I guess you can gather from the title that we have a bit of everything happening around here. Orchid things. Life cycle things. Still blooming, starting to fade, and yes even signs of new growth. It is kind of a full house when it comes to orchid activity at the moment.
Side Note - I saw this Orchid Update photo of Pepper and just had to use it as the intro photo. We have been missing this little guy and often (by honest mistake) call Huxley Pepper. They are so much alike.
Still Here:
Our Panchara Delight Vanda is still showing off. She is looking strong and colorful and honestly I think the flowers are holding on a little longer than they did the last time. Of course that is just my gut talking. I would need to scroll back through a good number of photos to confirm, and with time running short these days I am going with the easy answer. A bit of memory and intuition. Either way I will happily enjoy the blooms for as long as she decides to keep them around. Every time I pass by I feel like she is saying yep still here and still fabulous.
Beginning to Leave:
Now on the flip side we are seeing some blooms beginning to bow out. The trio of Phalaenopsis orchids that started blooming all the way back in December are finally beginning to wind down. One flower dropped a few days ago and I have seen this before. It usually means the others will begin to fade soon after. The petals lose a bit of their color then slowly curl and dry. I always feel a little sad but also thankful. These blooms have brought color and beauty through the long stretch of winter. Now the plants get a chance to rest and recover. They have done their job well.
Back Again:
Surprise surprise. Our other Vanda orchid, the Wilas crossed with Dr Anek, is getting ready to bloom again. This one last flowered right around the New Year and I was not expecting anything new this soon. I had been watching a lower bud that seemed to stall out for weeks and then out of nowhere this new bloom stem appeared above it.
And let me just say I am thrilled. The reddish tones of this orchid are striking and I cannot wait to see them again. Always a bit of excitement when something new shows up out of the blue.
And Huxley as Well:
As always our little garden buddy is involved. Huxley has made a habit of stopping by during orchid soakings to give the blooms a gentle sniff. Especially the purple flowers of the Panchara Delight. Like clockwork. He never tries to nibble but I am always watching just in case. Mostly he just wants to be close and check in on what I am doing. Too cute for his own good. His calm curiosity around the orchids makes these quiet moments even more special.
So yes we are still blooming.
Some flowers are getting ready to say goodbye. Others are just about to say hello. And as always there is a little dog nearby making sure not a moment goes unnoticed.
