopka but a local drive is fine for me.

I'd advise you to call the growers you'd like to visit in Apopka before you drop in, as during the holidays they may very well be closed. In winter when we visit we try to make it mid-week as well because both Krull-Smith and Chapmans (two of our favorites) go to orchid shows on the weekends so they're liable to be gone on Thursday or Friday. First Orchids is a must-see and they don't go to shows but you still should call.
First Orchid
2107 Plymouth Sorrento Road
Apopka, FL 32712
(407) 814-9394

....and don't miss Selby Gardens. Your Kathy would find lots to paint there.

Ursula, I just your Mona Church.

Fantastic show today, Ursula! I really like that C. Loddiglossa, but then I really like them all.

That 'Honey Ball' is fabulous.. Chia Lin and the Little Stars ( that's positively LOADED with flowers) are beautiful together!

Thanks!

Thank you Elaine, Patty, and Alice. My plans are still completely up in the air. I plan on leaving home on the 23rd, spending the night after getting through Tallahassee (my Kathy doesn't like for me to drive more than 8 hrs. at a clip ) and then driving on to Sarasota on the 24th. I won't be going "shopping" on the 25th or 26th, so maybe Tuesday, the 27th, will be visit-day. I will know more when I get to my son's.

If you in the Sarasota area would T-Mail me your phone numbers, I will see if we can meet. I know Christmas till New Years is not the best time to get out and not the best time to find nurseries open, but the bowl date dictates this.

We need to show Ken around Sarasota. I should be around during that time.

Jim

Rth. Golden Chieftan 'Akuki' with the 4th spike to open , this afternoon.

Pretty! There aren't very many pure yellow orchids.