I've been a gardener ever since the first geranium bloom I liberated from someone's front step set roots into the glass of water on my windowsill. Roots are beautiful, and new life springing from a cut flower is a profound and exciting mystery. Most of my gardening has been earth-based, at first in containers, and then, especially when we settled in California, in the ground.
A few years ago I noticed huge and beautiful orchid arrangements at my dad's house. There was something ethereal about them which called to me differently from all the "normal" flowers I've learned to grow. And a visit to Fiji, where so many orchids grow happily out of doors, inflamed my curiosity.
A few years ago I noticed huge and beautiful orchid arrangements at my dad's house. There was something ethereal about them which called to me differently from all the "normal" flowers I've learned to grow. And a visit to Fiji, where so many orchids grow happily out of doors, inflamed my curiosity.
Fiji, my sister in the orchid "house".
So I responded to the call by attending the Pacific Orchid Expo in San Francisco this year.
It's a sweet show. People are happy among the flowers. I figured out that I have strong opinions about them, disliking the ones with monkey faces and skull imagery, as well as finding flesh colors kind of uncanny-valley creepy. But also that some are just fascinating and lovely. And I took the chance to bring home all orchids that were not in bloom, choosing little ones I can nurture along.
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