I drove so Lindsey treated me at The Catfish Place. That made a nice dessert after the shopping. Great day it was. Sorry you missed it, Elaine.

Jim

Well, I was suffering the terrible hardship of beaches and tropical drinks in the Caymans, although I did miss being able to go scuba diving, too. I hear Friday was rather cool and stormy here.

However, this week Tropiflora is making up for my loss of an Apopka opportunity. Their Winter Sale is this Friday and Saturday so I will get an opportunity at some nice plants. I'm sure Rafael will have goodies on display too.

Orchids and tillies and Broms, oh my!

Welcome back Elaine!
Glad to hear that you endured the extreme hardship of having to spend in the Caymans.. you get no sympathy from me😜
You did miss a nice day in Apopka..the time flew by!

Yes, terrible hardship for sure, while we are expecting temps tomorrow to stay in the twenties F here in the North East.

I am so plant supplier starved here in the boonies I would probably suffer from sensory overload if I ever got to Apopka or Tropiflora. Dennis and his wife used to come to plant festivals in Charleston and just his one booth had me swooning.

Elaine, enjoy your visit to Tropiflora this weekend.

Ursula, stay warm. The NY/NJ family folks tell me this is unusually cold for December. Lows in the teens. Brrrrrrrrrr

Alice, sensory overload is exactly how the experience is described. Krull-Smith had very little in bloom this year. I don't remember last year except that I went with a list and got 5 or 6 blooming size plants ( not in bloom) that were on my list. Orchids in Bloom had a HUGE greenhouse completely full of blooming Shari Babies..on both sides ...just walking down the center aisle was a mini trip to Hershey PA. First Orchids had 2 or 3 long benches filled with large size Catts all in bud or bloom, another 2 or 3 long benches of each double spiked Phals and double spiked Dens. Then there is the other whole HUGE greenhouse with the Vanda plants, It took Jim about 4 minutes to find several double spiked plants to choose from. These 3 growers are all about 5 minutes from each other..so there is no time to decompress between stops.
The big shows in Miami in January and May ( I think) are another level of overload as there are around 85 vendors from all over the world and the booths are packed to the rafters with interesting, rare and just plain spectacular stuff..some at shockingly low prices..especially the last day of the show in May ( the Redland Show) Kawamoto for example had blooming size plants 2 for $30. on Sunday everything was half price.

Big

I just got some plants in the mail today from Sylvies Orchids ..she's from Sarasota and offers many plants on the FB orchids for sale/ trade page. I got 3 beautifully packed plants that arrived with blooms and buds intact..always a nice surprise.
These were all in tiny, tiny , TINY 2" pots...with flowers..


Pot. Eye Candy 'Mellow Yellow'




Blc. Akas Aloha 'Dream Dust'

and in bud
Pot. Love Tapestry 'Popular Song'
just to give you some perspective




These 3 are definitely window sill sized plants, with tax and shipping
it worked out to $12. each.

Lindsey, all are lovely but if you want to correct the names, what you have is:

Rhyncattleanthe [Rth.] Eye Candy 'Mellow Yellow'
Brassacathron [Bcn.] Aka's Aloha 'Dream Dust'
Rhyncattleanthe [Rth.] Love Tapestry 'Popular Song'

Jim

What beautiful babies.

I see Sylvies Orchids (Amy) posted all the time on FB. Some look well-priced, some not. Those are all cuties you got, Lindsey, and the price was certainly goo. Since both of you are in FL, shipping is greatly reduced. I contacted Amy and told her that I was headed to Sarasota for a few days. I might visit with her if she has the time and will be in town.

I had asked her that a few months ago and she said no. I asked if I could pick up the plants to save shipping and she said no.. she said something about leasing space in someone else's greenhouse house and it was because of insurance and liability issues with the greenhouse owner.
I find most of her plants are way over priced and usually badly in need of repotting which always makes me wonder about their growing conditions. But I have no complaints about these 3 tiny gems.
Jim, thanks for the correction on the tag info...3 for 3!

I don't like to comment about my "competitors", Lindsey. From what you tell me, I won't be meeting this young lady.

Well..You should certainly find time to check out Tropiflora and Plantio....they share the same driveway and with your interest in other tropical plants you will love to see the incredible inventory at Tropiflora...Rafael at Plantio may have some bargain bare root plants that you can't pass up..I saw lots in the $3.- $10 range last time I was there.

Thanks, Lindsey. I will do my best to work as much "orchid-time" in as possible. It always seems that I never have enough time to do what I want though. I gotta get down to Sarasota and then put a plan in place.

Let's see, family, how about football, Tropiflora/Plantio, Selby and sleeping/eating in that order.

Now, let's find some 50 hr. days.

Hey, don't forget to fit me into that line-up Ken!

I hope to get together with you and Jim. I just have to see how the time works out. You know, always so much to do and so little time to do it. I will do my best, Patty.

I spent a day at Kawamoto last week. This is what I saw - not a lot of names because the plants say "Not For Sale" where the name should be.






I wanted to take this Psychopsis home but it was sold and the last one in the nursery:


I did take this one home: Bulbophyllum burfordiense


Merry Christmas Everyone!